Chris Schumacher
Ballwin,MO
Summary
Highly motivated, dedicated, and results-oriented leader with over 15 years of experience. Consistently drives operational excellence and delivers innovative solutions. Successfully builds and leads high-performing teams, ensuring data integrity and compliance. Deep expertise in investment accounting, securities, and financial systems, with a focus on BlackRock Aladdin, PAM For Investments (PFI), and Markit EDM. Proven track record of optimizing front-, middle-, and back-office operations through process improvement, technology implementation, and effective vendor management.
Overview
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Director, GFS Marketing and Transaction Manager
Reinsurance Group of America
- Drive successful client solutions through adept negotiation, cross-functional collaboration, and rigorous deadline adherence
- Proactively anticipate and mitigate transaction risks, optimizing outcomes through timely issue resolution and expert coordination
- Perform transaction analysis by collaborating among pricing, risk, structured finance, accounting, legal, investment, and tax experts
- Lead cross-functional teams in identifying and resolving transaction complexities, ensuring seamless execution and deal success
- Created marketing materials and subject specific documentation related to transactions details, the Reinsurance Industry, GFS Strategy and Offerings
- Identified process efficiencies within the onboarding and operations of the Reinsurance Administration process
- Served as Program and Project lead for identification and onboarding of new software for Data and Data Visualization, Actuarial Modeling, and Transactional Pricing
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by streamlining communication channels and improving response times.
- Developed innovative solutions to complex problems, resulting in improved organizational performance.
- Reviewed employee concerns and new opportunities to drive business strategies.
Executive Director, Investments Systems Administration
Reinsurance Group of America
- Steered a team of analysts to deliver robust investment system support, ensuring data-driven decision-making and business growth
- Architected a governance framework of policies and controls, optimizing SDLC efficiency and enhancing organizational compliance
- Leveraged expertise in Waterfall, Agile, and Scrum to translate complex business needs into actionable technical requirements
- Forged strategic vendor partnerships, driving performance through KPI and KRI monitoring and mitigating risks
- Orchestrated the execution of multiple high-impact global projects, ensuring alignment with critical application architecture goals
- Collaborated with stakeholders to align project objectives with priorities, optimizing resource allocation and project timelines
- Employed project management tools (JIRA, TFS, Azure Dev Ops, Pipefy, ServiceNow) to streamline operations and processes
- Engineered automated solutions for middle and back-office processes, achieving a 15% reduction in support hours
- Successfully executed pivotal capital projects, expanding RGA's market reach into lucrative private markets
- Negotiated cost savings of $5M+ on software and data contracts, reinvesting funds into innovative automation technologies
- Developed automated applications, streamlining operations and generating headcount savings for middle and back-office teams
- Guided staff through periods of organizational change, maintaining morale and engagement during transitions.
- Managed a diverse team of professionals, fostering a collaborative work environment for increased productivity.
Director, Business Analyst
Reinsurance Group of America
- Administrated daily operations and processes for complex investment projects by serving as a technical and business leader, driving successful delivery through meticulous requirement gathering, resource optimization, and proactive issue resolution
- Cultivated a high-performance team culture by providing ongoing mentorship, development, and empowering leadership
- Implemented a robust vendor management framework, centralizing procurement and reducing operational costs
- Designed and executed a production support model, ensuring seamless operations for critical middle and back-office applications
- Spearheaded process optimization and system enhancements across Aladdin, Markit EDM, IDW, and Investment Reporting
- Demonstrated excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills by serving as the strategic data liaison with crucial vendors (BlackRock, Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg, Princeton Financial/State Street Global Exchange), securing optimal data solutions and pricing
Lead Financial Systems Accounting Analyst
AEGON USA
- Company Overview: Investment Division
- Ensured the precision and reliability of data generated by critical systems (PAM, Aladdin, Eagle), safeguarding financial integrity
- Steered operations for production and test environments, optimizing efficiency through automation and manual interventions
- Pioneered innovative accounting solutions for intricate transactions within PFI, enhancing financial accuracy and compliance
- Developed and maintained sophisticated custom reports to provide actionable insights for strategic decision-making
- Leveraged data analytics to streamline processes while directing vendor collaborations to rectify system flaws and issues
- Transformed business needs into technical requirements, driving successful IT project implementation
- Executed the strategic vision for Asset Operations' Business Technology Support & Middle Office, driving business growth and success
- Demonstrated exceptional financial stewardship and leadership, exceeding operational targets while mitigating risk
- Exhibited excellent leadership skills by directing a team of 8 financial and technical analysts to achieve operational excellence
- Investment Division
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of accounting regulations, industry standards, and best practices through continuous professional development activities.
- Enhanced financial accuracy by conducting thorough analysis and reconciliation of accounts.
Tax Accountant II
AEGON USA
- Company Overview: Corporate Division
- Spearheaded the creation, review, and reconciliation of complex investment tax reports, ensuring accuracy and compliance
- Delivered critical tax investment data to multiple business units, facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning
- Architected, implemented, and maintained the Tax Investment Database (TIA) tracking application, optimizing database performance, streamlining service requests, and significantly improving data accessibility and data accuracy
- Corporate Division
Education
Master of Science - Financial Technology
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT05-2026
MBA -
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT05-2026
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting, Minor in Economics
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA05-1992
Skills
- Agile Development
- IT Management
- IT Risks
- IT Strategies
- Information Systems
- Portfolio Management
- Talent Development
- Contract Negotiations
- Project Delivery
- Procurement
- Business Cases
- Productivity Tools
- Accounting
- Financial Systems
- Business Analysis
- People Management
- Project Management
- Business Forecasting
- Data Management
- Financial Operations
- Vendor Management & Relations
- Leadership & Collaboration
- Effective Problem-Solving
- Strategy Planning & Implementation
- Continuous Process Improvements
- Data Strategy
- Agile & Waterfall Methodologies
- Tableau
- Power BI
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Bloomberg
- BlackRock Aladdin System
- PAM For Investments
- Markit EDM Platform
- Program management
- Strategic planning
- Operations management
- Budgeting and financial management
- Staff management
- Relationship building
- Program leadership
- Compliance and regulations
- Operational planning
- Profit and loss statements
- Business administration
- Vendor relations
Certifications Training
- Graduate-Level Classes in Management Information Systems, Mt. Mercy University, Cedar Rapids, IA
- Fellowship, Life Management Institute (FLMI) Program, Life Office Management Association (LOMA)
- Certified Change Management Practitioner, PROSCI
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Scrum Alliance
- Lean Six Sigma, Green Belt, The Council for Six Sigma Certification
Certification
- Certified Change Management Practitioner – PROSCI
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) – Scrum Alliance
- Lean Six Sigma, Green Belt – The Council for Six Sigma Certification
Languages
Spanish
Limited Working
French
Elementary
Timeline
Executive Director, GFS Marketing and Transaction Manager
Reinsurance Group of America
Executive Director, Investments Systems Administration
Reinsurance Group of America
Director, Business Analyst
Reinsurance Group of America
Lead Financial Systems Accounting Analyst
AEGON USA
Tax Accountant II
AEGON USA
Master of Science - Financial Technology
Fairfield University
MBA -
Fairfield University
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting, Minor in Economics
University of Northern Iowa
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