Brian Smith, CPA (Inactive)

***** **** *** *, ********, MN 55447

acosa5@r.postjobfree.com 952-***-**** www.linkedin.com/in/brianjonsmith/

Business Improvement Focused Finance Executive

Skilled at adding value by keeping strategic focus while partnering to run the business on a day to day basis,

constantly driving change. An effective business partner who makes sure finance works for the business

instead of the business working for finance.

An excellent listener who collaborates effectively by speaking the language of the business, yet

communicates effectively with senior management, investors and private equity holders. I'm a quick study

with a technical background.

Track record of improved profitability across both manufacturing, service and financial services industries.

•

• Strategic business partner • International acquisition and divestiture

experience

• Budgeting and forecasting expertise

• Change Agent

• Operations background

• Successful cross-functional relationships

• IT, HR and Legal management experience

• Recruits and builds strong teams

• Compliance oriented

Professional Experience

CES Group, Minneapolis, MN April 2009 - January 2015

Chief Financial Officer

CES Group LLC (a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc.) is $500 million, manufacturer of custom heating, ventilation

and air conditioning equipment with seven underlying businesses, located in the U.S., Canada, United

Kingdom and with a JV in Saudi Arabia.

• Major improvement in management reporting and transparency through implementation of new

management reporting tool leading to improved visibility and profitability and one version of the truth.

As a result, a business realignment is underway to further improve performance.

• Led efforts to improve monthly forecast process through greater involvement by business partners,

resulting in CES leading Nortek in overall forecast accuracy.

• Co-led efforts to reduce working capital by more than 50% with efforts focused on Accounts Receivable,

Inventory and Accounts Payable.

• Major restructuring in the accounting/finance team, accomplished through developing existing talent and

upgrading others as needed to improve both capability and capacity.

• Developed key operational metrics, enabling best practices to be identified and shared between businesses,

resulting in improved performance of all operating units.

• Co-led a manufacturing footprint study resulting in the closure/relocation of several manufacturing

facilities and startup of a facility in Mexico. Then piggybacked a shared service model in accounting to

leverage the labor savings.

• Led the finance review of several acquisition opportunities, with the successful acquisition and integration

of one target company.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Minneapolis, MN May 1998 -

March 2009

Senior Vice President, Finance

Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Services (CTS) is a business with $550 million in annual revenue with a

portfolio of over $2 trillion in outstanding securities. CTS provides a variety of trust services nationwide,

including trustee, escrow, paying agent, master servicing and bond administration for the following business

segments: Mortgage Backed Securities, Asset Backed Securities, Public/Governmental Agencies and

Corporate Debt.

• Built a sophisticated portfolio modeling tool from the ground up using Hyperion to better forecast the

impact of interest rate movements on prepayment speeds, and the resulting cash flows. This tool

significantly improved the forecast accuracy of a very large securities portfolio.

• Implemented a new management reporting tool, bringing consistency and clarity to business.

• Implemented product line profitability reporting which highlighted unprofitable products leading to pricing

changes.

• Worked with internal partners to maximize internal investment earnings.

• Represented CTS on bank wide search for a new trust accounting system (ERP) as a result of the

acquisition of Wachovia.

• Recruited and developed finance team to support the CTS business segments.

• Led growth focused strategic planning process, leading to expansion to Europe.

• Net income grew at a annual compound rate of 34% during, in part to the above actions.

Daikin Applied (formerly McQuay International), Minneapolis, MN March 1984 - May 1998

Business Unit Controller, Applied Air Handling

Daikin/McQuay International is manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)

equipment with sales exceeding $1 billion.

Initially hired into a corporate accounting role and promoted numerous times in both corporate and business

unit roles. Key experiences included:

• Key member of Acquisition/Divesture team, with interim role after acquisition of Interim European

Controller.

• Managed the audit relationship with KPMG and led transition to E&Y.

• As controller of McQuay Service, a parts and field service business, co-lead the implementation of an

integrated business system.

• Received hands on manufacturing experience as plant controller.

• Gained strategic perspective as Business Unit Controller involved with the product management,

marketing, engineering and manufacturing functions.

• Implemented the Short Term Planning system used by the new owners to manage the global business.

Assisted third party trainers in developing material and then training the entire management team.

• In planning role, worked with marketing to provide reliable forecasts and manufacturing have the right

resources in place to meet customer demand.

Price Waterhouse Coopers, Minneapolis, MN September 1981 - March 1984

Senior Accountant

Responsible for all aspects of planning, budgeting and administering audit fieldwork.

Education/Certifications

Bachelor of Science - Accounting, University of Minnesota

Carlson School of Management June 1981

Certification: CPA

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