Accounting Manager

JAMES D. DAMM, CPA

Elmhurst, IL ***** **********@*****.***

Phone 630-***-**** linkedin.com/in/james-damm-a1289536

SUMMARY

Finance and management professional with CPA/MBA certification. Senior level experience in management, financial and instructional environments with legal, not-for-profit, healthcare, professional engineering and educational organizations. Excellent teamwork skills, strong written and presentation abilities, effective at developing and supporting working relationships with all levels of the organization. Demonstrated expertise at consultative and turnaround management, cost cutting and revenue enhancements. Core competencies include: general ledger, partnership accounting and taxation, employee benefit plans, deferred compensation plans, banking and treasury functions, financial reporting, income taxes, consolidations, accounts payable and receivable functions, monthly and annual financial statement preparation, long-range financial planning, forecasting, budgeting and variance analysis for corporate cost centers and strategic business units.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Word, Access applications. Proficient in Aderant (general ledger software for law firms).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Tressler LLP, Chicago, IL 2006 – 2017

Chief Financial Officer

Responsible for the firm’s annual financial (accrual and tax-basis) statement review, monthly financial statement preparation and analysis, and the daily accounting functions, including client billings and collections, accounts payable and vendor management, disbursements and payroll functions. Oversaw accounting staff of seven individuals, including the controller. Reported to firm’s Executive Committee and other senior leadership.

Responsible for firm’s banking/lending relationship, including financial controls over operating, payroll and IOLTA accounts, reporting on debt covenants and lending agreements. Recent conversion to new lender\bank.

Prepared detailed financial analyses, break-even analyses, and revenue projections for multi-state firm operations.

Acted as firm’s 401k Plan Administrator, overseeing participant interactions with Plan Committee, Plan Investment Advisers and Recordkeeper, including annual audit and tax-filings. Successfully managed recent conversion of 401k Plan to new advisors and recordkeeper.

Interacted with firm’s insurance brokers for annual insurance renewal process for professional liability, workers compensation property & casualty, employment and other specialty coverages.

Performed administration of Partners Buy-out Trust.

Responsible for various state and local partnership fillings with state regulatory agencies. Coordinated attorney registration and licensing in multiple states.

Easter Seals, Inc., Chicago, IL 2005 – 2006

Director of Finance

Responsible for annual financial audit, financial statement preparation and review, and the monthly accounting closing process.

Managed general ledger accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll functions.

Oversaw accounting, invoicing and administration for state and federal grants.

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 2002 - 2005

Controller

Responsible for annual financial audit, financial statement preparation and review, and the monthly accounting closing process.

Coordinated filing state and federal tax returns, including property, unrelated business income and federal information returns.

Oversaw accounting and administration for state and federal grants; supervise banking relationship, cash-handling functions.

Authored and implemented museum travel expense policy, developed internal procedures for monthly accounting process.

Spyglass Technologies, Inc, Naperville, IL 2000 - 2003

Controller

General Ledger function responsibility, including financial statement preparation and review, billing and collections, and oversight for financial audit function. Interacted directly with senior management, software engineers and parent organization, providing financial input and information.

American Medical Association, Chicago, IL 1989 - 2000

Finance Manager, American Medical Accreditation Program (1997-2000)

Key staff member of management team, with specific accountability for the development of the financial component of the business plan and subsequent operational oversight, analyses and marketing strategy development associated with the implementation of a new physician accreditation program.

Developed, prepared and responsible for annual resource allocations for $9.2M organizational unit, including preparation of quarterly reforecast and five-year strategic forecasts.

Supervised and coordinated interactions between sales and marketing, operations, information technology, and customer service center staff members for budgeting and cost control.

Manager of Investment Accounting, AMA Office of Financial Services (1989 – 1997)

Provided accounting and financial support for all AMA investments, including Pension and 401(k) Plan, several deferred compensations plans for AMA Board of Trustees, and the entire investment accounting function.

Successfully coordinated the outsourcing the administrative functions of the Pension and 401(k) Plan to Northern Trust Company, resulting in improved services to plan participants and reduced administrative costs of $50K annually.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS and OTHER EXPERIENCE

Master of Business Administration

DePaul University, Chicago, IL

Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Certified Public Accountant, Illinois

College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL 1992 – 2014

Adjunct Professor of Accounting

Completed teaching assignments for Intermediate Accounting, Accounting Principles, Taxation and Finance.

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