Leo Vetter

Leo Vetter for Burleigh County AuditorVetter, owner of home builders Vetter Homes Inc., sees the position as a chance to return to a passion for accounting. After graduating from the University of Mary with an accounting degree in 1986, he worked in the state auditor’s office for 3 ½ years. In the role, he reviewed financial records of political subdivisions, including counties, cities and school districts.

“When we went into a county, what entailed the audit was doing the review of all the financial bookkeeping from clerk of courts, register of deeds, district courts, sheriff’s departments, all those along with the cash balances, investments, several funds, etc.,” Vetter told the Tribune. “That was a big bulk of what I did, was the county audits.”

After quitting the auditor role, he formed Vetter Homes in the late 1980s. He still runs it today.

“My other passion was construction, and I felt, well I better do that while I’m young because it is more of a young man’s game, sport, or an occupation, if you will,” Vetter said.

But sometimes he contemplated his decision to make a career switch.

“When I left, there’s always been that, ‘Did I make the right decision?'” he said. “This would get me an opportunity to get back into that and kind of enjoy that, as well.”