Accounting Manager Financial

CHRIS HICKS 240-***-****

***** ***** **** **** *****************@*****.***

Brookeville, MD 20833

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

ALACO CONSULTING, LLC – Gaithersburg, MD August 2010 – Present

Accounting & Management Consultant

Outsourced Controller/Accounting Manager/Project Accountant for client companies.

Provide professional accounting services, management consulting and strategic solutions for corporate and individual clients ranging from Acting Controller to Accountant to Payroll Manager.

Manage and perform monthly, quarterly and annual closes and consolidations. Prepare financial statements and related reports for annual reporting, banking requirements as well as in preparation for various required audits. Prepare, maintain and perform analyses of account reconciliations and fixed asset/depreciation schedules. Prepare 1099’s and PPTR’s. Review and assess internal control systems and offer recommendations as necessary.

Supervise and review the work of senior and staff accountants, in addition to providing training as necessary.

Liaise and interact with external auditors and reporting agencies as necessary.

Interact regularly and comfortably with owners and upper management.

Recognize and identify situations for additional business development opportunities.

SUNEDISON, LLC - Beltsville, MD June 2009 – February 2010

Accounting Manager (replaced Assistant Controller for North America)

Managed and performed monthly, quarterly and annual closes and consolidations for six companies, each over $200M revenue, that were part of North America’s largest solar energy services provider.

Prepared financial statements and related variance analyses. Prepared and maintained account reconciliations and fixed asset/depreciation schedules.

Pursued and collected/reconciled $200K of $500K of aged receivables in less than six months.

Supervised, trained and reviewed the work of one senior staff accountant.

Prepared consolidated financial statements and other schedules/footnotes in support of the MEMC (NYSE: WFR) acquisition of SunEdison in October 2009, as well as other schedules necessary for the subsequent audit.

Liaised and interacted with external auditors during the quarterly and year-end audits.

Regular and comfortable interaction with upper management, including VP’s and Directors.

LASALLE HOTEL PROPERTIES (NYSE: LHO) – Bethesda, MD August 2006 – March 2009

Senior Accountant

Managed and performed monthly, quarterly and annual closes and consolidations for a leading luxury/upscale hotel REIT ($675M+ in annual revenues), specifically for a portfolio of hotels and related entities that involved 10-12 closes per month. Responsible for reviewing financial statements, account reconciliations, budgets and capital expenditure draws, maintaining fixed asset and depreciation schedules and providing monthly, quarterly and annual variance and budget analyses. For debt-encumbered properties, prepared consolidated financial statements for submission to lenders.

Reviewed monthly closes and other consolidated schedules prepared by staff accountants and hotel controllers.

Prepared and reviewed consolidated financial statement schedules, MD&A and footnotes for inclusion in various sections of the Company’s 10-K’s, 10-Q’s, proxy statements and press releases, including the quarterly and year- end tax schedules. Performed quarterly and annual REIT compliance testing.

Liaised and interacted regularly with external auditors during quarterly and year-end audits.

Managed multiple annual on-site Internal Controls and Procedures Audits at hotels across the country, including testing for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 requirements. Adjusted audit programs each year, as necessary, to reflect current requirements and to improve effectiveness and relevance.

Integrally involved in implementing a new accounting system (PeopleSoft), including uploading, mapping and testing data for accuracy as well as troubleshooting problem areas.

Trained and assisted staff and other senior accountants in various areas, including new software implementation.

Assisted with hotel acquisitions and dispositions (both on-site and off) in accounting related areas.

Collaborated regularly with Chief Accounting Officer/Controller in areas of the monthly closes as well as on multiple ad-hoc projects/responsibilities.

Interacted comfortably with CFO, COO, CEO and Finance and Asset Management departments as necessary.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTING – Baltimore & DC Area January 1999 – May 2006

D’Amelio Cohen & Associates – Baltimore, MD 10/02 – 05/06

American Express Tax & Business Services – Rockville, MD 1/00 – 05/02

Raffa & Associates – Washington, DC 1/99 – 12/99

Managed, planned and coordinated all aspects of annual financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, and other accounting work for medium to large-sized privately held and non-profits, including financial statement and tax return preparation.

Reviewed work of up to eight staff accountants in advance of final review/sign-off by Partners.

Prepared Corporate, Partnership, Individual (including multi-state), and Personal Property Tax Returns.

Identified situations in client data/operations that posed opportunities for tax savings, increased profits and other scenarios where strategic planning would be beneficial to the clients’ overall financial position

Established and/or increased the efficiency of multiple internal accounting processes and procedures, in addition to creating a new employee manual.

Contracted to Ernst & Young as part of a team engaged to perform the internal audit of the implementation of a new billing system for Nextel Communications. Was personally responsible for uncovering major errors in the new system, saving Nextel significant money and reducing the time before the new system was to “go live”.

Led Internal A/P Audit engagements of various entities, resulting in clients saving or recapturing over $200K.

Sub-contracted to KPMG for the audits of two agencies (NOAA and BXA) within the Department of Commerce.

EDUCATION:

The Catholic University of America – Washington, DC

Bachelor of Arts – Accounting

Activities – Rugby Team

SOFTWARE SKILLS:

oAccounting Packages - QuickBooks, PeopleSoft, Timberline, Epicor (including Crystal Reports), Solomon

oFixed Asset Packages - FAS, Asset Keeper, BNA

oTax Packages – Lacerte, CCH ProSystems and BNA and CCH Tax Research

oPayroll Packages – ADP and Paychex

oMicrosoft Office Suite

oGoSystems Audit (including linking with Microsoft Office for financial statement preparation)

oTest Director (validation software)

AFFILIATIONS:

oDown Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, Vice President 2016-present, BOD 2012-present

oCatholic Charities, Kennedy Institute, Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council, Member 2018-present

oSt. Peter's House Ministry (with Jubilee Association), St. Peter’s Church, Parish Liaison 2013-present

oCatholic Coalition for Special Education (CCSE), Volunteer 2013-2016

oGonzaga College High School

•Alumni Association, Vice President 2017-present

•Carmody Open Golf Tournament, Executive Committee 2006-present

•Rugby Team, Advertising Coordinator 2015-2017

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