Information Officer Pine Bluff

Keith D Leathers, CPA MBA

**** ***** ******* ***** *********, AR 723002

Home: 501-***-**** - Cell: 501-***-**** - *****.********@*****.***

Professional Summary

I am a solid CPA with 24+ years in senior Financial Management and information technology experience in state government.

Prior to entering state government, I spent several years in private industry.

My proudest achievements is the directorship of AASIS- the statewide finance, accounting, and HR enterprise system.

Skills

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Customer service-oriented

Advanced application skills including all Microsoft products

Strong accounting skills including internal controls and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

Proven outcomes in an Information Technology Environment

Strong ERP design and utilization skills

Strong management skills and ability to mentor and develop staff

Demonstrated skills testifying to legislative committees, boards, commissions and other stakeholder groups.

Strong Budget Skills

Excellent Fund accounting Skills

Demonstrated proficiency with contract negotiations with third party providers

Work History

02/2019 to 11/2021 Director of Finance and Administration

Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts- Little Rock, AR

In this position, I was the number 2 person in the agency. I reported directly to the Director who reported to the Supreme Court Chief Justice.

I was responsible for biennial budget, Annual Operating Plan, CAFR( combined annual financial report) and SEFA (Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards). The Accounting, Administrative, and research and statistics staff reported directly to me.

I negotiated the $14Million in ADFA bonds to build the new addition underway at the justice building on the state Capitol grounds.

05/2014 to Current Assistant Chief Financial Officer

Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) – Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Compiled annual recommendations for end of fiscal year budgets.

Full Charge finance and accounting responsibility for large state agency with an annual budget of $360 million in State Revenue

In charge of creating and submitting the Combined Audited Financial Report (CAFR) for ADC

Instrumental in preparing and implementing $360 Million State Revenue Budget

03/2011 to 05/2014 Accounting Controller

Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) – Little Rock, AR

Managed Centralized Budget Function for annual budget exceeding $ 5 Billion

Created Department of Human Services Statement of Expenditures of Federal Awards - 3 years

Performed annual SEFA(Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards)

Developed new process for drawing funds from federal grants

Managed the Centralized DHS budget

02/2001 to 11/19/2021 Accounting Controller

Arkansas Department of Correction – Pine Bluff, AR

Answered Arkansas Board of Corrections mandate for a CPA to manage the financial reporting for inmate built facilities.

Standardized internal controls and Construction accounting principles in this high profile area.

Managed Capital Budget Request for entire Department of Correction

Implemented Project Management module of SAP to account for construction projects

09/2002 to 05/2009 Director of ERP (AASIS - State implementation of SAP)

Arkansas Administrative Office of the Courts

I performed the CAFR, Annual Operating Plan, Biennial Budget, Audit, SEFA.

I oversaw all accounting and financial operations for this agency. I arranged bond financing for the $14million addition to the justice building on the capitol grounds.

I managed the statistics and Judicial Research Unit

I am leaving for professional reasons

Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration – Little Rock, AR

As the Director of the SAP ERP system for almost 7 years, I was instrumental in configuring this internationally known ERP system to work to the satisfaction of State of Arkansas Stakeholders. In the 9 years since leaving AASIS, I learned the system from the perspective of a hands-on user. This practical knowledge has given me a 360 degree view of the state ERP.

Managed and evaluated competitive procurements

Managed and evaluated performance of various professional service contracts

Ensured that implementation embraced all aspects of GAAP, fund accounting, project accounting and governmental accounting practices.

Relied greatly upon solid experience with ad hoc performance tools. These include ODBC linked tables in SAP to stage data in Microsoft SQL server using structured query language to join tables to provide analytical review of data and database relationships. My routine analyses utilize SAP report extracts to MS Excel pivot tables. I am a very technically oriented data driven analyst.

I was a charter member of the Governor's CIO Council in 2001

05/1997 to 09/2002 Chief Information Officer

Arkansas Department of Human Services – Little Rock, AR

Was in charge of all information technology activities for the state's largest agency

Supported key applications for Child Welfare, Food Stamps and TANF, Developmental Disabilities, Child Care and Early Childhood Education, Foster Care Trust, and many other program and administrative functions.

Reported to DHS Director and made recommendations in all matters related to information technology.

01/1994 to 03/1997 Vice President of Administration

PBC, Inc. – Little Rock, AR

For this Automobile finance company owned by a Wall Street hedge fund I built financial statements pursuant to a public equity offering

I converted a Linux-based loan portfolio management system to an IBM AS-400 platform developing customized functionality in RPG400. I integrated the AS-400 with a Local Area Network and implemented ODBC extract reporting with Microsoft Access

05/1982 to 01/1994 Chief Financial Officer

Subaru of America – Little Rock, Arkansas

The Subaru Regional Office in Little Rock was an Price Waterhouse audit client and my first employer after public accounting.

I converted a manual accounting system to an IBM System 36 (S36). I purchased this system from Value Added Retailer Arkansas Systems and required very little assistance in the integration of the various accounting and payroll modules.

I was the full charge CPA and in charge of IT. I enjoyed tremendously developing this system.

I created a Vehicle Sales Journal/Perpetual Inventory System on the S36 that was a remarkable solution to several business problems

After 7 years, the Little Rock Subaru distributorship was purchased by the Cherry Hill, NJ parent Company Subaru of America.

Subaru of America asked me to move to New Jersey to help them design their own Vehicle Sales Journal/Perpetual Inventory System. For Five years I managed 13 accounting and budgeting offices across the state with frequent travel to consult with regional management.

08/1979 to 05/1982 Senior Accountant

Price Waterhouse – Little Rock, AR

I was a financial auditor promoted to senior before I was recruited by an audit client. A few of the audit clients I worked on are listed below:

Systematics, Inc.

Fairfield Communities, Inc.

UDS, Inc.

Subaru South, Inc.

Commercial National Bank

My three years at Price Waterhouse was highly educational for me. I traveled all over the country to observe the operations and internal controls of various clients from diverse industries.

05/1973 to 08/1979 Aviation Fire Control Technical

US Navy – NAS Lemoore, CA

I gained high level expertise as an electronics technician working on the A-7 Corsair II aircraft. I was honored to be named NAS Lemoore Sailor of the Year for 1975.

After receiving an honorable discharge in 1977, I spent my inactive reserve time working as a Veteran's Administration work study student while I attended University of Arkansas - Little Rock to earn my Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting in August, 1979.

Education

1979 Bachelor of Science: Accounting

University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Little Rock, AR

1985 MBA: Finance Concentration

University of Arkansas at Little Rock - Little Rock, AR

Affiliations

Member American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Certifications

Certified Public Accountant License 2607 expires 12/31/2021

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