ERIC CHARLTON, CPA
**** ********* **** ***** *****, IA 50613
319-***-**** *************@*****.***
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
NEXT GENERATION WIRELESS, Cedar Falls, IA 2008 - Present
Controller
. Senior leadership team - key strategist, decision making for company
objectives, analysis of competition, market trends and
business/operations processes and functions
. Presentation, translation, and dissection of monthly and year to date
financial performance with Chief Executive Officer and market
management - historical analysis, pacing, budget scorecard reviews,
and brainstorming strategy for improvement
. Supervision of accounts payable, human resources, inventory,
administrative, and all business functions of Corporate office
personnel (team of five individuals)
. Preparation and analysis of financial statements, compensation plans,
annual budgets, contract summaries, depreciation schedules, profit
sharing plan, inventory variances, and ad hoc cost/benefit analysis
. Banking - reconciliations, relationship management, cash flow cycle
analysis, and process development for improved management of overall
cash flow
. Analysis of potential business acquisitions - financials review, price
determinations, and brainstorming qualitative measures
. Monthly sales forecasts and goal setting for company, individual
locations, and associates
. Information technology management - information gathering/research,
purchasing, computer repairs and application installations, website
design and updates, and directed server installation for corporate
office
. Benefits analysis, evaluation, and coordination of submission for
improved coverage
. Tax preparation - sales & use and quarterly estimated income taxes
. Cost savings program initiation, tracking, internal controls
management for expenses, and vendor negotiations
. Cooperative marketing program tracking, negotiation, and budget
liaison to advertising agency
Accomplishments:
. Process improvements - financial reporting overhaul, cash deposits
system improvement, performance metrics compilation process
improvement, streamlining of business processes for payroll,
commissions, accounts payable, inventory, and internal controls,
accounting system evaluation and upgrade, and point-of-sale system
replacement research, analysis, and implementation
. Design of compensation plans for Operations Manager, Director of
Sales, Area Sales Managers, Store Sales Managers, Outside Sales, and
Sales Associates - directed rollout and ongoing education of plan to
all associates - tools provided to each level of organization to help
calculate bonuses and commissions easily and quickly - created overall
revenue increase of 7.9% during second year of employment amid
recession
. 108% earnings growth in first year employed through better management
decisions based on more accurate and timely financial information,
identification of bread and butter activities, cost controls, and
revenue opportunities with same activity levels compared to prior year
. Development and implementation of employee and customer retention
action plans - ideation, research, and facilitation of employee forums
based on company objectives, employee needs, performance laws and
dream management to reduce turnover and increase ownership -
revolutionized culture of organization
. Company recognized in Inc. 5000 America's Fastest Growing Private
Companies list (#3331) and Cedar Valley's 2008 and 2009 Top 20
Employers of Choice (#5 & #7 respectively)
. Community involvement - Parkersburg, IA tornado relief volunteer 2008,
Iowa floods of 2008 volunteer, SIDS walk participant, Pink Ribbon Run
participant, Ronald McDonald House (Iowa City) volunteer, Habitat for
Humanity volunteer, and Salvation Army volunteer
CLEAR CHANNEL CHICAGO RADIO CLUSTER, Chicago, Illinois 2006 - 2008
Assistant Market Controller
. Supervision of accounts payable, accounts receivable, and trade
functions (team of five individuals) for six stations - $100 million
in revenue
. Financial statement preparation and analysis, revenue and expense
forecasting, annual budgeting, month end close process, journal
entries, and capital expenditures tracking
. Streamlining of business processes, balance sheet preparation and
management, Miller Kaplan reporting, executive ad hoc reports and
research, and trade management/auditing
. Liaison to Clear Channel corporate offices for Chicago market -
accounting, taxes, and risk management
. Commission preparation, plan administration, implementation, and
rollout to Account Executives ($6 million in annual commissions)
Accomplishments:
. Implementation of cost savings plans - utilities, postage/shipping,
supplies, repair and maintenance, miscellaneous expenses, contract and
part-time labor - $300,000 savings in first full year
. Direction of successful transition to corporate contract commitments
database - setup and maintenance of employee and vendor contracts ($37
million in aggregate)
CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC., San Antonio, Texas 2004 - 2006
Broadcast Senior Accountant
. Responsible for several major market radio and television field
offices nationwide - corporate liaison for points of contact, problem
solving, research and month end close consolidation
. Premiere Radio Networks - $230 million yearly revenue - #1 Clear
Channel broadcast revenue market; quarterly profit and loss analysis
and balance sheet variance analysis
. Reconciliation of film contracts for television markets - liability
and asset reconciliation, payment and amortization reconciliation,
quarterly consolidation, and database updates (responsible for
Cincinnati, OH, market - #1 Clear Channel television market, based
upon revenue)
. Analytics of financial statements, variance analysis, reconciliation
and research of balance sheet accounts to the general ledger,
understanding and communication of policies, financial systems,
transaction processes and internal controls (Sarbanes Oxley) to
stations/markets
. Review of transactions for supporting documentation and compliance
with US GAAP (customer service focus), entry and maintenance of
recurring journal entries, review and audit of journal entries
submitted by stations/markets, review of accounts receivable (detail
aging analysis), billing, revenue entries, and top level sales
commission analysis
Accomplishments:
. Training Committee member - new hire training on variance analysis for
monthly income statements, balance sheet reconciliation training, and
development of training manuals for several training sections
. Contract Commitments Committee member - contract review training and
guidelines for all new broadcast accounting personnel, review and
analysis of contracts, Sarbanes Oxley attestation, SEC disclosure,
supervise committee member contract review submissions, and assisted
in development and implementation of new online tool for tracking
purposes for Broadcast Division
HALLMARK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, San Antonio, Texas 2002 - 2003
Business Instructor
. Responsible for teaching theory and practical applications -
Accounting, Math, Marketing, Management, and Microsoft Office
applications (Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Word)
. Tracking student progress and attendance, mentoring, and professional
development
. Curriculum development of new and existing classes -
documentation/creation of visual aids (PowerPoint), lectures,
assignments, progression, learning objectives, and examinations
BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE CORPORATION, Fort Worth, Texas 2001 - 2002
Senior Analyst - Finance
. Forecasting, preparation and analysis of financial statements, audits,
cash logs, month end close process, journal entry input and review,
general accounting consolidation, and account reconciliations
. Subsidiary accountant to seven individual railroad companies, ad hoc
analysis, and publishing of financial information to corporate
intranet for review by executive management
. Special Events Planning Committee - planning and coordination of
annual family day outing and Habitat for Humanity volunteer program
THE TRANE COMPANY, San Diego, California 1997 - 2001
Assistant Controller
. Supervision of accounts payable, accounts receivable, and service
billing functions
. Monthly close process, preparation and analysis of financial
statements, physical inventory, budgeting, credit management, journal
entries, and ad hoc analysis for management
. Building Automation Systems finance project manager - percentage of
completion construction accounting, cost tracking and analysis,
billing, depreciation, analysis of performance and presentation to
senior management
. Sales department finance liaison - preparation of commission
statements, data research, customer events, and liaison to corporate
Accomplishments:
. Service technician lead program - development, implementation,
tracking, payment, and presentation of information - resulted in
$165,000 additional revenue in its first year
EDUCATION
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, Fort Worth, Texas
Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting, 1997
COURSES AND SEMINARS
. University of Texas at San Antonio - Master of Business Administration
coursework - Management & Behavior in Organizations, Leadership,
Accounting Analysis for Decision Making, Financial Management,
Marketing Management, and Managerial Economics
. 2009 AICPA Controllers Workshop West - Cash Management Strategies,
Continuous Planning, Ethics, Performance Management, Internal Audit
Function, Time Management, Relationship Banking, and Business
Valuation
. Business and Leadership Books - The Three Laws of Performance, The
Dream Manager, Quiet Strength, Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People, Plug Your Profit Leaks: Ways to Significantly Save Time and
Money, Targeting the Bottom Line: Taking the Guesswork out of
Financial Management, and Negotiating Skills for Finance Professionals