Cray Kaiser Employee Spotlight: Zach Boesen

At Cray Kaiser, our people are at the heart of who we are. In our Employee Spotlight series, we’re giving you a chance to get to know the people behind CK, including their experience, what drives them, and a little peek at who they are outside of the CK office.

This month, we’re shining our spotlight on one of the newest members of the CK team, Senior Assurance Accountant Zach Boesen.

Getting to Know Zach

Zach joined Cray Kaiser in June 2026 as a Senior Assurance Accountant, working with clients across a variety of industries to support their audit and assurance needs. His days include everything from planning and performing audits to reviewing financial statements and helping clients navigate accounting and reporting questions.

At this point in his career, Zach is happy to call himself a generalist. Working across different industries and with a wide range of clients has given him the opportunity to continue learning while figuring out where his strengths and interests may eventually lead him. For now, he’s enjoying the variety.

“I appreciate the learning opportunities that have come with working across different industries,” Zach says. “I’m definitely open to developing a specialty in the future as I continue to gain experience.”

Finding Connection and Growth at CK

Before joining CK, Zach spent two years working fully remotely for a large, private-equity-backed firm. The experience brought plenty of opportunities, but it also helped him realize what he was missing: a smaller, more connected environment where he could build meaningful relationships with colleagues and clients. He started seeing that difference at CK before he was even hired.

“The interview was more of a conversation and felt very open and easy,” Zach says. “It was made clear that you could go to anyone in the firm with questions, looking for help, or even just to chat.”

A few months in, that first impression has held true. Zach says CK’s commitment to mentorship and professional development has been one of the biggest differences he’s experienced.

After feeling his career growth had become somewhat stagnant in his previous role, he was looking for a place that would help him figure out what came next. At CK, he found leadership that takes an active interest in where employees want to grow and work alongside them to develop a plan to get there.

It’s no surprise that People is the CK Core Value that resonates most with Zach. His experience working remotely reinforced just how much relationships with colleagues and clients matter to him.

“Everything just becomes easier when you have those relationships that you can rely on,” Zach says. “The fact that I feel comfortable enough to go to anyone in the firm, whether it be for help, a simple question or even just to chat, speaks volumes.”

Looking Toward What’s Next

As Zach settles into his role at CK, he’s already thinking about what his future at the firm looks like. His goal is to advance into a supervisor role and beyond, taking on more responsibility for leading engagements, supervising team members and managing projects from start to finish. He’s also interested in developing the business development side of his career by building his network and learning how to bring new relationships to the firm.

For accountants who are just beginning to figure out their path, Zach has one piece of advice: ask questions.

“I remember how scared I was coming into my first firm that I wouldn’t have the tools or knowledge needed to contribute,” he says. “What I found early in my career is that it is not the expectation. The expectation is that you are learning and asking questions along the way.”

It’s advice he still follows himself. No matter where you are in your career, there’s always more to learn.

More About Zach

If you could be an expert at anything, what would it be and why?

I think it would have to be sports. I am a die-hard Chicago sports fan and am very dedicated to the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. While I consider myself fairly knowledgeable, there is always room to know more, and given how passionate I am, I would love to be an actual expert.

Do you have a special/hidden talent or hobby?

My hidden talent/hobby would probably be sports video games. This year, I ranked in the top 300 in MLB The Show 26, ranked in the top 100 in the Madden franchise a couple of years ago, and even competed in a professional Madden tournament.

What was your favorite vacation? What is the #1 place on your vacation list?

My favorite vacation to date has to be my family trip to Norway. We got to see Oslo, Flåm, and do a cruise through the Fjords. As my mom’s side is 100% Norwegian, it was fun being there. The number one place to go next would be Greece, as I am a huge Greek mythology nerd.

What’s your favorite movie or TV show?

My favorite all-time TV show is PSYCH. It is essentially a Sherlock Holmes iteration where the main character pretends to be psychic and helps the local police department with cases. While he isn’t psychic, he’s so observant that it seems like he is. It’s essentially a buddy comedy and well worth watching if you haven’t seen it.