Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a recent MBA (Finance) with extensive experience in financial management and accounting, in the sectors of asset management, hedge funds and commercial real estate. I write to express my interest in a position with your firm.

My career has been characterized by stability, discipline, hard work; and steady, consistent professional and educational achievement and advancement. After earning a bachelors’ degree (my first of two) in business administration from Politecnico Grancolombiano University in Bogota, Colombia, I moved to the United States in 1999 and worked for approximately one year as a bookkeeper for a small business in Harrison, New York. I next worked for six years as the assistant controller for MM&L Realty, LLC, a commercial real estate company. In 2006, I accepted a position as a senior fund accountant for Titan Advisors, LLC, a fund of funds based in Rye Brook, New York, where I worked for seven and one-half years. While working full-time at Titan, I attended Sacred Heart University at night, earned a second bachelors’ degree, with honors, with a double major in finance and business administration; and also gained United States citizenship.

I have enjoyed working in financial management and financial services and have found it to be rewarding, but after more than seven years with Titan, it became clear to me that I needed to pursue a graduate degree in order to advance my career to the next level. As a result, after leaving Titan I took a short-term consulting position with Starwood Capital Group while I prepared to return to Sacred Heart to pursue my MBA, which I just completed.

I believe that I have a great deal to offer, and I would be grateful for the opportunity to discuss with you my experience, and the ways that I might add value to your company. As my resume explains, my experience is deep and broad. It includes virtually all aspects of sophisticated, day-to-day financial reporting and oversight, including the completion and analysis of financial statements; the reconciliation of cash positions, investments income, trades and credit lines; the calculation of management fees and performance fees; the oversight of the fund administrators’ NAV packages; the reconciliation of hedge fund positions and portfolios; and budgeting and forecasting. I believe that my experience has provided me with a solid understanding of the details of day-to-day financial management and accounting, as well as the vital role that it plays in those businesses that it supports.

I would welcome an opportunity to discuss my experience, my qualifications and your hiring needs.

Very Truly Yours,

Maria G. Higgins

914-***-****

acqgkh@r.postjobfree.com

Maria G. Higgins Stamford, CT 06902

914-***-**** ~ acqgkh@r.postjobfree.com

EDUCATION & HONORS

Sacred Heart University ~ Fairfield, Connecticut

MBA, Finance concentration; GPA 3.8 - 5/2015

Bachelor’s Degree - Majors in Finance & Business Administration; GPA 3.5 - 2008

Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society, Cum Laude, Dean’s List

Politécnico Grancolombiano University ~ Bogotá, Colombia

Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration - Majors in Marketing & Advertising - 1995

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Starwood Capital Group, LLC ~ Greenwich, CT February 2014 to May 2014

(American private investment firm with a primary focus on global real estate.)

Senior Accountant, Private Equity (Consulting Position)

Responsible for updating various reports including schedule of investments, FMV tables, roll-ups, hedges, foreign exchange, cost, debt, fair market value, management fees, fund and holding allocations, and reconciliations.

Utilized financial information downloaded from YARDI into excel spreadsheets to update and reconcile accounts using functions such v-look ups for the year-end closing and auditors various requests.

Completed various private equity valuation reports in investor websites and excel templates quarterly and upon investor request as well as generated investors historical data schedules.

Assisted with preparation and analysis of full set of financial statements and updated various reports in excel for the quarter end closing of the private equity funds.

Titan Advisors, LLC ~ Rye Brook, NY May 2006 to October 2013

(Asset management and advisory firm focused exclusively on hedge funds – $3.6B AUM)

Senior Fund Accountant, Corporate Accounting

At the corporate level:

Responsible for assisting with operations including but not limited to accounts management, reporting, and interdepartmental relations, regulatory filings, and accounting and operations for the General Partner.

Calculated and prepared referral fees, administration and management fees on quarterly basis for the General Partner.

Prepared account analysis and reconciliations as needed at the corporate level.

At the fund level:

Priced portfolios and reconciled hedge funds positions determining the market value across a multi-strategy diversification of investments vehicles used such as Equity Hedge Long/Short, Event Driven, and Global Macro

Calculated interest rates between custodian banks, brokers, credit facilities, managed accounts and oversaw the Company's daily accounting to ensure that the onshore unrestricted funds, the institutional restricted funds, and the master-feeder funds, were done according to procedure.

Managed, reviewed and oversaw the funds administrator’s NAV packages; including but not limited to returns and valuation’s calculations, month-end close and financial statements analysis; investors’ statements and monthly financial reporting and communication of funds results to Management.

Performed various Hedge Funds FofF' transactions including cash transfers, payments, investments income, trades, capital allocations, investors’ subscriptions and redemptions and other miscellaneous activities. Reconciled bank accounts and credit facilities on a monthly basis.

Generated capital roll-forwards and financial highlights for over 1,000 investors.

Consolidated investors’ capital, gain/loss, management fees and performance fees monthly, quarterly and year-end.

Prepared year-end financial statements for six major funds that accounted for two-thirds of the total AUM of the firm.

Worked independently and periodically with a team, in a fast paced environment, to achieve tight deadlines for the timely completion of all schedules and reports supporting the monthly performance of the multi-strategy funds.

Monitored and reported on investment performance and verified that the proper benchmark was attributed to each of the funds and its classes.

Maria G. Higgins Page 2

MM&L Realty, LLC ~ Port Chester, NY May 2000 to May 2006

(Commercial Real Estate and Storage Facilities.)

Assistant Controller/VP Finance & Accounting

Responsibilities included reconciling accounts, and balancing financial statements.

Assisted in evaluating business activities and identifying new opportunities analyzing internal strengths and weaknesses

and external factors to work around them.

Interacted often with management to assist in special projects

Monitored cash flows, billing and filings.

Developed a marketing mix, budgets and forecasts, based on market evaluation results, to increase market share.

Prepared analytical reports regarding business operations, personnel performance, and financial condition.

CCG Patisserie ~ Harrison, NY April 1999 to May 2000

Bookkeeper

Yoquire Ltd ~ Bogotá, Colombia 1996 to 1998

Director of Marketing & Sales

Supervised a team of 10 professionals

Analyzed market trends through consumers forums and surveys to identify market opportunities

Determined objectives, strategies and tactics to capture market share in the consumer goods industry, specifically

for the high-end cosmetics market

Implemented continuous improvement in an effort to improve products, customer service and processes efficiency

SKILLS

Advanced Excel

Power Point, Word, Quick Books and Quick Books Pro

Pertrac CMS - CVE (Clear View Edge – Alternative Investments)

IPM (Investment Property Management) - Rent Plus (Hi Tech Smart Systems)

Fluency in Spanish

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