Edward J. Kaplan CPA, MBA

**** *******, ****** **

Cell: (847) 668 – 5736 ad4f59@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Senior finance and accounting executive with experience in a variety of industries. Skilled at reorganizing, streamlining, and strengthening financial operations to maximize performance and profitability. Experience with M&A activities and Software as a Service.

Computer Skills: Great Plains Dynamics, Nav, SAP, Qad, Quickbooks, Net Suite and Sage-Intact

Professional Experience

Consulting Projects (2017-2023)

Sept 2023-Dec 2023

Family Business Consulting Group (Contract Position)-Supported day to day accounting work for a limited time.

Harrison and Held - June 2023 –July 2023 (Interim Controller) Legal Trust accounting

Luminii (1 direct reports) Oct 2022 - April 2023

Interim Controller

Lead the completion of the (Oracle) Net Suite ERP implementation (which was previously managed poorly), Managed year-end close and oversaw the Audit.

DCC Propane May 2022 - Sept 2022

Accounting Consultant

Reconciled the perpetual inventory to the physical inventory. Improved forecasting. Pulled in actual

data before month-end. I helped bridge communications between Accounting and Operations.

Began the implementation of the new ERP system.

IST America (1 direct report) Aug 2021 - April 2022

Interim Controller

Took over responsibility from the previous Controller (who had been there for 15 years). Sped

up month-end closing and Financial Statement reporting. Did away with unnecessary steps.

Improved the year-end inventory close, switched Auditing firms and worked with the Auditors

on year-end close.

Hearthside Food Solutions (1 direct report) Feb 2021 - Aug 2021

Interim Plant Controller

I got finance involved with the morning drumbeat meetings were we discussed what went wrong

on third shift and how to prevent it from happening again. We also got Finance involved in understanding how the mixing and packing machines worked. Worked with purchasing to close obsolete purchase orders. Studied price variance to determine the lowest priced vendors.

Keating of Chicago (1 direct report) Jun 2020 - Feb 2021

Controller/HR

Performed all duties on the month-end close (recording JV’s, bringing in daily sales data, recording

interest and other banking info etc.) Bank reconciliations and recording AR cash receipts and AP

cash disbursements. Oversaw all aspects of HR. Reported the monthly Financial Statements.

Edsal Manufacturing May 2020 - Jun 2020

Inventory/Cost Accounting Consultant

Worked to improve the cycle counting process (worked with the counters), setup measurements to determine accuracy and developed processes for choosing items. Validated that the bills of material were used correctly in the work orders.

IST America (1 direct report) March 2020

Accounting Consultant

Mostly worked on completing the year-end close. Worked on cleaning up the Controllers files.

Eliminated non-value added processes. Made recommendations on how to improve the accounting

processes.

Dynaco/Entrematic Dec 2019 - Feb 2020

Accounting Consultant

Came in to work on month-end close. Made significant improvements on automating the AP process.

Worked on year-end close recons. Worked on making improvements to the inventory reporting processes and made significant contributions toward putting in place a new ERP system.

American Society of Neuroradiology Aug 2019 - Nov 2019

Accounting Consultant

Headed up the effort to bring the closings current. Identified an embezzlement from

performing a bank recon. Identified other potential irregularities from doing account analyzes.

Also, worked with the other consulting staff on account analyzes, showing them what to look for.

Grieve Corp Jun 2019 - Jul 2019

Great Plains Consultant

Trained the Controller and other staff on how to use Great Plains. Worked to understand how

the previous Controller did her work and improved upon it. Improved/simplified the reporting

for sales tax.

Corporate Imaging Concepts (3 direct reports) Aug 2018 - May 2019

Interim Controller - Process Improvement

Worked with the CFO to better identify the timing for inventory receipts so that it could be better

accounted for. Worked to simplify reporting processes so that they could be done more

quickly and accurately. Instilled a mindset for looking at accounting data for accuracy.

Cherry Americas (1 direct report) Sept 2017 - April 2018

Interim Corporate Controller

Worked to improve month-end close by simplifying the process. Improved communications with our

home office in Germany so that everyone could do their work more efficiently. Also worked with our

Chinese manufacturing plants to improve communications. Coordinated the year-end close and Audit

with an eye on efficiency, quality and speed.

USA Vein Clinics May 2016 - Aug 2017

Corporate Controller (3 direct reports)

Co-lead the conversion from cash basis to GAAP accounting.

Directed the financials and purchasing for over 40 entities.

Co-lead the first three annual GAAP audits.

Co-lead a Quality of Earnings engagement.

Lead the implementation of Great Plains accounting software.

Integrated the financial and purchasing functions for an acquired company.

Spearheaded the purchase and financial responsibility for the construction of the storage facility to hold the contents for the future Obama Presidential Library.

Responsible for reporting on 90 entities.

American Labelmark Company May 2002 - May 2016

Corporate Controller

Reported to President with a staff of 12, with 4 direct reports. Responsible for manufacturing accounting, financial reporting, corporate strategy, accounts receivable and payable, credit and collections, Federal and state income taxes, sales and use tax for 18 states, insurance, banking quoting and estimating, and corporate secretary.

M&A experience (involved with the due diligence for one purchase and two sales).

Daily involvement in treasury responsibilities (increasing and decreasing LOC etc.) as well as cash flow analysis.

Strong cost accounting and tax background. Oversaw cost accounting and financial operations.

Championed a cycle count program, improved perpetual inventory accuracy to 97%, eliminating the year end physical inventory.

Reduced receivables by 5 days, improving monthly cash flow by $800K and reduced receivables write-off’s by $100K.

Team leader for the implementation of the Nav ERP System.

Strong experience with SAAS accounting through our Software business unit.

Negotiated a new lending agreement at a lower interest rate and a higher line of credit.

Recruited hourly and salaried degreed accountants to rejuvenate team, with department assuming more complex challenges, including the implementation of a new ERP system.

Delivered $2.5M in annual cost savings on aluminum purchases by hiring and training a sourcing specialist with Chinese expertise.

Implemented a cloud-based system that prepared and transmitted sales tax returns for 18 states, dramatically reducing staff hours while improving tax reporting quality.

Initiated remote capture check deposits reducing bank clearing times by at least 1 day.

Saved $40K by liquidating an interest rate swap.

Successfully defended against an IRS audit, with no tax liability assessed.

RHC/Spacemaster Corporation 1997 - 2002

Divisional Controller

Directed a staff of 21 and 5 direct reports. Managed financial reporting and analysis for this $43M business with 4 manufacturing facilities and one R&D center.

M&A experience (involved with the due diligence for the acquisition of a woodworking company).

Led the effort to reduce inventory levels, resulting in a 25% inventory reduction.

Implemented a standardized costing system, reducing labor and overhead costs, generating $500K in first year savings.

ZF (Formerly Cherry Electrical Products), Cost Accounting Manager (3 direct reports)1991 - 1997

Motorola, Inc., (Various roles) 1982 - 1991

Philip Rootberg & Company CPA’s, Staff Accountant 1981 - 1982

EDUCATION

DePaul University, Chicago, IL

M.B.A., Finance

University of Illinois, Urbana / Champaign, IL

B.S., Accountancy

Certified Public Accountant (CPA), State of Illinois

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