Manager Accounting
Resume:
Joan A Lozier
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
603-***-**** / ***********@*****.***
Bluestem Brands Inc
Middleton, Massachusetts
Accounting Manager July 2010 – Present
Managed the cash accounting function for all eleven Orchard Portfolio brands including catalog and retail credit card activity and mail order processing.
Consistently met month end corporate close deadlines. Ensured proper and timely reconciliation of monthly general ledger balance sheet accounts including cash, drafts payable, credit card accounts receivable, escheatment liability, property plant and equipment, various clearing accounts.
Project leader in the centralization and standardization of the treasury and cash management functions for Orchard Brands. After acquisition by Bluestem Brands in 2015, successfully transitioned the treasury functions to corporate headquarters in Minnesota. Continue to provide support as requested.
Effective management of accounting staff. Continue to streamline, standardize and implement process improvements. Identified areas of risks and implement controls as appropriate. Utilize and implement industry best practices for company.
Managed the Accounts Payable department for all brands for one year while maintaining Accounting Manager role. Added fifteen staff with three direct reports. Worked closely with staff to implement process improvements surrounding import vendor invoicing along with building efficiencies around the weekly check payment process. Maintained business relationships with critical vendors.
Responsible for managing the credit card receivable function for Orchard Brands ensuring proper receipt and posting of credit card revenue. Maintained vendor relationships with all credit card processors.
Recommended and implemented treasury management software for company resulting in elimination of manual processes such as daily cash positioning and posting of cash activity to general ledger.
Managed fixed assets for all brands. Improved the tracking and documentation of assets along with implementing a plan to better manage construction in progress projects.
Performed complete end to end processing of the abandoned property process for all brands ensuring all statutory requirements and deadlines were met.
Member of management staff to guide company through Chapter 11 bankruptcy and fresh accounting process after successfully emerging from bankruptcy.
Cash contact and coordinator of all year-end and bank examination audits.
Contract Assignments May 2009 – July 2010
Axcelis Technologies Inc
Northern Elastomeric Inc
Southern Maine Medical Center
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Dover, New Hampshire
Manager Treasury Operations May 2002 – March 2009
Ensured proper and timely reconciliation of monthly general ledger balance sheet accounts including cash, drafts payable, abandoned property and accounts payable clearance. Effective management of supervisors and reconciliation staff.
Managed daily exception processing of Liberty’s positive pay and reverse match pay disbursing accounts. Disbursements included paper checks and electronic payments. Worked closely with large banks to resolve issues and maintain banking relationship. Extensive knowledge of U.S. banking regulations, products and practices.
Cash Management Project leader for Liberty’s Treasury Disbursing Utility. Managed production issues and all system improvements and implementations of new business.
Key team member of Treasury Re-engineering initiative resulting in significant process improvements and efficiencies. Cash Management able to assume new business without additional headcount.
Developed annual budget and pricing structure for Cash Management. Performed monthly budget analysis of actual to budget revenues and expenses.
Managed the Sarbanes-Oxley initiative for Cash Management. Ensured all corporate objectives and deliverables were met as well as served as Dover Treasury contact for Ernst & Young. Key contact and coordinator of all internal and external audits.
Managed forgery and fraud function and check image requests for Liberty Mutual.
Responsible for Liberty Mutual’ s check stock, associated security features, ANSI check standards and facsimile logos. Work with Liberty Mutual’ s Dover IOPS and Standard Register to ensure consistent check issuance quality and compliance.
Project leader in integrating the acquired business of Prudential and Ohio Casualty Cash Management functions including abandoned property and 1099 reporting function to Liberty Mutual.
Ensure Business Continuity plan was current and executable. Treasury contact for Emergency Response Team. Successful execution of plan within six months for two business interruption situations.
Managed the Abandoned Property function for Liberty Mutual from May 2002 to February 2005. Performed due diligence and filed timely and accurate state abandoned property reports for seventeen Liberty Mutual legal entities.
Celestica Inc
Newington, New Hampshire
Senior General Ledger Accountant August 2000 – May 2002
Responsible for the General Ledger Accounting function for three Celestica contract-manufacturing sites.
Generated monthly income statement and balance sheets. Prepared monthly Corporate Legal Reporting Packages.
Prepared and maintained month end close schedule.
Finance representative for shut down of Celestica’s Nashville, Tennessee manufacturing facilities.
Prepared balance sheet reconciliations. Conducted monthly balance sheet review with Corporate Finance.
Finance Lead for Celestica’s Quality Committee. Implemented and trained others on Corporate Corrective Action Program.
Responsible for GL conversion and consolidation of three site ledgers to one BPCS campus environment.
Informix Software Inc
Lenexa, Kansas
Fixed Asset Accountant July 1998 – December 1999
Responsible for performing all fixed asset functions for the United States’ operation. Duties included asset maintenance, calculation and reporting of depreciation for tax and internal purposes. Capitalized an average of 200 assets per month and maintained a 19,000+ asset database.
Analysis of actual to budget for both assets and depreciation. Performed asset accounting on SAP and FAS Encore.
Performed balance sheet account analysis and reconciliation.
Prepared annual property tax returns for Informix’s U. S. locations.
Coordinated and conducted physical asset inventories.
Implemented the asset databases of two acquired companies within a six-month period.
The Pack America Corporation
Lenexa, Kansas
Assistant Manager Accounting April 1996 – July 1998
Solely responsible for the accounting function of Pack America’s manufacturing facility. Promoted from Accountant to Assistant Manager after six months of service.
Responsibilities included Accounts Payable, Payroll and all General Ledger activity.
Prepared monthly departmental cost analysis statements, as well as actual vs. budget performance analysis.
Coordinated and developed annual operating budget of $10 million.
Conducted and reconciled monthly physical inventories of raw material, work in process and finished goods inventories.
Handled all cash management activities.
Chosen to select and implement new financial/manufacturing computer software and hardware.
Participated as part of management team to revise and develop company policies and procedures.
Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati
Palo Alto, California
Senior Accountant October 1994 – November 1995
Takata Inc
Olympia Fields, Illinois
Accountant March 1991 – October1993
International Jensen Inc
Lincolnshire, Illinois
Accountant April 1989 – March 1991
Berrien County Mental Health
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Accountant April 1987 – March 1989
Education and Recognitions
Indiana University – Bachelor of Science Degree Accounting
2015 Bluestem Excellence Awards – Value People
1997 Pack America Employee of the Year
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