Finance and Accouting

Brenda L. Keating, PhD, MBA

***********@*****.*** ● C: 949-***-****

**** ****** ******, ****** ********* CA, 91701

Executive Financial & Operations Leadership

Strategic and profit-driven professional offering 25+ years of experience offering an extraordinarily rich and versatile skill set in systems, human resources, accounting, finance, FP&A and operations. Demonstrated ability to implement and execute financial initiatives ranging from top-level strategy development to process improvement directives. Skilled at critically evaluating and responding to rapidly evolving financial environments to maintain targeted and effective investments. Combines keen business acumen, substantial financial experience, and advanced strategic thinking to lead a wide range of projects and to realize business improvement solutions.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Multiple Locations – Close - Manufacturing - Accounting – Cash Flow - Finance – IT Operations – Operational Data Analysis – Project Management – Internal Controls – Systems Management – Process Improvement – P&L Analysis – Budgeting – Financial Forecasting –Global SAP Implementation -Statutory -GAAP –Excel.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Empire Workforce Solutions – Ontario, California 2021 to Present

Staffing Company; Technology Company; Airplane Maintenance Company; Wine Distribution Company

CFO

Charged with the Treasury, FP&A, Accounting, and non-Operational activities of the Organization. Multiple Company Responsibility. Responsible for Empire Workforce Solutions, Empire Technology, Empire Aviation USA, No Love Lost Inc. and Lancaster Travel and Leisure Corporations.

Implemented four new ERP/Payroll/Finance/Tax systems for the Empire Workforce Solutions Organization. These included Bullhorn, Prism, Acumatica, and Master Tax.

Designed, created and managed areas of FP&A, Treasury, Accounting, Human Resources, Training, IT, and social media for all organizations.

Implemented FP&A tools and database to manage the business using data. Enhanced management decision making by being able to understand future profitability models of business segments, customers and potential customers.

Created a one year and five-year strategic plan.

Implemented budgeting by branch/division and changed compensation plans to focus on profitability by area.

Responsible for managing and accounting for Acquisitions.

Responsible for quarterly presentations to the Board of Directors.

Implemented daily cash reconciliations and management of reserve balances for a seasonal organization. Worked with outside lending organizations to negotiate funding requests for non-seasonal needs.

Implemented Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet monthly reviews with the various leadership teams. Reduced spending by thirty percent by sharing and analyzing results.

Worked on mentoring the Human Resources group to implement a series of forms and processes to decrease litigation exposure.

Implemented an IT group for internal employees and systems. The group focused on network security and migrating applications to a cloud environment.

Implemented new analysis techniques for collections processes. Reduced DSO by 20 points by implementing daily collection processes.

Created on-line training modules for process and systems for new hires and current employees to enhance the candidate experience and retention rate.

Partners with the Executive Management Teams for the various organizations to resolve business issues, implement plans of action and create training and tracking tools.

Managing a group of twenty plus individuals.

Hands-on management approach.

Summit Career College – San Bernardino, California 2020 to 2021

Trade School for LVN and trade programs

Controller

Charged with the Financial and Operational management of the Accounting and Finance areas in a middle size business environment. Includes four different trade school locations.

Responsible for Accounting, Finance, Purchasing, Inventory Management and Back Office functions.

Key responsibilities included treasury, daily cash management, government funding receipts, AR, AP, month end close, year-end close, budgeting and forecasting.

Responsible for quarterly finance presentations to present budget versus actual results with root cause analysis.

Responsible for FP&A functions to use historical and current student enrollment data to plan for future government funding.

Improved closing efficiency for a fifteen-day close to a five-day close.

Implemented new cash tracking tool for government funding receipts to ensure the school had adequate reserves.

Implemented balance sheet reconciliations to ensure financial accuracy.

Manage key projects for changes in ERP and system processes.

Responsible for government reporting including the 90/10 calculation.

Managed a team of seven individuals.

Hands-on management approach.

Casco Pet – Rancho Cucamonga, California 2019 to 2020

Pet and Vet Live Animal Systems and Habitats.

