Ernest Johnson
Galion
Summary
Offer 23 years of financial accounting expertise spanning non-profit and for-profit sectors. Harness technology skills using Dynamics, Sage 100, QuickBooks Enterprise, Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and remote desktop. Master interpersonal communication, lead teams, foster collaboration, and optimize time management. Results-driven Finance Executive Officer known for unparalleled productivity and efficiency in task completion. Excel in financial analysis, strategic planning, and risk management, ensuring optimal financial health and growth of the organization. Possess strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, enabling successful team collaboration and innovative solutions to complex financial challenges.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Finance Manager
SON, Inc dba Festa
01.2025 - Current
- Develop budgets and forecasts.
- Analyze financial variances and provide actionable insights.
- Collaborate with teams to consolidate and prepare financial proposals for grant applications.
- Prepare and present financial statements and reports.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory and finance-related requirements, laws, procedures, and regulations.
- Supervise the preparation of quarterly and annual account reconciliations.
- Monitor cash flow to ensure the organization can meet its obligations.
- Develop strategies to optimize cash flow and manage liquidity.
- Identify financial risks and develop mitigation strategies.
- See paragraph 4 revision for compliance coverage.
- Maintain financial records with the Board of Directors’ Treasurer.
- Assist Directors and staff with grant applications and maintain documentation for the financial aspect of the grant.
- Track and submit invoices and reimbursements for payment.
- Gather information for audits and operational matters.
- Reconcile donation reporting for accuracy monthly.
- Reconcile the monthly Balance Sheet, Profit & Loss, credit card, and bank accounts.
- Financial Review of monthly operations.
Accountant
Johnson Financial Group, Inc.
Columbus
01.1996 - Current
- Accounting, payroll, and tax preparation for small businesses.
- Columbus, OH
Vice President of Finance
Oesterlen Services for Youth, Inc.
Springfield
01.2023 - 01.2025
- Serve as management liaison to the board and audit committee; present critical financial matters at board and committee meetings.
- Lead the Finance department in preparing all financial statements (income statements, balance sheets, tax returns, and governmental agency and foundation reports).
- Deliver and explain accounting and financial information to enable senior leadership to assess current operating results, risks, and future implications.
- Develop and manage budgets and forecasts.
- Analyze and evaluate variances between actual financial results and budget/forecast, presenting actionable insights.
- Monthly preparation of FTE allocation worksheet for expenditures per program.
- Manage grant reporting and create budgets with narratives for grant applications.
- Administer the chart of accounts, general ledger, and reporting systems, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
- Oversee Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Invoicing, and Insurance Billings.
- Process bi-weekly payroll, allocate costs, and record journal entries.
- Reconcile the Balance Sheet and P&L Accounts monthly.
- Reconcile Bank and Investment Accounts monthly.
- Oversee month-end and year-end closing processes for timely, accurate reporting.
- Manages agency day-to-day cashflow.
- Develop and implement financial policies, procedures, and internal controls to protect agency assets.
- Recruit, train, and retain talented accounting and finance staff.
- Lead, coach, and manage the accounting team, providing training and guidance as needed to support their development.
- Maintain and troubleshoot agency IT systems for Administration and Campus locations.
- Supervise campus building maintenance and manage vendor relationships.
- Springfield, OH
Accounting Supervisor
Community for New Direction, Inc.
Columbus
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Supervise the function of the Accounting Clerk to ensure that assigned tasks are processed timely and accurately, including, but not limited to, recording basic journal entries, deposit entries, billing invoices, cost allocations, and other grant transactions.
- Review and assist with bi-weekly payroll to ensure salaries, other earnings, taxes, withholdings, and any special adjustments are accurate. Serve as secondary contact to CND staff for all payroll issues.
- Reconcile General Ledger accounts, maintain the month-end closing worksheet, and review recorded transactions to ensure accuracy and completeness.
- Maintain all Excel cost allocation worksheets, Fixed Asset records, and related depreciation schedules.
- Maintain a worksheet of grant financial activities, track expenses related to all funding sources, review and analyze expenditures for all grants monthly to ensure costs are allowable and in compliance with Federal OMB Circular A-122, grant contracts/agreements, and other regulatory requirements.
- Prepare monthly balance sheet and budget to actual statements for review by the CFO.
- Assist the CFO with audit prep, annual filings, donor statements, grant applications, research, and contract review.
- Monitor and distribute grant award payments in accordance with approved grant agreements.
- Assist the CFO with Medicaid/Medicare cost reports, tracking, and reviewing Health Care Claim Payment and Remittance Advice.
- Engage actively in staff meetings, committees, and training sessions, championing team development and promoting a culture of peer learning and leadership within the organization.
- Columbus, OH
Controller
Marysville Steel, Inc.
Marysville
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Month-end close and Financial Statement preparation.
- WIP over/under billing.
- Reconciled monthly bank statements with general ledger accounts.
- W2, W3, Ohio Unemployment Reporting, BWC, True-up payroll, CAT, and UUT-1.
- Coordinate and plan year-end audit.
- Prepare multiple month-end AIA billings and accounts receivable.
- Process accounts payable, payroll, and taxes.
- Process construction change orders internally and externally.
- Process subcontractor/vendor requisitions and disbursements.
- Review construction costs with the owner for payment requests.
- Maintained construction files for all paid invoices and draw applications for all projects.
- Prepare monthly journal transfers of capitalized labor hours.
- Assemble and analyze spreadsheets with contract amounts and amounts billed to date.
- Affidavits: Collect signed affidavits and waivers for submittal to owners.
- Input and update all insurance-general, auto, and workers comp for subcontractors.
