Erika Cooper
The Dalles,OR
Summary
Experienced with financial management, including budgeting and forecasting. Utilizes strategic planning to drive cost-efficiency and optimize resources. Track record of implementing robust internal controls and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
Work History
Comptroller
Klickitat County EMS District #1
Dallesport, WA
09.2000 - 09.2025
- Managed a $5M levy funded budget.
- Established investment account, which created an income increase of $136,000.
- Reconciling 2018 payroll liability accounts, corrected a $48k error in reporting.
- Developed new processes to streamline AR reconciliations.
- Designed Executive Summary to simplify financial statements for the board.
- Collaborated with auditors to successfully complete annual audit, ensuring full compliance with governmental tax guidelines; achieved 100% accuracy in financial reporting and documentation.
- Maintained the general ledger. Generated balance sheets, income statements, and profit and loss statements.
Payroll Administrator/Human Resources Manager
Best Western Plus Hood River Inn
Hood River, OR
01.2019 - 07.2020
- Prepared semi-monthly payroll for 300 employees utilizing ADP Workforce Now and Paycom.
- Conducted recruitment effort for all employees; collaborated with supervisors to screen and interview candidates; ran background checks, extended job offers; conducted new-employee orientations; provided employee relations counseling; and conducted exit interviews.
- Administered all benefit plans, including medical, dental, vision, life, Section 125 cafeteria plan (FSA), AFLAC, and COBRA. Planned and organized the annual open enrollment period.
- Managed conversion from ADP Workforce Now and implementation of Paycom.
- Educated management on successful policy implementation and enforcement actions to prevent employee legal entanglements.
- Maintained work structure by updating job requirements and job descriptions for all positions.
Assistant Controller/Human Resources Manager
Copa Di Vino
The Dalles, OR
03.2013 - 03.2015
- Oversaw HR needs for 80-employee operations across 8 locations; processed new hires, time sheets, terminations, garnishments, and other deductions; processed employee expense reports; calculated salesperson commissions based on established parameters and disbursed payments.
- Responsible for full administration of employee benefits.
- Oversaw accounts payable and receivable operations for Winery with $500k in monthly expenses.
- Completed year-end close processes with the Controller through effective supervision of financial functions and regular treasury transactions.
- Accurately projected monthly cash expenditures through efficient budgeting and detailed document reviews.
- Completed journal entries, reconciliations, and account analysis to prepare quarterly financial documents and general account management.
- Prepared and filed payroll tax returns and generated monthly reports in compliance with regulatory and organizational standards.
Administrative Assistant III
Kaiser Permanente
Portland, OR
04.2011 - 05.2012
- Provided administrative support for the Department Administrator, physicians, and managers.
- Maintained supervisor’s calendar, scheduled meetings and conferences using Lotus Notes.
- Processed expense reports, credit card billing statements, invoices, and personnel forms.
- Created and maintained employee database using Access to ensure compliance.
Human Resources Coordinator
Hattenhauer Distributing Co
The Dalles, OR
03.2009 - 02.2010
- Performed HR functions (payroll for 175+ employees, benefit plan administration, and payroll taxes).
- Oversaw employment process (recruiting, hiring, training, disciplinary actions, and terminations).
- Prepared employment correspondence (garnishments, workers’ compensation, unemployment).
Full Charge Bookkeeper
Ballinger’s Service
The Dalles, OR
12.2003 - 12.2008
- Manage and maintain all aspects of accounting. Control budget, cash flow, and capital expenditures.
- Conduct detailed studies to identify cost savings and make recommendations for improvement.
- Manage general ledger closing and maintenance. Prepare sales tax/excise reports. Prepare quarterly/yearly payroll tax reports. Supervise office operations. Oversee human resources issues.
- Troubleshoot and problem-solved with non-accounting people.
- Key Contributions:
- Organized, cleaned up the books, eliminated the backlog of non-financial reporting, put procedures and controls in place to stop incorrect processing of information, and created a disciplined accounting process. Achieved a 100% improvement in overall operations.
- Initiated the use of business debit credit cards to reduce costs associated with high-interest credit cards.
