Manager Management

A. Bridgette Johnston, CPA

** ******* **** ( Kings Park, NY 11754 631-***-**** (

abm0t5@r.postjobfree.com 1 of 2

Qualifications For CFO/Controller/Director of Accounting

Highly qualified and proven professional with extensive accounting and

financial management experience in the public and private sectors,

across a wide range of industries; groomed by "Big 4" managers;

progressively holding more senior positions with management level

responsibility. Excellent accounting and financial analysis skills; strong

knowledge of GAAP, FASB, tax law, and SEC reporting review. Proficient in

cost accounting as well as general accounting.

CPA with a Master's in Taxation and Finance and a proven track record of

working well under pressure, meeting strict deadlines, prioritizing,

handling many projects and adapting quickly to diverse situations and

industry environments.

Demonstrated ability to build, develop and lead a team and a strong written

and verbal communicator Excel at maintaining beneficial bank relations and

securing loans, lines of credit, and lease arrangements in both strong

markets and when entity is in a weakened state. Well-respected, esteemed by

management, peers, and staff alike; a motivator who eliminated high

turnover, excessive overtime and bad attitudes.

A detail-oriented and highly organized manager - A genuine self-starter who

has proven to be an expert troubleshooter in a multitude of areas; not just

accounting. Evaluates accounting procedures and internal controls along

with their related operations in production. Streamlines inefficient

procedures to increase productivity and improve morale; establishes and

enforces written policy for progressive change. Admirably handles IRS

audits, tax assessments, and owners' personal divorce litigation. Has staff

organize documents and personally, maintains impeccable work papers.

Areas of Expertise

Timely, Detailed Financial Reporting & Analysis (Internal/SEC Reporting

Reviewer/Projections) ( Specialized Management Reporting

Report Design (Peachtree, Excel & Crystal Reports) ( Board of Directors

Presentations ( Computer/Software Administration

Process Improvement & Automation (Seamless Conversions ( Budget Preparation

& Management ( Cash Flow Management

Foreign Transactions & Reconciliations ( Cost Accounting ( Treasury,

Banking & Loan Negotiations

Closings & Consolidations ( End High Turnover Patterns ( Team Facilitator &

Trainer (Tactician / strategic thinker

Auditing, Reviews & Compilations ( Tax Research, Planning, Compliance &

Return Preparation (All types & Multi-State)

Financial & Operational Consulting ( Statistical Analysis & Business

Modeling ( Policy & Procedure Development

Initiated sweeping changes ( Supervision and hands-on A/R, A/P, Payroll &

Payroll Taxes ( Sales Taxes

Technical Summary: (Strong) MS Excel, MS Word, Oracle, JD Edwards,

Hyperion, Peachtree Premium, Crystal Reports, PCFAS, Bakers Dozen, MAS 90,

FRX Financial Reporting and Report Design, Windows XP, BJ Murray, ATB,

Lotus, Creative Solutions, RIA On Point, Go System Audit, Pro FX, Lacerte,

MRP, BNA, One Write Plus, QuickBooks, Axcent, Ultra Tax, Accpac, Skyline,

PPC Guideware, Data Plus

Selected Accomplishments

Private Sector:

o Streamlined accounting workflow procedures and closing steps for various

private companies as well as assisted in enhancing operational

procedures that positively impacted monthly, quarterly, and annual

financial reporting and consolidation. Streamlining encompassed internal

reporting, SEC reviews and projections. Identified and invested

underutilized assets; brought in unexpected revenues.

o Maximized speed and accuracy of the monthly financial reporting from

departments, outside of accounting, at Modern Italian Bakery; a recent

position. This resolved long standing reporting accuracy issues arising

from the autonomous nature of each department. (software and procedures

are not integrated) The other departments lacked internal controls and

reporting procedures. They each use out-dated, non-standard and non-

compatible software, which produced only partially verifiable reports.

Without internal controls and procedures, the Controller had to work

with questionable reports when preparing the Financial Statements.

Working with the department managers, I established controls and

procedures that increased productivity and produced precise financial

data for the company for the first time ever. Now, the Financial

Statements were accurate and thus could be relied upon. Before my exit,

I was researching, for future implementation, integrated software

systems with costing as part of the modules.

o Trained, and then cross-trained, my staff. Which improved overall time

management needed by me to commence development of a cost accounting

system and procedures at Modern Italian Bakery. Short staffed, I

attained this goal, in between numerous extra special accounting

projects required for the owner's divorce litigation.

o Improved the closing process for an assigned segment by identifying

software interface improvements with other locations and sharing that

knowledge with all divisions, affording faster, easier and more accurate

financial data downloads. Enhanced foreign offices' budget data

downloads and software interface, for speed and accuracy-the foreign

budget was completed in record time and was more accurate.

o Established a company's organized recordkeeping function for seven years

of records and work papers. Evaluated internal controls and recommended

changes; developed policies and procedures. Maintained computers,

assisted and trained other departments with software issues, and

maintained the server for General Ledger purposes. This saved the

company thousands of dollars in outside computer consultants.

