Denise Keller is COO and founding partner of Benchmark Email, an award-winning email marketing service, and a passionate philanthropist who has raised money for fresh water wells in Africa, grief counseling for needy children and a variety of other causes.

A former accountant and an accomplished small business expert, Keller showed solid business acumen at just 10 years old, when she started an arts and crafts babysitting service called “Daytime Playtime.”

Years later, when she was pursuing an accounting degree, Keller co-founded and helped run a successful day-care center, managing people twice her age when she was still in her late teens.

After graduating from university, Keller took leadership positions at several high-profile companies including Seafood Broiler and Accor, showing a formidable talent for turning marginally performing companies into strong, profitable ventures.

In 2005, Keller and her husband Curt started what is now the fastest-growing email marketing service for small businesses, Benchmark Email. Keller has been instrumental in building Benchmark Email from a tiny operation to a global powerhouse with clients in the United States, Asia and Europe, with Mercedes-Benz, Siemens and Kaiser Permanente as users.

An ultra-dedicated fundraiser, Keller sits on the board of Life In Motion Enterprises (LIME), a nonprofit organization that supports underprivileged youth around the world. Between trips to Kenya and Ethiopia with LIME, she raises money locally for school programs, sports teams and needy families.

Keller also runs Benchmark Email’s We Care About Kids program, which gives away free email marketing tools to child and young adult-focused non-profits.

A prolific blogger and well-regarded authority on small business and corporate philanthropy, Keller has written for American Express OPEN Forum, Business Insider and many other top-notch outlets.

Denise Keller at Google+