Management Information Technology
Resume:
LAURA SCHEPPS
Marlton, NJ 08053 ************@*****.***
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT / FINANCE
Results-oriented, analytical leader with the proven ability to recognize trends, forecast results, and respond
proactively to resolve issues. Demonstrated record of success to enhance productivity and efficiency leading to
increased profitability. Executive accomplishments were built upon an in depth understanding of financial
strategies and an intuitive discernment for processes to support organizational objectives. Communicate at all
levels of an organization. Negotiate multi-million dollar contracts with positive outcomes for both sides. Areas of
expertise include:
• Business Advisor/Partner • Multi-Department Leadership • Financial Analysis
• Contract Management/Negotiation • Change Management • Presentation Development/Delivery
• Strategic/Tactical Planning • P&L Management • Process Implementation/Improvement
Professional Experience
ACE LIMITED, Philadelphia, PA 2007 - 2009
Vice President, Global Information Technology Division Financial Officer
Strengthened and oversaw finance and vendor management functions for the corporate IT division.
• Sponsored initiative to refine financial processes and improve transparency by designing new account,
department, and project structures within the ACE ERP system, increase data quality/consistency,
improve financial reporting, and build a new budget model.
• Managed $500MM spending to less than a 2% variance from plan.
• Rebuilt relationships with stakeholders to reestablish credibility of the IT Finance organization.
• Increased predictability of financial results by changing accounting for services, software, and hardware.
• Led project to improve procedures for account reconciliations to increase reliability and reduce processing
time by 20%.
• Directed vendor relationships for IT services, products, and support agreements to reduce the company
risk profile and costs, including a decrease in the outsource provider of $8MM annually.
• Influenced project/investment decisions to align with business strategies through membership in the
Governance Steering Committee and by building analysis models/templates.
• Provided input and participated in due diligence and integration of two acquisitions, resulting in
contribution to $75MM savings goal.
RADIAN GROUP, INC., Philadelphia, PA 2002 - 2007
Assistant Vice President, Information Technology Finance
Director, Information Technology Finance
Built vision, controls, processes, and functions of the Information Technology Finance organization, including
Procurement/Accounts Payable and Financial Planning and Analysis.
• Managed $90MM spending to within a 3% variance from forecast each year.
• Drove design, reporting, and communication of results, including financial, project, and operational, for the
executive team and IT department to jointly make decisions to support revenue growth and productivity
enhancements for the business.
• Cut expenses by 20% year over year by reducing employee headcount, consulting costs, telecom costs,
hardware costs, and software costs.
• Established accountability for budgets and spending within the IT Leadership Team to allow for efficient
use of resources.
• Managed all contract negotiations for services and products, including a renegotiation of the telecom
provider contract resulting in a 50% reduction of the revenue commitment without a price increase.
• Directed vendor relationships for services, products, and support agreements to reduce the company risk
profile and reduce costs from $1MM - $5MM annually.
• Designed monthly close and forecasting process for more accuracy and cost containment ability.
• Incorporated central reporting for all corporate subsidiaries having IT departments to attain consistency to
improve analysis of all costs.
• Acted as the executive sponsor of two major projects including a fixed asset audit and a vendor
compliance initiative.
LAURA SCHEPPS
856-***-**** Page 2 ************@*****.***
INTRACORP, A DIVISION OF CIGNA CORPORATION, Philadelphia, PA 2001 - 2002
Director, Planning & Financial Analysis
Represented division in all financial aspects to CIGNA Corporate.
• Managed division controller and two financial analysts.
• Recommended actions to meet earnings goals that allowed division to make record profit for 2001.
• Led budget ($65MM net income) and other planning processes, including monthly forecasting, to manage
risks and opportunities to plan.
• Implemented headcount tracking tool to manage the staffing levels, representing 70% of business costs.
• Created cash management model that increased efficiency of dividend planning by 50%.
• Established process to manage allocated expenses from parent company.
GE CAPITAL MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC., Cherry Hill, NJ 1998 - 2001
Senior Financial Analyst, Financial Planning and Analysis
Acted as liaison between Mortgage Services and GE Capital corporate headquarters.
• Developed the budget and assisted in making strategic business decisions.
• Designed and implemented process improvements in Information Systems department, which resulted in
cost savings of 10%.
• Created long range forecasting model used to prepare timely forecasts and corporate submissions.
• Designed balance sheet model and maintenance process that reduced preparation time from three weeks
to less than one day.
• Instituted Return on Equity (ROE) analysis by asset class to manage the balance sheet and increase
returns for the business.
• Nominated to attend the Advanced Financial Management course due to ranking as a high
performing/high potential employee.
• Received Quality Award for improvements to financial processes.
BANKERS TRUST COMPANY, Jersey City, NJ 1989 - 1998
Advised treasurers and trustees of client organizations on pension plan management.
Assistant Vice President
• Managed six financial analysts.
• Reviewed attribution reports and sources of risk for pension clients.
• Developed, established, and maintained a new start-up client base for the bank.
• Analyzed rate of return information to advise clients making investment manager decisions.
• Received award for work done on a special project that resulted in a new client.
Assistant Treasurer
• Developed system to accommodate the new analytics required for Private Bank clients, a new type of
customer to the Asset Consulting Group.
• Reduced processing time by 50% to accommodate tight monthly reporting deadlines.
• Coordinated and analyzed portfolio market values to compile reports to present to fund managers,
consultants, and pension plan sponsors.
• Chosen to teach a client communication class to the professional staff of 30.
• Audited $5B of Public Fund and Taft Hartley pension client assets.
Education
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York, NY
• Masters of Business Administration, Double major in Finance and Management, 1997
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, Rutgers College – School of Business, New Brunswick, NJ
• Bachelor of Science, Major in Marketing, 1989
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