CPA
GREGORY E. ELIA
Raritan,New Jersey
Summary
Insightful, analytical and intuitive, and responsive SENIOR ACCOUNTING / FINANCIAL PLANNING professional with a proven track record of success. Creative and innovative problem solver who thrives on challenges, is cool under pressure and gets the job done. Dedicated, loyal and resourceful team player who possesses outstanding communication and excellent interpersonal skills. Quietly assertive / tough minded leader and coach, thorough planner, and diplomatic negotiator dealing effectively across all levels of the organization. Accustomed to a fast pace and multiple assignments, fulfills priorities and balances competing agendas while steadfast to principle yet provides value-added advice and innovative solutions to maximize business opportunities.
Overview
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CFP
Work History
Member Accountant & Financial Consultant
Kerith Brook Financial Services, LLC
01.2006 - Current
- A financial planning firm specializing in accounting and financial services.
- Provide small to medium-sized companies with accounting and financial services including general accounting, cash management and financial control.
- Involved in all phases of budget administration, including budget formulation, budget presentation and implementation, budget execution; monitor budget for actual expenses against budget for variance analysis and present to management; prepare Cost Submissions and submitted to Department of Defense for review; Deal with Department of Defense Auditors during audits of defense contracts; Review defense contracts for clarity of expectations and understanding of contact language in order to avoid misunderstandings during and after production; review business processes, controls and analyze reports; review legacy systems, design new applications (including chart-of-accounts), recommend improved processes and controls that leverage the new applications, test business systems, prepare documentation, provide end-user training, and oversee production migration, set up monthly closings for financial reporting and present reports and commentary to management and business owners.
- Participate in due diligence activities in corporate acquisitions.
- Apply Cost-Benefit analysis to purchasing and staffing.
- To make better informed business decisions, analyzed operations then made necessary adjustments to budgets, staffing, policies and procedures.
- Studied and analyzed software capabilities; implemented time saving and better information-gathering features. Result: achieved accurate and timely financial reporting; greatly improved the decision-making process.
- To remain competitive, reviewed all business plans including budgets, strategic plans, and marketing documents to identify new markets, control costs and increase sales. Result: sales increased by $1.5 million; margins improved 4.6%; bottom line grew 6% along with strengthening cash flow; able to maintain existing clients and add new ones.
- To retain key employees, design and implement benefit packages that include incentives aimed at retaining employees including stock options, life insurance, improved benefits, and retirement accounts. Result: achieved reduced turnover rates, improved morale and helped in containing costs related to training new employees.
- To avoid emotional and financial stress due to a sudden loss of a business owner or key employees, performed intensive review of business, personal and family needs/objectives. Result: achieved peace-of-mind for the employer, his family and the employees knowing a plan was in place to deal with this contingency.
- To address client personal financial concerns, develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive personal financial plans. This includes managing portfolios, assessing risks, and realigning portfolio strategies.
- Also reviewed insurance needs and education funding.
- Assessed retirement needs to develop estate plans. Result: one client said: “Whenever we meet with you, we always leave with a lot to think about, but when we go to bed that night – we sleep much better knowing we are addressing all the right issues.”
- To avoid penalties and loss of government contracts, successfully manage audits by DCAA and NIH for clients involved in government contracts. Result: achieved operational efficiency by being properly prepared for such audits.
- Developed personal rapport with each client to maintain customer loyalty and establish long-term accounts.
Assistant Controller/Special Projects
P.KAUFMANN, INC
01.1992 - 11.2005
- A $165 million textile company specializing in fabric to designs and wall coverings.
- Responsible for all aspects of budgeting, preparing the profit and loss statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements. Also responsible for special projects and the physical inventory. Reported to the Controller, managed staff of 4 and matrix managed 6 professionals.
- To provide effective negotiating strategies during acquisitions, analyzed key operational procedures, accounting and operational records to pinpoint opportunities for both buyer and seller. Result: Reduced the purchase price of the seller’s inventory by 30%, protected buyer from contingent liabilities not currently on the books.
