Customer Service Sales

RICK VANDERWAL

Financial Executive/Strategic Business Partner

*** ******* ******* **., *******, MO 63021 ? 815-***-**** ?

ablolz@r.postjobfree.com

Profile

Results oriented Finance leader with Operations experience and a successful

track record of building corporate enterprise value. Focus is on (1) being

a strategic business partner to develop and execute strategic initiatives,

(2) delivering accurate, timely and meaningful financial reports, (3)

maintaining excellent banking/investor/vendor relations and (4) fostering a

team oriented culture geared to providing unequalled customer service.

Proficient in the areas of:

Planning/budgeting/forecasting including weekly cash flow forecasts;

Developing key performance metrics;

Continuously improving processes, systems and personnel;

Negotiating and integrating mergers and acquisitions;

Crossing functional lines to provide assistance and facilitating

corporate success.

Career is differentiated from other Finance leaders as follows:

Serving as CFO in portfolio companies of four different private equity

firms;

> Ten years on the ground floor of two start-up companies that became

national;

Operations experience in Sales, Production and Distribution;

Extensive M&A experience, and

> Providing great service to all internal and external customers and

helping them achieve success.

Experience and Major Accomplishments

2009 - Present

Corporate Growth Consulting, LLC

Principal and Founder

Principal services are to assist clients with designing and executing

strategic growth initiatives. At the same time, business processes and

systems are reviewed to validate their capabilities of handling proposed

growth.

2004 - 2008

Life Uniform Holding Corp., St. Louis, MO and Tampa, FL

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

Recruited by private equity owner to this industry leading national

retailer of specialty healthcare apparel. Revenues were generated through

three venues; 200 stores, catalogs and e-commerce. Staff of 24; 3 direct.

> Grew enterprise value 300% in the first eighteen months by closing

unprofitable stores, introducing more fashion merchandise, creating a

loyalty rewards program, eliminating 10% of the corporate work staff,

and introducing gift cards;

> Facilitated the acquisition of an equal sized competitor and

subsequently led the integration of Accounting, HR and IT departments;

> Implemented $6MM of cost cuts in 2007 to prepare for an expected

weaker economy in 2008;

> Generated bank availability of $5.2MM by extending vendor payments

from 30 to 63 days, and

> Reduced small parcel shipping costs 20% or $588K.

2002 - 2004

Franchise Ventures, LLC, Homer Glen, IL

Principal and Founder

Resigned position at Gingiss to pursue advancement opportunities. The

corporate mission for Franchise Ventures was to assist entrepreneurs in

implementing growth plans or exit strategies.

> Served as interim President for two start-up ventures in the golf

industry;

> Consulted with telecom company attempting to penetrate European

market;

> Raised $14 million of acquisition capital for "fast casual" food

franchisor;

> Developed franchise program for "big box" laundry operator and sold

first four franchises;

> Consulted with furniture retailer regarding expansion, and

> Consulted with commercial maintenance company seeking a liquidity

event.

1986 - 2002

Gingiss International, Inc., Addison, IL and Van Nuys, CA

Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

Recruited by private equity owner to this industry leading men's formalwear

chain to direct the financial, IS and HR functions. Later assumed

responsibility for Production and Distribution. 70% of products were

contractually manufactured overseas and imported back to U.S. Total chain

consisted of 435 stores. Staff of 125; 5 direct.

> Grew company owned stores from 23 to 251;

> Improved average store profit margins from 2% to 19% through a

combination of events including development of "hub and spoke" model,

moving the production center for better highway accessibility and

revising store staffing model;

> Vertically integrated the company into wholesaling and manufacturing

increasing revenues 10% and decreasing cost of goods 25%;

> Reduced production costs per unit 20% by implementing changes in

processes and product flow;

> Directed the in-house programming, testing and implementation of a POS

system eliminating production overtime costs and improving customer

service;

> Eliminated 50% of combined accounting and data processing staffs with

new accounting software allowing for the switch from a mainframe

network to a PC network;

> Reduced tax liability by $500K with unique tax depreciation method;

> Facilitated leveraged buy-out of company in 1990 and again in 1999;

> Convinced Board to commence store expansion by proving that store

operating model and corporate infrastructure were capable of handling

rapid growth. Subsequently led the acquisition and integration of

over 50 stores in a fourteen month period;

> Facilitated the merger of a 135 store chain and simultaneous

acquisition of a 30 store chain in the year 2000 within a poor lending

environment, and

> Acted as a "change agent" to integrate cultures and business processes

with every acquisition, merger or change in ownership.

1985 and 1986

Healthcorp Affiliates, Naperville, IL

Vice President Finance and Treasurer

Healthcorp Affiliates was the holding company for a group of nine

healthcare subsidiaries including hospitals and nursing homes. There were

5 direct reports and 25 corporate staff members. Reporting to the

Executive VP, principal duties were the consolidation of financial and

budget reports, handling all Treasury functions (i.e. issuance of bonds,

monitoring covenants and cash management) and sitting on the Board of one

subsidiary. Strategic plan was to increase patient base by building

medical office buildings in new geographic territories and retaining

existing customers by supplying home health care services to the patient

after leaving the hospital.

> Raised $70 million for fixed asset development by issuing two separate

tax-exempt bond series;

> Maximized revenues by developing a point of sales software program

that provided for the private billing of home health care services,

and

> Created a "for profit" franchising subsidiary offering home healthcare

services and sold the first 9 franchises.

1977 - 1985

Car-X Service Systems, Inc., Chicago, IL

Director of Finance and Franchise Sales

Recruited to this "start-up" operator and franchisor of automotive service

shops by the VP Finance and supervised a staff of eight. The company grew

from 40 stores and $15 million in revenues to 100 stores and $55 million in

revenues. The company's solid growth led to its acquisition by Tenneco

Automotive in 1984.

> Integrated financial and operational systems with acquiring entity;

> Sold all real estate developments on a leaseback basis @ 12% despite

high prime rate of 21%;

> Eliminated a material contractual exposure by negotiating the

amendment of 31 subleases;

> Reduced past due receivables by 80%;

> Automated accounting system thereby reducing time to close monthly

financials from 30 to 7 days;

> Designed and implemented the corporation's first accounting system

including a detailed policy and procedures manual, and

> Reduced annual audit fees by approximately 65% and tax fees by 85%.

1974 - 1977

Arthur Andersen & Co., Chicago, IL

Associate-Audit Division

Member of the Regulated Industries Audit Division with exposure to

manufacturing and consumer product firms. Audit clients included K-N

Energy, Kraft Foods, Commonwealth Edison (now Exelon), Chicago &

Northwestern Railroad and others. Focus was on internal controls and

improving business processes.

Education

B.S. Accounting, Ferris State University

CPA, (Illinois)

M.B.A., (with emphasis in Finance & Economics), DePaul University

Community and Group Involvement

Volunteer as a mentor to companies within the BEGIN New Venture incubator

program

Volunteer at McKnight Assisted Living Center in leading various activities

and a men's discussion group

Executive Connections St. Louis

Financial executives networking group (FENG)

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