Treasury and Team: Kelly Niese
Business News
People, Careers, Business, Findlay, Ohio
Key Points
- Kelly Niese, Marathon Petroleum's Vice President of Treasury, oversees billions in cash transactions, risk management, insurance and credit operations, while bringing a collaborative and innovative approach to leadership.
- Niese built her career through diverse roles at Marathon Petroleum, leveraging mentorship, adaptability and continuous learning to advance to senior leadership.
- Niese fosters an open, collaborative culture, mentoring team members and prioritizing exposure to new opportunities while balancing professional and personal responsibilities with exceptional dedication.
Marathon Petroleum’s Vice President of Treasury, Kelly Niese, and her team oversee cash balances and transactions for the nation’s largest refining system. They also manage risk, insurance and commercial credit.
“We are moving millions of dollars around every day,” said Niese. “When you take a step back, it’s a lot, but there is a sense of team and comradery that makes it exciting and fulfilling.”
Finding Her Way
When Niese started college, she didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do. She took a slate of business classes and from there narrowed down her interests.
“Finance is more forward looking,” said Niese. “I liked the project work – figuring out where companies should head and how they make decisions on where to invest. I liked the qualitative and the quantitative aspects around the analysis.”
Niese obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, majoring in Finance and Computer Applications from the University of Notre Dame – Mendoza College of Business. Notre Dame’s focus on ethics and community put her on track to become a respected business leader.
Her first job was at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. After working for a year and a half as an auditor, she realized that she wanted to be closer to home. She remembered her internship in the Commercial Credit department at Marathon in Findlay, Ohio.
“As an intern, I saw Marathon had a close-knit feel within a large corporation,” said Niese. “I liked the fact that you could move around within the company and do a lot of different types of jobs.”
In 2003, Niese began her career at Marathon Petroleum, where she took a position with Internal Audit. From there she moved into different areas of the organization like Crude Oil Supply, Brand Marketing and a department previously known as Transportation, Terminals and Marine. Those opportunities and her leaders along the way were instrumental in shaping her growth and development at the company.
“If you look at my career, I have done a lot of different things,” said Niese. “Early on, I had some bosses and mentors who pushed me outside my comfort zone. I didn’t exactly see the connection when I’d take a new role, and then in hindsight I was glad that I did. You find out so much from other people when you take a job that makes you uncomfortable and has you working with different groups.”
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Work Life Balance
One of the connections from her time working in the Transportation, Terminals and Marine organization became a close friend, Sara Stewart, who is now the Commercial Market Director at Marathon Petroleum. The two carpooled for 18 months while obtaining their master’s degrees from Bowling Green State University. To date, they remain close.
“She’s very smart, a very hard worker,” said Stewart. “She has transferred many times in the organization and worked hard to learn that part of the business. Her work ethic is unparalleled.”
Stewart and Niese also became mothers around the same time, and now their oldest children are seniors in high school. They balanced daycare, managed their careers and cultivated a friendship. Stewart was impressed with Niese’s dedication to her personal and professional roles.
“I’ve seen it done a lot of different ways,” said Stewart. “I’ve seen people dive into work completely and miss out on the kid stuff. She’s worked hard to strike a balance. She’s the one wearing a blouse and dress pants at the soccer game. She’s fun, serious about her work, but doesn’t take herself too seriously.”
“She is constantly pushing our team to find new and innovative ways to create value.”
Leading and Developing
In 2014, Niese was named Corporate Finance Manager at Marathon Petroleum. In 2017, she became Assistant Treasurer and then, in 2023, was promoted to Vice President of Treasury. Over her career, she’s had the opportunity to work on major acquisitions, sales of major parts of the business and supported the company during the pandemic.
“Those opportunities have been transcending,” said Niese. “The things I’ve touched in Treasury – financed debt, issued shares, bought back shares, corporate finance deals – many treasurers won’t get to experience that in their careers. Over 21 years at this company I’ve seen the cyclicality of the business. It’s imperative to have leaders who understand the cycles and know we are a strong company that can survive them.”
Throughout her career, Niese has always worked to develop professional relationships and often takes people up on offers to learn more about any given topic. She believes that if you don’t capitalize on such opportunities, your career growth can stagnate. In addition to making time for her own professional development, she takes time to mentor others on her team. She schedules breakfasts with interns, brings junior employees to meetings with senior executives, and lends an ear to those wanting to advance their careers.
“I love providing employees exposure early on in their career,” said Niese. “In Treasury’s morning meetings, new hires and senior analysts meet to understand what people in the industry are dealing with every day. It’s an open organization. We get a lot of exposure in these roles because of the work that we are doing. It’s important that we share information and collaborate effectively to be at our best.”
Her team appreciates the openness and leadership skills she brings to the organization. Insurance Operations Director Kevin Kachur has worked on Niese’s team for more than six years. Kachur notes that her experience working in different parts of the company results in the genuine, authentic and consistent leadership that he sees every day.
“She can communicate our strategy and how our individual roles contribute to those initiatives,” said Kachur. “She is constantly pushing our team to find new and innovative ways to create value.”
In addition to effective leadership of the Treasury team, Kachur credits her inquisitive nature and flat management style for the unique culture within the department.
“She asks thoughtful, tough questions to make sure we are considering all the angles and risks,” said Kachur. “There’s trust and confidence in Kelly because she’s relatable and engaging with the team. She helps people feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their thoughts and opinions.”
A Piece of Advice
Niese is committed to helping her team members find their passions and reach their goals. She has advice for people looking to grow in business and be successful.
“People’s perspectives are different,” said Niese. “I like to say we should all have a work friend in every decade and friends in different locations. Look for people who are experiencing things differently from you. That helps you stay grounded and understand what is going on in the organization.”
Quick Facts
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