Consultant to Executive Director

Olancho Aid Foundation, Inc.(OAF)

Juticalpa, Honduras

Advising Catholic Nonprofit with four schools in Juticalpa on preparing for their first accounting audit. Review all business processes and recommend and draft accounting policies in English and Spanish. Gather, organized, and ensure all governance documents are up to date and recommend to the Board of Directors improvements and uncover gaps. With local Bishop, Board Chair and Executive Director align OAF mission with local needs of the Honduran community. Website Link

Federal and State Tax Preparer

AARP

Portland, Maine

Met with clients, reviewed tax documents (W2s, 1099s SSA, Int., deduction support etc.), verified identity, entered return in Tax Slayer software, reviewed completed return with client, and electronically submitted return to state and federal tax authorities. Reviewed returns prepared by other AARP tax preparers to ensure accuracy prior to submission.

Lathrop Asset Management (LAM)

COO

Portland, Maine

Recommended by Native Maine owner and recruited by LAM owner to work with existing management to transition company to new leadership/ownership. My work was cut short by terminal illness of owner. Developed strategy to ensure rents remained competitive while keeping longer-term tenants.

CFO

Native Maine Produce & Specialty Foods

Westbrook, ME

Responsible for organizational Risk Management, Accounting, HR, and oversight of Customer Service. Worked with owners to determine options to grow and/or exit (ESOP or sale) the business. Prepared due diligence and then elected as CFO of NMO, Inc. post-sale. Developed weekly and monthly reporting for outside stakeholders. Key player in ensuring the success of the existing business carried over to the new company. Prepared and represented company in challenging DOT audit and lead the establishment of company-wide 401k plan. Migrated Paychex payroll to Commonwealth Payroll’s human capital management software – iSolved.

CFO

J. Weston Walch, Publisher

Portland, ME

Responsible for Accounting, HR, Customer Service, IT, and production staff. Directed collaborative planning process to drive profitable results. Worked with senior leaders to evaluate and negotiate large customer contracts and prepared the financial analysis and recommendations for production equipment. Led and coordinated budget process and mid-year corrections. Coordinated annual audit/review and 401k review, negotiated health insurance renewals, and audited state and federal tax return preparation. Determined nexus/state tax requirements for states.

• Negotiated an increase in line of credit from $500K to $1.5 million while reducing collateral requirement.
• Praised by external auditor (Macpage) and lender for timely and rich monthly financial reporting.
• Improved production and office safety and reduced worker compensation mod from 1.2 to 0.77.
• Identified existing staff member for promotion to production manager and mentored her during a period of substantial change and reorganization for commercial printing department.
• Developed the case, provided operational options, and implemented Board of Directors approved solutions that navigated company through difficult recessionary years (cut expenses, organized furloughs, significantly reduced fixed costs and organized and implemented two reductions in work force).
• Successfully competed for and won Maine grant.

Controller

The Olympia Companies

Portland, ME

Responsible for the accounting and financial reporting function for 16 hotels. Reduced issuance time of all financial reports to 11th of the month following. Provided significant input into establishing framework to monitor performance, goals, and team building of the organization. Worked directly with accounting staff at each property to improve financial controls and reporting accuracy.

Director of Operations

Laurin Publishing Company

Pittsfield, MA

Recruited by the company’s President and the CEO to fill financial and operational gaps between Laurin Family members. Areas of support included financial analysis; operational workflow analysis, simplification, and documentation; business planning; vendor and supplier negotiation; aspects of Human Resources; and special projects as assigned by the President or the CEO.

Treasurer, Vice President & General Manager, Communities That Care® (2001-2004)

Channing Bete Company, Inc.

South Deerfield, MA

Volunteered to lead acquired subsidiary in Seattle, WA and subsequent integration within Channing Bete Company. Established team to market, train, and service product developed to promote the positive development of children and youth and prevent problem behaviors, including substance abuse, delinquency, teen pregnancy, school drop-out and violence. Set product pricing and gross margin on large custom proposals.

• Evaluated and discontinued marketing of an unprofitable costly GIS product, saving $500,000 dollars annually and providing greater focus on more profitable products.
• Developed and executed a marketing strategy that grew 2003 revenue to $2.8 million (81% annual increase), while staying below expense budget. Negotiated largest single order in the company’s history ($817,000).

CFO, V.P. Finance and Support Services (1999-2001)

Directed the company's financial affairs, including banking relations, financial and tax audits, property and liability insurance, and cash flow forecasts. Managed relationship with external auditors and drafted year-end GAAP audit report. Elected Chairman of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Trust.

• Conducted financial due diligence for the acquisition of DRP, a Seattle-based prevention science firm. Researched and implemented an innovative acquisition strategy using an ESOP loan and S-Corp status to save the company millions of tax dollars.
• Partnered with the President to acquire the largest loan ($16 million) in the company’s history and negotiate favorable loan covenants.
• Successfully negotiated the closing of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant, saving the company $150,000.

Vice President and Operations Manager, Finance and Support Services (1987-1999)

Accountable for facilities, word processing and support, information systems, and call center, encompassing 62 FTEs. Member of the company's Strategic Planning and Operation Management Teams.

• Part of senior management team that developed business continuity strategy to ensure ongoing financial viability using an ESOP, resulting in the financial flexibility to grow business.
• Successfully negotiated and defended the company during significant sales and use tax audits and two IRS audits, resulting in over $100,000 in tax savings.
• Managed the year-end external audit and stock valuation process, ensuring compliance with ERISA regulations, GAAP, and ESOP Plan. Audited year-end results available by mid-February.
• Participated in the selection and conversion of company-wide computer systems to J.D. Edwards software (now part of Oracle), which standardized enterprise-wide computing platform, improving customer service and order management.
• Reduced the call center's abandon call rate 50% by optimizing existing technology, installing standard policies and procedures and using part-time and temporary staff during peak volumes.
• Reduced days-sales-outstanding ratio (DSO) 35% and bad debt expense 83% and saved $80,000 annually by developing the best mix of people, technology, and process to achieve consistent results.
• Reduced financial statement issuance time from 30 to 5 days, physical inventory time by 50%, and book to physical to $20,000 on $4 million inventory, by analyzing activities, developing milestones and benchmarks and training participating staff.

MBA

Western New England University

Springfield, MA

Bachelor of Science, Business Administration - Accounting,

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA

Member Inst. of Mgmt. Accts. (IMA), IMA Committee on Ethics (COE)

Chair of COE

IMA Global Board of Directors 2010-2012 & 2014-2018.

May of 2017 trained IMA Board on self-assessment which was co-developed to improve IMA’s leadership pipeline.

President So. ME Chap. of IMA

U.S Navy Veteran