- To reduce treasury related costs, I analyzed bank accounts and related fees. Eliminated unnecessary accounts and changed platforms where beneficial. Result: reduced operational bank accounts by 60% and cut fees by 73%; also increased interest income.
- To maintain our excellent credit worthiness with our banks, calculated and forecasted required covenants. Result: able to approach the bank before the due date of our reports to explain and negotiate a breech in a covenant and avoid the embarrassment of having to deal with it at filing time; able to maintain an excellent relationship with the bank.
- To reduce increasing audit fees, analyzed operations for prepping the documents required by our auditors and determined a best practices approach to reduce previous staff prep time. Result: reduced time spent by independent accountants which cut audit fees by 12% and saved $8,000+ annually.
- To issue monthly financial and operational reports to the owners and to management in a timelier manner, analyzed accounting operations and procedures and made significant changes. Result: Gained the appreciation and confidence of management by reducing the monthly closing and issuing of financial statements and operational reports from 15 days to 7 days.
- To replace an inadequate financial reporting system, became instrumental in choosing, developing, implementing, and monitoring a new accounting software system (JD Edwards Enterprise Solutions). Result: achieved faster financial reporting, more accurate results, improved productivity, and improved department morale.
- To improve the efficiency and operations of other departments, studied accounting and operational reports and identified areas for improvement. Worked with other department heads to improve efficiencies. Result: sought after by subordinates and supervisors to assist in identifying and resolving problems within their departments.
- Ended the annual week-long shutdown of operations caused by annual physical inventories and eliminated resulting domino effect in the disruption of most corporate departments, including critical distribution of goods by instituting strict cycle counts. Result: achieved annual savings of approximately $85K to the accounting department and improved company morale. Increased productivity by giving the time spent counting inventory back to employees in all departments.
Staff Accountant, Assistant Controller / Assistant Accounting Manager
JAY YANG DESIGNS, LTD
01.1987 - 01.1992
- A small $35 million textile design company, I provided owners with monthly financial statements, operational reports & budgets, I created the first accounting policies and procedures manual.
- Worked with staff to implement these policies and procedures and developed a closing schedule. Result: For the first time in the company’s history, issued monthly financial reports that provided critical information to a company that was starting to show signs of financial weakness.
- To replace the IT manager, I took on many of the responsibilities. Result: Saved the company $75,000 in salary, bonus, and benefits.
- To reign in healthcare and general business insurance costs, analyzed and compared policies and premiums. Result: Reduced healthcare premiums by 10% while maintaining excellent coverage; reduced general business insurance premiums by an average of 15%.
- To shorten the disruption caused by taking the annual physical inventory, analyzed then streamlined. the procedures. Result: reduced the time of taking the physical from 7 business days to 4 business days and reduced the costs by 28%.
- To remain competitive, I analyzed the costs of maintaining our own showrooms to the cost of having an independent sales force and using independently owned showrooms. Result: closed a showroom in Chicago, reduced associated sales costs by 53% while maintaining sales levels.
Auditor
GLENN INGRAM and COMPANY
01.1984 - 01.1987
- Followed established auditing processes to meet internal and regulatory requirements.
- Analyzed data and findings to prepare reports detailing financial information.
- Communicated with auditee staff to obtain necessary information for audits.
- Performed observations and evaluated supporting documents to supplement audit findings.
Education
B.S.B.A - Accounting
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
1984
Skills
- Financial Reporting
- Budget Preparation, Presentation, and Analysis
- Account Reconciliations and Analysis
- Auditing
- Cost Submissions for Department of Defense Purposes
- Administrative Support
- Superior Attention to Detail
Additional Information
- PROFESSIONAL LICENSES & DESIGNATIONS , Certified Public Accountant, New Jersey. Certified Financial Planner. Securities 66 and 7 Licensed.
Certification
- