SENIOR FINANCE AND OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE
Senior executive with wide-reaching financial and operations management background. Deep experience in global media and intellectual property NYSE companies. Proven CPA talent for streamlining operations, cultivating business growth and boosting profits through cross-functional team leadership and innovative negotiating. P + L responsibility for international companies with multi-country divisions and billions of dollars in gross revenues.
Strategic Planning + Tactical Execution * Global Business Development * Win-Win Contract Negotiation * Business Acquisitions * Cross-Cultural Communications * High-Performance Team Building + Leadership * P + L Management * Financial Reporting + Analysis * SOX + Tax Compliance * Operations + Performance Reengineering * Pioneering Leading-Edge Information Systems
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
NYSE MEDIA Company, New York, NY 2000 - Present
Senior Vice President Finance + Administration (Division CFO)
Directs the finance, operations and information systems teams for this $100 million ($3 billion retail) worldwide intellectual property and licensing subsidiary of the $2.5 billion NYSE media company. Right-hand” adviser to President and collaborator with other senior executives in the development and execution of strategic and operating plans. Co-head of Japanese office.
* Delivered profits 5-20% above targets for past four years by developing and implementing improved operating strategies and financial plans.
* Played a key role in coordinating marketing and legal teams to maximize several complex multi-year contracts valued at $75 million.
* Reduced syndicate receivable balance from $4.8 million to under $2 million by instituting receivable reporting and hiring proactive in-house collection staff.
* Guided the senior team to develop and apply ROI focused analysis which prevented the licensing acquisition of several underachieving multi-million dollar intellectual property companies.
* Headed first division to attain “green light” financial and system audit reports for successful Sarbanes Oxley compliance. Continue to achieve “green light” status throughout tenure.
* Recommended and implemented licensing contract changes which included CPI adjustments and penalties for selling outside of approved territory or channels boosting annual revenue by $500,000.
* Saved approximately $2 million annually by putting a transfer pricing policy into place for Japanese operations. Policy significantly reduced risk of underreported tax liability.
* Transformed technology environment by replacing antiquated systems with Oracle Enterprise Business Solution and custom developed state-of-the-art web-based asset management and digital product approval modules. Licensing contract/royalty system on-track and on-budget for 2009.
* Restructured and turned around the finance and information systems departments to build financial models and analytics in support of major business decisions and simplify business processes to service sales teams.
* Conceived plan to replace long-term law firm with internal legal staff and simplifying management of intellectual property infringement activities generating $500,000 savings annually.
SESAME WORKSHOP, New York, NY 1997 - 2000
Group Vice President Licensing—North America Consumer Products (1999-2000)
Rehired by President to manage largest licensing division ($1 billion retail) of this $175 million global media company that produces Sesame Street and other educational programs. Full P + L responsibility, strategic planning, business development, marketing and operations.
* Engendered employee process ownership and improved merchandise planning by spearheading reorganization of division into four primary categories.
* Structured deals valued at $45 million annually with Mattel, Sony, Keebler, Kmart, and Pampers.
REED ELSEVIER, PLC, New York, NY 1999
Director Internal Audit—North America
Led US based internal audit group for this $6 billion UK/Dutch-based publisher. Conducted audits, issued reports and made formal audit committee presentations.
* Ensured project completion by shouldering additional responsibilities when co-chairman resigned and executive director-worldwide audit was reassigned.
SESAME WORKSHOP, New York, NY 1997 - 1999
Group Vice President, Finance & Administration—Worldwide Licensing & Television
Collaborated with division president to manage all facets of strategy, finance, operations and administration. Led multi-disciplinary team in development and implementation of international strategy and plan.
* Promoted to CFO in first year.
* Grew operating income by 30% during economic crisis of 1998 by expanding product line and establishing local representation in China.
* Engendered timely/value-added product line P&L reports and increased cash flow by restructuring finance and administrative organization.
* Recognized by CEO as “champion of change” for restructuring finance and administrative organization which provided timely/value added product line P + L’s and improved cash flow.
KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP, Short Hills, NJ 1995 - 1997
Senior Manager-World Class Finance Consulting Practice
* Achieved annual operational savings of $1.5 million by leading KPMG/client team overseeing merger of Addison Wesley Longman and Scott Foresman into a $1 billion publishing company.
* Participated in diagnostic review and business process reengineering of finance of Pearson, Inc., a UK based $5 billion multimedia company. Directed US involvement in designing shared finance and customer service centers.
VIACOM, INC., New York, NY 1979 - 1987 and 1989 - 1995
Global NYSE media company including Simon + Schuster and Paramount Pictures.
SIMON + SCHUSTER, Upper Saddle River, NJ (1989 - 1995)
Vice President Accounting Services (1993 - 1995)
Vice President Administration (1992 - 1993)
Recruited by CFO, former boss at Paramount Pictures. Directed worldwide accounting of 40 subsidiaries. Responsible for management reporting + analysis, cash management, financial systems, tax compliance and internal audits.
* Integrated $550 million Macmillan Publishing acquisition as a key liaison with Viacom corporate accounting. Managed finance team and reworked year-end projections three times.
* Saved $1.5 million by restructuring accounting staff, reducing headcount by 20% by streamlining monthly close, chart of accounts and reports.
Assistant Corporate Controller (1989 - 1992)
* Structured $5.5 million royalty reporting and customer service center managing 45 million contracts and financial records of 40,000 authors and 80,000 titles. System is still in operation.
* Increased collections 15% in first six months by developing system to track intellectual property rights and worldwide receivables totaling $40 million.
INTERNATIONAL CREATIVE MANAGEMENT, New York, NY 1987 - 1989
Controller
* Managed all financial affairs for this $500 million talent agency servicing 15,000 clients and 400 agents. Handled cash management, budgeting and information systems.
PARAMOUNT PICTURES, New York, NY 1979 - 1987
Vice President Administration (1984 - 1987)
Director Marketing Administration (1983 - 1984)
Manager Marketing Accounting (1981 - 1983)
Senior Operations Auditor (1979 - 1981)
* Earned series of fast track promotions with increasingly critical responsibilities. Reported to Division President and Executive VP CFO. Responsible for finance, strategic planning/analysis and advertising agency administration for $120 million division.
EARLIER EXPERIENCE: Auditing Positions with Ernst & Young 1977-1979
EDUCATION and CERTIFICATION
BA in Accounting, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, East Lansing, MI 1977
Certified Public Accountant, NJ
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Peoplesoft Financials, Oracle Financials, Hyperion
AFFILIATIONS
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Financial Executives Institute (FEI)
Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) - Frequent speaker, licensing and auditing topics |