A. Bridgette Johnston, CPA

631-***-**** ( abm0t5@r.postjobfree.com 2 of 2

Selected Accomplishments, Continued

Private Sector:

o Acted as the liaison with outside auditors for year-end and quarterly

audit work in each of my private positions. At Mortgage Warehouse, I

lead a major multi-year accounting cleanup in preparation of an IPO and

the multi-year-end audits that are part of that process. There as a

consultant, from Robert Half, I had been on board only a short period of

time. Nonetheless, I was able to answer all audit questions, prepare

all requested analytical reports, train and direct the accounting staff.

The audit was completed quickly and without exception. I reported to

top management, designed financial reports with their Accounting

software and was ultimately offered a permanent position.

o Prepared the closings and corporate returns for over 100 companies

without a staff or General Ledger Linking software while at CLK

Management. Facilitated IRS audits and responded to penalty notices and

assessment-audits with favorable outcomes; all penalties dismissed.

Illustrated the benefits of tax linking to the owner and CFO-the company

presently uses the software and their tax returns are always on time.

Public Sector:

o Provided a full range of accounting and assurance services. Planned and

performed financial and pension plan audits, compilations, and reviews;

evaluated internal controls; reviewed SEC Forms 10-Q/10-K prior to

filing; researched laws to provide the best course of action for tax

planning/projections; prepared tax returns (all types); and responded to

IRS audits, notices, and assessments (usually with a favorable outcome).

o Facilitated timely, accurate, and detailed financial reporting; reviewed

audit/compilation results with client management. Offered consulting

services; suggested improvements on financial and management matters by

conducting extensive financial statement and operations analyses.

Proactively developed client relationships.

o Additionally functioned as the internal "help desk" and server

administrator for General Ledger programs and the Tax Linking software

while at a firm. Saved multiple firms thousands of dollars due to

technical savvy. Researched and selected software for clients that was

best-suited for their industry and accurate financial reporting.

o While employed at small- to mid-sized CPA firms (always with two firms

concurrently), raised a family and earned a master's degree on the

evening. Passed the CPA Exam in its entirety on the first attempt.

Career Track

Private Sector:

Controller, Modern Italian Bakery of West Babylon, Oakdale,

NY 2006-

2009

Director of Finance/Management Consultant, Robert Half Management

Resources, Hauppauge, NY 2006

Mortgage Warehouse Inc., Melville, NY & CMP Media, Lake Success, NY-

Contract positions during my Controllership search. Both clients offered

me permanent positions after seeing my work and my people skills

Controller/Tax Manager, CLK Management Corp., Great Neck,

NY

2005

Assistant Controller, Systemax Inc., Port Washington,

NY

..2000-2002

(Prior to 1986, I held (2) Accounting Manager positions, (3+ yrs each),

managing staffs of (5). (Schenck Trebel Corporation, Deer Park, NY and

Perma Alloys, Inc, Bethpage, NY) During my tenure at Schenck Trebel Corp.,

I assumed the full responsibilities of the Controller. I managed the

General and Cost Accounting areas and was responsible for all Financial and

Statistical Reporting, the underlying analysis and presentation to the

Board of Directors. I controlled all Intercompany Funding, Banking

Relationships, Financing Activities and Investments. Management wanted to

promote me and change my title to reflect my true position. Corporate

policy prevented this because I had not completed my undergraduate degree;

I was 9 credits short. In lieu, my abilities and positive attitude were

rewarded with large salary increases and special bonuses. I left Schenck to

complete my undergraduate degree and obtain my CPA certification. Before

Schenck and Perma, I was an Assistant Controller at Micro Contracts Inc.,

Hicksville, NY (1 year). I left Micro for the Perma and Schenck positions

which had more responsibility.

Public Sector:

Audit & Tax Manager, prior per diem CPA

firms

2002-2005

(During the post-9/11 economic downturn, rehired by prior clients on a full-

time basis until returning to the private sector)

Horowitz, Waldman, Berretta & Maldow LLP (now DDK & Co.) / Shalik, Morris &

Co. LLP / Joseph Conway, CPA

Audit / Tax Senior/ Manager, (Permanent, year-round, per-diem, and

concurrent roles; 5-6 days weekly) 1986-2000

Shalik, Morris & Co. LLP (3+ years)/Joseph Conway, CPA (5 years)/Ziedman,

Lackowitz & Co. LLP (1 year)/Horowitz, Waldman, Berretta & Maldow LLP (now

DDK & Co.)(3+ years)/Arnold Goldstein, CPA & Scott Singer, CPA (5 years)

Adams & Becker, CPA's (2yrs)

Credentials

M.S. in Taxation & Finance / B.S. in Accounting (Cum Laude), Long Island

University ( CPA License - Current

Member, New York State Society of CPAs; National Conference of CPA

Practitioners and LIU Accounting & Tax Institute

Contact this candidate