Controller

Charged with the Financial and Operational management of the Accounting and Finance systems in a small business environment. The territory of the company includes Casco Pet North America, London, and Australia.

Responsible for Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Payroll, Budgeting, Forecast and IT functions.

Managed a team of five individuals.

Implemented daily cash flow management.

Responsible for management presentations of the P&L, Balance Sheet, variances to budget, and revised forecasts.

Responsible for all banking relationships.

Leader in external audit functions.

Hands-on management approach.

ARCONIC SYSTEMS AND RINGS (ALCOA) – Rancho Cucamonga, California 2016 to 2019

Manufacturing of aerospace and defense and military aircraft parts (formally Alcoa).

Fasting Systems and Rings – Controller / IT Manager

Charged with the financial management of the Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, and Verdi plant locations. Responsible for the close process, budgeting, forecasting, audits, and internal controls. Key stakeholder for a major plant wide system implementation. Leadership of change within the accounting and IT organization.

As the Controller I accomplished the following:

oResponsible for Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, Payroll, and FP&A functions.

oImplemented a daily P&L for operational management review.

oResponsible for all month-end reporting and the analysis of budget to actuals.

oResponsible for FP&A processes for operational and financial goals of the three locations.

oResponsible for monthly and yearly forecasting.

oManaged a team of fifteen.

oHands-on management approach.

As the IT Manager I accomplished the following:

oImplemented two new ERP systems for the company.

oImplemented BI as a companywide reporting tool. This allowed us to use data to manage the business. Short term and long-term decisions were made with this process as we combined it with FP&A.

oManaged a staff of seven.

oDaily IT tasks which included phone set-up, manage asset inventory, system monitoring, and working with staff to resolve system issues.

oWorked daily with users and managers to build reports to improve processes and efficiencies.

Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment – Los Angeles, California 2005 to 2016

American film and television production/distribution company and subsidiary of Viacom generating more than $1.2B in annual revenue.

WORLDWIDE Home Media - Vice President of Finance / Accounting

Charged with managing global manufacturing, distribution, IT and related accounting and finance processes within Paramount Home Video Division. Direct teams to manage the worldwide closing processes. Accountable for the validity of financial results for Paramount and Partner results. Areas of responsibility included FP&A, systems, accounting close processes, customer accounting, P&L analysis, balance sheet validity, financial reviews, and SAP SOX controls. Key stakeholder for system implementations which included project management, design, process enhancements, and delivery. Stakeholder leadership approach to ensure motivation and success.

Responsible for Paramount’s Worldwide DVD divisions accounting and finance.

Responsible for quarterly and yearly management presentations.

Responsible for FP&A and data analytics.

Responsible for the monthly close and submission process for the P&L and Balance Sheet for the Home Media Distribution and Inventory processes.

Responsible for involvement in participation audits and legal settlements.

Implemented audit team and processes to manage Worldwide Home Media Distribution and Manufacturing.

Worldwide travel experience for all internal and domestic territories for inventory and control audits.

Project IT budget management for global SAP implementation.

Leader in the global SAP implementation for the home Media division for finance transformation.

Key business stakeholder for IT planning, project management and delivery.

Executed worldwide close processes and business results while managing system implementation changes for each consecutive wave of finance transformation.

Implemented cohesive team environments using emotional intelligent leadership attributes.

Designed and developed technical and user go live testing for revised accelerated processes for the financial SAP system.

Designed and implemented the other ERP/Finance systems to enhance the new global SAP footprint.

Worked on special projects as assigned by management related to Internal Controls, Audit Issues, or Automation of controls.

Managed a group of over seventy in the US and internal locations.

Other Previous Experiences

Consulting Manager

Auditor

Financial Analysis

MBA program Professor

EDUCATION

PhD, Business and Technology, Leadership Specialization – Capella University

M.B.A., Strategic Finance – California State University Fullerton

B.B.A., Accounting & Computer Programming – University of Wisconsin

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