Seasoned finance and accounting professional with extensive experience
Resume:
JAMES A. CAREW, AIAF, ARe, CFA, CPA, CPCU
New York, NY 10028
603-***-**** (C)
***********@***.***
Executive Profile
Seasoned finance and accounting professional with extensive experience in: managing costs to improve profitability; GAAP and
statutory reporting; automating and enhancing accounting processes to improve the timeliness, efficiency, and quality of
information in order to improve decision making; designing and implementing internal controls to safeguard assets; forecasting
and budgeting; implementing and converting accounting systems; consolidating and reorganizing an accounting department;
and, managing accounting staff. Strong investment and analysis background.
Consultant
New Jersey Devils - Newark, New Jersey 2014
Developed internal reporting and budget automation for client, thereby improving timeliness, accuracy, and efficiency. Led
project to upgrade the general ledger system. Identified and implemented improvements to month-end close.
Clermont Specialty Managers, Ltd. - Hackensack, New Jersey 2010 - 2013
Chief Financial Officer
Reported directly to the President of Clermont Specialty.
Oversaw all aspects of the accounting department for two affiliate insurance companies of W.R. Berkley – Clermont Insurance
Company, and Admiral Indemnity Company. Served on Board of Directors for 2 companies. Managed staff of 6, including 2
accounting managers.
• Assisted in development of strategic mission statement, which provided strategic direction for the company. Wrote policies
and SOX narratives for Financial and Entity Cycles, which improved internal control environment and allowed for first-
ever SOX testing and led to the removal of a material weakness that had existed prior to my arrival
• Transferred and consolidated functions, which had been performed by an affiliate, reorganized accounting department,
revised all journal entries, and instituted numerous process improvements to: streamline the month-end close, improve the
quality, timeliness, and reliability of information, as well as overall efficiency, thereby improving profitability
• Created new reporting and analysis package, which improved decision making capabilities
• Converted and implemented systems for: billing, policy issuance, ceded premiums and losses, abandoned property, 1099
reporting, and general ledger and accounts payable, which improved overall quality, timeliness, and efficiency of financial
reporting and compliance filings, as well as permitting reconciliation of account balances
• Created budget by month and line of business and included department heads in budget development for the first time at
the company, gaining broader ownership of results and improving the quality of the budget
• Reviewed financial statements of prospective brokers to determine suitability of appointing those brokers
• Developed template for accessing detail data in the company’s data warehouse, thereby allowing users to more efficiently
analyze results and reconcile accounts. Instituted account reconciliations of all balance sheet and major income statement
accounts to improve quality of financial statements and information
HCC Holdings, Inc. (Houston Casualty) - Houston, Texas 2009 – 2010
P&C Controller
Reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer of statutory accounting of HCC.
Oversaw month-end close, statutory and executive reporting, and account reconciliations for 5, multi-billion dollar affiliate
insurance companies of HCC Holdings. Managed staff of 20 including 7 assistant controllers and 3 accounting managers - 7
direct reports.
• Worked with programmers to obtain direct access to detailed information in the general ledger, thereby improving analysis
and reconciliation capabilities
• Streamlined and organized monthly data-feed process from approximately 20 affiliates, which improved quality and
timeliness of monthly financial statements
• Instituted process improvements to streamline the month-end close, improve the quality and timeliness of reporting, and the
overall efficiency and usefulness of information
James A. Carew (Continued)
RiverStone Resources (TIG Insurance) - Manchester, New Hampshire 2000 – 2009
Financial Reporting Manager
Reported directly to the Controller at RiverStone.
Oversaw month-end GAAP close, GAAP reporting, and served as systems analyst and systems administrator – including
security oversight - for the general ledger and accounts payable system for multi-billion dollar insurance company.
Instituted process improvements to streamline the month-end close, improve the quality and timeliness of information, and the
overall efficiency and usefulness of information.
• Led process for selection, conversion, and customization of general ledger and accounts payable system to
improve month-end close process, analysis, and reporting
• Designed and implemented electronic data storage for backup for accounts payable and general ledger
transactions, thereby reducing the need for document storage and improving access to transaction support. Created
internal reporting using Jet Reports
• Instituted new accounts payable, abandoned property, electronic check reconciliation, and Value Added Tax
recovery procedures to improve internal controls, overall efficiency, and to obtain refund of VAT taxes paid
• Redesigned financial reporting processes to improve timeliness and efficiency including: internal reporting,
positive pay, 1099 reporting, bank reconciliations, cash flow reporting, and creation of text file imports and exports
to and from the general ledger. Enhanced internal control environment
• Oversaw merger of general ledger and accounts payable systems for multi-billion dollar merger, thereby
achieving integration of the companies and economies of scale
• Identified and tested key controls to ensure compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley
Mt Washington Assurance - Concord, New Hampshire 1991 – 2000
Financial Reporting Manager
Reported directly to the President of Mt Washington.
Oversaw all aspects of the accounting department for a property and casualty company including: budget preparation; statutory
and internal reporting; cash; and, payroll. Implemented a lockbox. Developed production loss reports. Converted general ledger,
accounts payable, fixed asset, and investment systems. Served on committee for holding company to revise chart of accounts
and select general ledger and investment accounting systems. Formed the accounting department.
State of New Hampshire - Concord, New Hampshire 1986 – 1991
Internal Auditor/Chief Investigator
Reported directly to the Agency Head. Investigated any individual or firm alleged to have violated New Hampshire
securities laws. Established procedures for investigations. Developed the State’s first state-wide, budget-to-actual report,
and method for allocating an agency’s costs in order to obtain federal reimbursement. Analyzed and projected
unrestricted revenue. Developed and produced first-ever, six-year revenue report of the State’s general fund unrestricted
revenue.
East Weymouth Savings Bank - Weymouth, Massachusetts 1980 – 1986
Medford Savings Bank - Medford, Massachusetts
State Street Bank and Trust - Quincy, Massachusetts
Assisted bank management with conversion of banks from mutual savings banks to stock corporations. Audited several pension
funds in the Master Trust Department, with a total asset value of over $9 billion.
Suffolk University - MBA concentration in Finance - Boston, Massachusetts
Providence College - BA, Economics - Providence, Rhode Island
Merrimack College - Continuing Ed, Accounting - North Andover, Massachusetts
Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance (AIAF), Associate in Reinsurance (ARe), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
charterholder, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). Member: The CPCU
Society, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and The CFA Institute. Experienced with: Jet Reports; F9;
Essbase; Excel; Access; PAM; J.D. Edwards; Freedom Financial; and, Microsoft Navision. W. R. Berkley Executive
Management Program. Chairman, Membership Committee, New York CPCU Society.
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