Cheri Hopkins
West Des Moines,IA
Summary
Dynamic accounting professional with extensive experience at Saint Francis of Assisi Church, excelling in financial oversight and audit support. Proven ability in staff leadership and project management, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring quality assurance controls. Skilled in Quickbooks, I effectively resolved discrepancies and streamlined processes to optimize financial performance. Diligent Accountant with strong accounting background and proven industry expertise. Monitored business operations and regulatory compliance for large corporation. Superior account management and reconciliation skills leading to achievement of desired results.
Overview
2026
2026
years of professional experience
Work History
Accountant
Saint Francis of Assisi Church
West Des Moines, Iowa
2023 - Current
- Verify contributions from weekend collections, mail, drop-off in office, sacramental offerings, Mass intentions.
- Post stock gifts to the general and restricted accounts per donor instructions.
- Prepare deposit slips and assure that the deposit matches the detail information.
- Enter all tuition charges and payments, CTO and SFA scholarship awards into FACTS.
- Oversight of credit card purchasing, expense reimbursement, check requests and petty cash.
- Verify prenumbered bank security bags and verify that the funds contained match stated amounts.
- Prepare general and restricted account requests for the transfer of funds to various accounts.
Customer Service Manager
HOBBY LOBBY Retail Stores
West Des Moines, IA
- Coordinated between various departments to resolve complex problems that require multiple steps or involve multiple teams.
- Established positive rapport with customers, managers and customer service team members to maintain positive and successful work environment.
- Directed staff work, setting priorities and goals.
- Reviewed completed work to verify consistency, quality and conformance.
- Held regular one-on-one meetings with employees to review performance and priorities and provide feedback.
- Planned and led team meetings to review business results and communicate new and ongoing priorities.
- Proposed or approved modifications to project plans.
- Collaborated with senior management team members in designing strategies that would improve overall quality of services offered by the organization.
- Acted as a liaison between staff and management to ensure proper audit controls were in place.
Office Manager
Designers Custom Building, LLC
West Des Moines, IA
- Assisted with the preparation of budgets, forecasts and financial statements.
- Maintained filing system for records, correspondence and other documents.
- Ordered supplies and equipment to maintain adequate inventory levels.
- Tracked invoices and payments to ensure accuracy of accounts receivable and payable information.
- Performed general bookkeeping duties such as reconciling bank statements and creating journal entries.
- Monitored payments due from clients and promptly contacted clients with past due payments.
- Administered amounts due to subcontract labor and maintained proper documentation.
- Prepared and submitted 1099s for subcontract labor timely and accurately.
Expense Management Team Member
Principal Financial Group Inc
Des Moines, IA
- Resolved any issues related to inaccurate or incomplete time entries promptly.
- Trained new employees on company timekeeping systems.
- Posted work hours completed to files to properly bill clients.
- Participated in special projects as needed by senior management team.
- Monitored budget performance to ensure expenses were within allocated limits.
- Reconciled discrepancies between actual costs and budget estimates.
- Analyzed financial data to identify discrepancies or trends.
- Developed accurate budget forecasts and monitored actual performance against budgets.
Auditor
State Auditor's Office of Iowa
Des Moines, IA
- Reviewed and evaluated internal control systems, financial records, and accounting systems to ensure accuracy of information.
- Prepared detailed audit workpapers for review by senior auditors.
- Drafted reports summarizing audit results while highlighting any irregularities or inconsistencies found during the process.
- Interacted regularly with clients to discuss audit progress, findings, and recommendations.
- Ensured timely completion of all assigned tasks within set deadlines.
- Conducted audits on internal controls and reported findings.
- Applied professional judgment in gathering and evaluating evidence for thorough analysis.
- Established relationships with senior staff to support audit objectives.
- Trained team members to enhance audit department performance and increase operational efficiency.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Iowa State University
Ames, IASkills
- Staff Leadership
- Multi-Tasking
- Quality Assurance Controls
- Project Management
- Training and mentoring
- Audit Support
- Loss Prevention
- Budget forecasting
- Detail orientation
Timeline
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Iowa State University
Accountant
Saint Francis of Assisi Church
2023 - Current
Customer Service Manager
HOBBY LOBBY Retail Stores
Office Manager
Designers Custom Building, LLC
Expense Management Team Member
Principal Financial Group Inc
Auditor
State Auditor's Office of Iowa