MICHAEL J. FREEMAN
****-* ****** ***** #***, Medford OR 97501
541-***-**** . *********@*******.***
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Excellent record of accomplishment as an initiator, developer and director
of auditing and financial and operational controls for retail industry
leaders, including Harry & David and West Marine Products.
. Technical expertise in accounting, auditing, and data processing
systems of specialty, discount, mail order and concession retailers.
. Experienced in audit risk analysis, development of audit plans and
audit execution.
. Successful implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act and Payment
Card Industry (PCI) Compliance requirements through aggressive
application of AS5 concepts.
. Repeated success in the start-up and development of new business
functions.
. Experienced leadership of small professional teams and staff as large
as 18.
. MBA in Management and Quantitative Analysis; Certified Internal
Auditor.
EXPERIENCE
Harry & David Operations Corp, Inc., Medford, OR
2005 to 2010
Harry & David (formerly Bear Creek Corporation) is a $500 million company,
one of the nation's leading direct marketing, on-line and retail specialty
food and gift companies, with leading brands including Harry & David,
Wolferman's and Cushman's. Managed up to six direct reports.
Vice President, Corporate Compliance
Responsible for ensuring the Company was in full compliance with all
governing rules and regulations, including SOX, and that corporate
standards of professional conduct were met.
. Successfully established the Compliance division and led the Company's
SOX 404 efforts through three years of self-assessed compliance with
no material weaknesses;
. Aggressively pursued and applied Auditing Standard 5 (AS5) concepts to
reduce the number of key controls from 260 to fewer than 100;
. Enhanced the Compliance Methodology and Planning documentation and
execution of controls testing in preparation for the external audit
firm's first year attestation;
. Led the Company's efforts to become PCI compliant;
. Actively supported and participated in the Company's quarterly, annual
and periodic SEC filings as Chair of the Company's Disclosure
Committee.
West Marine Products, Inc., Watsonville, CA
2001 to 2005
West Marine is the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies
and apparel, with over 330 stores in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, as
well as catalog and internet channels, and $600 million in annual sales.
Supervised up to four direct and indirect reports.
Senior Director, Internal Audit
Responsible for establishing and overseeing the Internal Audit function.
. Performed Risk Analysis, identifying over 30 audit priorities;
. Developed audit plan to audit all high priority areas in eighteen
months, with all areas to be audited within three years. Executed
audits, including Vendor Management and Distribution Operations;
. Coordinated corporate compliance efforts required for FASB 141,
Business Combinations and FASB 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible
Assets;
. Successfully led the Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Project, including
software acquisition and positioning the company for ongoing,
sustainable compliance.
Starboard Cruise Services, Inc, Miami, FL
2000 to 2001
Director, Inventory Control & Risk Management,
Recruited to oversee the systems conversion and integration of Warehouse
Management and Merchandise Control systems for the newly acquired $300
million Cruise Retail division of LVMH-Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
Responsibilities included supervision of Sales Audit, Inventory Control,
Loss Prevention and Risk Management functions of the company. Total staff
consisted of 3 professionals and 15 staff members.
. Represented the Finance Division in the total conversion of both the
Warehouse Management and Merchandise/Inventory Control systems
simultaneously;
. Coordinated and executed the scheduling, execution and reconciliation
of physical inventories of gift shops on 95 vessels world-wide in a
six month time frame;
. Introduced EAS technology in gift shops and implemented CCTV systems
in warehouse operations;
. Coordinated annual policy renewals for Property, Liability and P&I
programs.
Bear Creek Corporation, Medford, OR
1994 to 2000
Director, Risk Management & Control, 1996 to 2000
Director, Audit & Loss Prevention, 1994 to 1996
Recruited as the Senior EDP Auditor/Audit Manager for the $400 million Mail
Order/Retail Outlet division of Shaklee Corporation (later renamed Harry &
David). Assumed responsibility for the Loss Prevention program for the
entire company in 1994, and in 1996 assumed the additional responsibility
for Corporate Property and Liability Insurance programs. Managed a
professional staff of 6.
. Developed and executed internal audit plans consistently on schedule.
Established co-partnered IT audits with external auditors;
. Developed and implemented the Stores Division physical inventory
processes which enabled the company to identify inventory shortage
(which decreased dramatically in the first year); created the Shortage
Audit function and instituted in-store self audit programs;
. Developed and enhanced an effective loss prevention presence in the
organization.
The Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), Berkeley,
CA 1991 to 1994
The ASUC is a student run, non-profit organization generating $20 million
in annual volume in the ASUC Store and the Student Union. Total staff
included 14 full-time and 16 part-time employees.
Associate Director Financial Services/Internal Auditor
Responsible for establishing the Internal Audit function and overseeing the
departments of Financial Reporting and Analysis, Accounts Payable, MIS and
Loss Prevention.
. Successfully implemented the audit function within 3 months;
. Redirected Store Security into a loss prevention/asset protection
oriented department;
. Streamlined the financial reporting process to improve turnaround at
month-end.
Caldor, Inc., Norwalk, CT
1986 to 1991
Caldor was a $1.5 billion, 120 store discount retail division of May
Department Stores.
Director of Inventory Control & Systems, 1990 to 1991
Responsible for directing the inventory reconciliation process to ensure
timely, accurate reporting of cycle inventory results. Represented Finance
Division in all aspects of systems development.
Director of Audit, 1987 to 1990
Improved overall control through the leadership of operations and financial
auditing and the Policy and Procedures Administration group. Managed a
professional staff of six.
Manager, EDP Audit, 1986 to 1987
Successfully established the EDP Auditing function by developing a
professional team, implementing a formal New Systems Development Audit
methodology and cultivating a partnership with MIS.
EDUCATION AND ASSOCIATIONS
MBA, Management and Quantitative Analysis, Golden Gate University, San
Francisco, CA
BBA Management, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA
Certified Internal Auditor (by examination)
Memberships: Institute of Internal Auditors
NRF Internal Audit Advisory Council
Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)