Esperanza T. Best
Wilson,North Carolina
Summary
Dedicated accounting professional with 25 years of comprehensive expertise in various aspects of accounting and business management, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, purchasing, general ledger, and office management.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Accountant, Internal Control Officer
Wilson Community College
04.2021 - 06.2025
- Reconcile monthly bank statements for the College and monitors daily cash balances in the state disbursing account and county and institutional bank accounts.
- Manage the collection process for insufficient checks and credit card chargebacks.
- Prepare affidavit and stop payments for lost, stolen and/or destroyed checks.
- Perform POSPAY process for all state, county and institutional checks.
- Perform an audit of Accounts Receivable, Bookstore, Cosmetology daily reports.
- Ensures internal control procedures are in place and provide oversite to the college's internal control program (EAGLE).
- Coordinate and schedule annual College-wide risk assessments and review internal control activities for the EAGLE program.
- Organize and coordinate a team to assist in administering the EAGLE program
- Prepares check requests as needed and authorized by the Controller and/or Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services/CFO
- Prepare and/or record to the system journal entries and budget entries as needed and authorized by the Controller and/or Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services/CFO.
- Prepares financial summaries for Wilson Community College Board of Trustees' Finance Committee and Board of Trustees.
- Assist the Controller with the preparation of financial reports including, but not limited to, monthly reports, quarterly reports, fiscal year-end reports, and calendar year-end reports.
- Assist with the preparation and submission of various reports and other information to the North Carolina Community College System, Department-state and local agencies.
- Assist departmental personnel with budget/accounting questions, proper expenditure coding, document processing and other accounting related activities.
- Assist with maintaining the general accounting system for the College in accordance with NC Community College System accounting procedures
- Ensures compliance with accounting rules and regulating bodies.
- Act in all delegated capacities in the Controller's absence.
- Assists auditors during audit visits.
- Serves on institutional committees.
- Serves as backup mail courier.
- Serves as backup Bookstore team member.
- Serves as back to Purchasing Manager.
Interim Controller, Accountant, ICO
Wilson Community College
08.2020 - 04.2021
- Submitted monthly cash certification requests to the North Carolina Community System
- Help with guidance from VP, Jessica Jones, with preparation and submission of financial statements and MD & A.
- Reversal of previous years accrual entries, prepare and keying journal entries.
- Submitted reimbursement for grants in accordance with the NCCCS or outside grantor’s guidelines.
- Worked closely with the VP on budget and financial analysis.
- Verified and audit daily cash receipts reports from analysis summary reports.
- Prepare journal entries for all cash transactions as they relate to bank reconciliations.
- Review payroll calculation reports for part- time and full-time payroll before payroll was processed for the month.
- Verified all new documentation from Human Resources for all new employees hired by the college.
- Mail all payroll checks and direct deposit advices.
- Reviewed and signed all documents for accounts payable in processing of state, county, and institutional checks; invoices paid properly before entering into accounting system Colleague. Also, reviewed and signed all reimbursement for student refunds after accounts receivable ran through their process.
- Let AR, AP and payroll know the amount of funds that were available before check processing.
Accountant, Internal Control Officer
Wilson Community College
08.2019 - 08.2020
- Same as above (April 2021- June, 2025)
Interim Controller, Accountant, ICO
Wilson Community College
04.2019 - 08.2019
- Same as above (August 2021- April, 2021)
Assistant Controller
Wilson Community College
04.2005 - 04.2019
- Same as above (April 2021- June, 2025)
Accounts Payable Technician
Wilson Community College
04.2003 - 04.2005
- Open & distribute daily mail
- Date stamp invoices-make copies as needed.
- Review purchase orders and invoices.
- Verify invoiced amounts, packing slips and signatures.
- Verified general ledger account codes.
- Check for cash balance before check processing.
- Prepare documents for controller to review for approval signature.
- Enter all approved documents in accounting system for signature.
- Complete check process.
- Record each check run and all checks to Controller or VP for signature approval.
- Give all documentation and checks to AR personnel for mail delivery or in-house distribution.
- File all check documentation.
- 1099 processing.
Accounts Receivable Technician
Wilson Community College
03.2001 - 04.2003
- Generate and send invoices to students/ third party vendors
- Record incoming payments and apply them accurately to accounts.
- Receive and apply payments to student accounts.
- Apply charges to students accounts.
- Work with financial aid to reimburse for all student refunds.
- Record refund of expenditures for monthly reconciliation.
- Reconcile cash drawer at end of day for daily deposits
- Receive payments for continuing education classes.
- Record bookstore charge tickets to students accounts.
- Serve on scholarship committee.
Education
AAS - Organizational Management
Saint Augustine’s College
Raleigh, North Carolina05.2012
AAS - Business Administration
Wilson Community
Wilson, North Carolina08.2003
AAS - Accounting
Wilson Community
Wilson, North Carolina05.2002
High School Diploma - undefined
Ralph L. Fike High School
Wilson, North Carolina01.1988
Skills
- Accounting and bookkeeping
- Accounts payable and receivable
- Bank reconciliation
- Financial reporting
- Attention to detail
- Payroll processing
- General ledger entries
- Cash flow analysis
- Account reconciliation processes
- General ledger management
- General ledger accounting
- Invoice balancing
- Customer relations
- Administrative support
- Budget analysis
- Internal controls
- Microsoft Excel
- Risk assessment
- Year-end close
- A/P and A/R
- Budget forecasting
- Revenue recognition
- Financial planning
- Full-cycle accounting
- Auditing procedures
- Funds management
- Account reconciliation specialist
- Finance
- MS office suite
- Accounts payable
- Account reconciliation
PROFESSIONAL ASSETS
- 24 years NC Community College Experience
- Strong background in customer relations and profound customer service skills
- Professional image and excellent communication skills (written and oral)
CAREER-RELATED COURSEWORK
- Principles of Management
- Principles of Accounting I, II
- Human Resources Management
- Business Law I
- Computerized General Ledger
- Communication Skills
Timeline
Accountant, Internal Control Officer
Wilson Community College
04.2021 - 06.2025
Interim Controller, Accountant, ICO
Wilson Community College
08.2020 - 04.2021
Accountant, Internal Control Officer
Wilson Community College
08.2019 - 08.2020
Interim Controller, Accountant, ICO
Wilson Community College
04.2019 - 08.2019
Assistant Controller
Wilson Community College
04.2005 - 04.2019
Accounts Payable Technician
Wilson Community College
04.2003 - 04.2005
Accounts Receivable Technician
Wilson Community College
03.2001 - 04.2003
High School Diploma - undefined
Ralph L. Fike High School
AAS - Accounting
Wilson Community
AAS - Business Administration
Wilson Community
AAS - Organizational Management
Saint Augustine’s College