Manager Accounting

Colette M. Hitpas, CPA

**** ********* **** ********** ** 62245

618-***-**** *******.******@*****.***

__________________________________________________________

Professional Profile

Results-driven financial executive with over twenty years of public and

private accounting experience including responsibilities over financial

reporting, budgeting and accounting.

. Successful professional with progressively responsible positions.

. Excellent written and oral communication skills.

. Proven leader and coach.

. Problem solver and self-starter committed to process improvement.

. Dependable with outstanding work ethic.

Professional Experience

YTB INTERNATIONAL, INC., Wood River, Illinois 2008-2010

Director of Financial Reporting

Partner with VP-Finance/Compliance on preparation and review of accurate

and complete SEC filings ensuring compliance with generally accepted

accounting principles. Perform research related to accounting

transactions, new pronouncements and other disclosure requirements. Team

with Assistant VP-Finance on accounting, reporting and administration of

stock-based compensation and other equity related transactions.

. Researched and incorporated expanded disclosure requirements in the

2008 conversion from using the Annual Report on Form 10-KSB to the

Annual Report on Form 10-K.

. Developed Sarbanes-Oxley documentation related to corporate financial

reporting processes. Implemented SAP segregation of duties control

process.

. Assumed lead role for the 2008 10-K reporting process during VP-

Finance/Compliance leave of absence which included interfacing with

senior management, external auditors and legal counsel.

MACY'S, INC., St. Louis, Missouri 1995 - 2008

(The May Department Stores Company was acquired by Macy's, August 2005)

DVP/Director-Financial & Business Planning (2006 - 2008)

Directed manager and analyst responsible for consolidated annual and long-

term financial planning process, operating expense forecasting and control,

and capital requisition process for a 100 store $2.1 billion division.

. Controlled $725 million of annual operating expense and achieved

company 15% expense flex standard on annual sales plan variance.

Developed annual guideline expense targets and analyzed seasonal

detail plans. Reviewed weekly expense forecasts with COO and pyramid

heads. Identified cost savings opportunities and provided detailed

analyses to expense managers and senior management.

. Received Macy's Sales Support Team Award for leading cross-functional

implementation of market plan database and capital project

prioritization process. Corporate Strategy Group presentation became

company best practice.

. Developed capital project requisition process for newly formed

division which included partnering with design and construction, area

research, real estate & corporate capital planning teams in order to

analyze new store and remodel capital projects.

. Managed implementation of Macy's budget, tracking and reporting system

used in the central office and store planning process.

Director-Financial Planning & Reporting (2001 - 2006)

Directed two managers and eight staff responsible for corporate financial

planning, internal reporting, division allocations, responsibility center

reporting and special-purpose entity reporting. Partnered with Vice-

President Accounting and Reporting on earnings consideration items.

Interfaced with internal and external auditors. Collaborated with Director

of Compensation on accounting and reporting of compensation-related

employee programs including stock options, restricted stock, executive

bonuses, profit sharing, and retirement. Teamed with outside actuarial

firm on calculation of pension and post-retirement expense and related

financial statement disclosure.

. Assumed post-acquisition leadership role of corporate accounting

department for six months after VP resignation and became key point

person between Macy's corporate and May Senior Management. Instructed

corporate transition team on May special-entity reporting practices

and monitored transition of accounting functions to Macy's corporate.

. Partnered with Vice-President Accounting and Reporting on purchase,

integration, and financial reporting related to $3.2 billion

acquisition of 62-store department store division, a retail bridal

company and a tuxedo rental company.

. Developed process to monitor and report financial impact of combining

4 divisions into 2 divisions with an estimated $60 million annual

savings and the divestiture of 32 department stores with an estimated

$50 million annual savings.

Manager - Special Projects (2000 - 2001)

Partnered with Vice-President Accounting and Reporting on purchase,

integration and financial reporting related to acquisition of retail

department stores and retail bridal company. Responsible for technical

accounting for compensation-related employee programs including restricted

stock, executive bonuses, profit sharing, and retirement.

Manager - Internal Accounting (1998 - 2000)

Managed corporate responsibility center reporting including upload of

annual budgets and review of actual performance versus budget. Supervised

general ledger processing including maintaining chart of accounts,

balancing month-end reports, interfacing with subsystems, and processing

journal entries.

Senior Accountant / Manager - Financial Reporting (1995 - 1998)

ZEIGLER COAL HOLDING COMPANY, Fairview Heights, IL 1990 - 1995

Senior Accountant/Assistant Manager

ARTHUR ANDERSEN & CO, St. Louis, MO 1987 - 1990

Staff / Senior Auditor

Education

B.S. Accounting

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL

Certifications, Associations & Awards

. Certified Public Accountant

. American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

. Elijah Watt Sells Award

. SIUC University Highest Honors

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