- Prepared cost and budget reports to ensure better management of the projects.
- Responsible for all customer service for projects under construction.
- Marysville, OH
Business Finance Manager - Director of Operations
Extended Housing, Inc.
Painesville
01.2016 - 01.2019
- Supervised the preparation of annual and quarterly consolidated financial statements, including balance sheet and P&L.
- Maintain the agency’s depreciation schedules of assets for business entities.
- Review monthly with management the financial performance of the agency’s rental properties, group home, and programming.
- Investigate cost-effective benefit plans and other fringe benefits that the organization may offer employees and potential employees to attract and retain qualified persons. Overseeing employee benefits plans and administration.
- Managed the agency’s IT function for corporate offices and offsite locations.
- Oversee the management and coordination of all fiscal reporting activities for the organization.
- Development and monitoring of the agency’s budget.
- Prepared all governmental filings, including the submission of the company's tax returns and quarterly filings.
- Supervise payroll activity for staff and participants.
- Oversee Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable to ensure sound financial practice and management of cash flow.
- Oversee all external audits and internal controls operations.
- Train the Finance Department and other staff in knowledge of financial management matters.
- Monitor banking activities and build banking and other financial relationships for the organization.
- Attend Board and Subcommittee meetings, including being the lead staff on the Finance Committee.
- Painesville, OH
Accountant
Dummen NA, Inc.
Hilliard
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Supervise Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable.
- Payroll preparation using ADP and posting payroll entries.
- Journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliation.
- Inter-company account reconciliation and confirmation.
- Cash Management.
- HR new hires and terminations.
- Coordination of employee benefits, medical benefits, 401 (k) EE/ER deposits, and PTO.
- Prepared and reported 1099s.
- Tax reporting and tax payments to Federal, State, & local governmental entities.
- Corporate sales tax returns.
- Audit preparation, schedules, documentation, and coordination of physical audit.
- Hilliard, OH
Finance Director
Family Resource Centers Inc.
Lima
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Lead ten-person financial department, including overseeing payables, accounts receivables, compliance, cash flow, billing, payroll, taxes, maintenance, clinical records, receptionist, and operations.
- Monitored workflow for the processing of payments for area utilities, mortgage accounts, taxes, & health insurance.
- Reviewed all input and output data for month-end closing.
- Maintained all aspects of the general ledger, including month-end closing, accruals, and analysis of general ledger accounts.
- Researched account information, verified totals, corrected discrepancies, and generated reports.
- Evaluated and drafted annual operating and financial budgets, and prepared quarterly variance reports for senior management.
- Prepared monthly, quarterly, and annual reports summarizing and forecasting the company's business activities and financial position.
- Provided an exceptional level of support to external auditors concerning quarterly reviews and annual audits.
- Interfaced with the Board of Directors.
- Lima, OH
CFO
Central Community House
Columbus
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Managed all aspects of accounting, including cash flow management, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll.
- Controlled general ledger functions including account analysis, account reconciliation, adjustments, and journal entries.
- Prepared monthly, quarterly, and annual reports summarizing and forecasting. The company's business activities and financial position, including income, expenses, and earnings, are based on past, present, and expected operations.
- Evaluated and drafted annual operating and financial budgets, and prepared quarterly variance reports for senior management.
- Prepared end-of-year 1099 reports.
- Columbus, OH
Business Manager
WestCon COG
Sidney
01.1998 - 01.2004
- Prepared, reviewed, and submitted reports concerning activities, expenses, budget, government statutes and rulings, and other items affecting business and program services.
- Prepared budget and directed and monitored expenditures of department funds.
- Prepared trial balance and year-end adjusting entries.
- Managed all aspects of accounting, including cash flow management, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll.
- Controlled general ledger functions including account analysis, account reconciliation, adjustments, and journal entries.
- Coordination of the year-end audit and work papers preparation.
- Sidney, OH
Education
Master of Education - Health And Wellness
American College of Education
Indianapolis, IN06.2026
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Franklin University
Columbus, OHSkills
- Financial accounting
- Budget management
- Grant reporting
- Team collaboration
- Accounting software
- Internal controls
- Performance reviews
- Financial budgeting
- GAAP
- Stakeholder management
- P&L tracking
- Financial revenue
- Revenue recognition
- Human resources
- Financial audits
- Budget forecasting
- Skilled in Dynamics, Sage, and QuickBooks
- Microsoft Word
- Excel
- Outlook
- KPI management
- Cash flow management
- Interpersonal communication
- Team leadership
- Collaboration
- Time management
Affiliations
Kappa Delta Pi
International Honor Society in Education
International Honor Society in Education
Training
LCDC II Education Requirements: 180 hours of Specific Education for Substance Use Disorder
Licensures
- Qualified Mental Health Specialist (QMHS)
- Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant (CDCA)
- Notary, State of Ohio
Timeline
Finance Manager
SON, Inc dba Festa
01.2025 - Current
Vice President of Finance
Oesterlen Services for Youth, Inc.
01.2023 - 01.2025
Accounting Supervisor
Community for New Direction, Inc.
01.2020 - 01.2023
Controller
Marysville Steel, Inc.
01.2019 - 01.2020
Business Finance Manager - Director of Operations
Extended Housing, Inc.
01.2016 - 01.2019
Accountant
Dummen NA, Inc.
01.2013 - 01.2016
Finance Director
Family Resource Centers Inc.
01.2008 - 01.2010
CFO
Central Community House
01.2004 - 01.2006
Business Manager
WestCon COG
01.1998 - 01.2004
Accountant
Johnson Financial Group, Inc.
01.1996 - Current
Master of Education - Health And Wellness
American College of Education
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Franklin University