- Established new credit criteria for new accounts, significantly reducing bad debt.
- Introduced/initiated weekly meetings to address problem areas.
Finance Director
Mid-Columbia Children's Council, Inc
Hood River, OR
11.2007 - 11.2008
- Managed day-to-day operations within 5-person finance department for non-profit organization; controlled $5M grant-funded budget.
- Revamped G/L, financial reports, and schedules to improve forecasting.
- Implemented a new process that enhanced A/P functions, eliminating duplication, created a new filing system to ensure organization, and reduced processing time.
- Partnered with auditors on annual audit and realized compliance with governmental tax guidelines. Corrected years’ worth of misclassified postings to ensure a clean audit.
Collections Specialist
Electric Lightwave, Inc.
Vancouver, WA
02.2000 - 01.2001
- Performed telephone collections of past-due commercial telecommunication accounts.
- Researched/resolved customer disputes and inquiries.
- Improved the collection process involving disputed accounts by creating a dispute tracking log.
- Effectively collected all 273 assigned accounts within control ($1.5M/month).
Accounting Clerk
Accountemps, Inc.
Vancouver, WA
08.1998 - 02.2000
- Processed computerized accounts payable and receivable. Prepared sales tax reports and payroll tax reports. Performed bank and petty cash reconciliations.
Accounts Payable Clerk
Spar-Tek Industries, Inc.
Portland, OR
05.1997 - 08.1998
- Performed all accounting functions (payables, receivables, bank reconciliation, journal entries, financials). Assisted in general ledger monthly/yearly closings.
Accounts Payable Clerk
Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation
Vancouver, WA
06.1994 - 06.1996
- Processed an average of 640 invoices per month. Performed bank reconciliations. Assisted in general ledger monthly/yearly closings.
Education
No Degree - accounting, communications, psychology
Columbia Gorge Community College
The Dalles, ORNo Degree - business, communications, sociology
UNIVERSITY of PHOENIX ONLINE
Phoenix, AZBachelor of Science - Business Administration
CHADWICK UNIVERSITY
Birmingham, ALCertificate - Office Automation/Computer Applications
BUSINESS COMPUTER TRAINING INSTITUTE
Vancouver, WASkills
- Accounting Management
- Budgeting & Forecasting
- Payroll Administration
- Financial Statements
- Cost Reduction Strategies
- General Ledger
- Benefits Administration
- MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher), Adobe Acrobat, QuickBooks Pro, Paychex Payroll
- Cash flow management
- Fixed asset management
- GAAP
- Auditing procedures
Professional Development Highlights
- Untangling the Web (ADA/FMLA/OFLA/Worker’s Comp), SAIF, The Dalles, OR, 2009
- Managing Grant-Funded Programs, WIPFLI, Orlando, FL, 2008
Affiliations
- Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB)
- American Management Association (AMA)
Timeline
Payroll Administrator/Human Resources Manager
Best Western Plus Hood River Inn
01.2019 - 07.2020
Assistant Controller/Human Resources Manager
Copa Di Vino
03.2013 - 03.2015
Administrative Assistant III
Kaiser Permanente
04.2011 - 05.2012
Human Resources Coordinator
Hattenhauer Distributing Co
03.2009 - 02.2010
Finance Director
Mid-Columbia Children's Council, Inc
11.2007 - 11.2008
Full Charge Bookkeeper
Ballinger’s Service
12.2003 - 12.2008
Comptroller
Klickitat County EMS District #1
09.2000 - 09.2025
Collections Specialist
Electric Lightwave, Inc.
02.2000 - 01.2001
Accounting Clerk
Accountemps, Inc.
08.1998 - 02.2000
Accounts Payable Clerk
Spar-Tek Industries, Inc.
05.1997 - 08.1998
Accounts Payable Clerk
Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation
06.1994 - 06.1996
No Degree - accounting, communications, psychology
Columbia Gorge Community College
No Degree - business, communications, sociology
UNIVERSITY of PHOENIX ONLINE
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
CHADWICK UNIVERSITY
Certificate - Office Automation/Computer Applications
BUSINESS COMPUTER TRAINING INSTITUTE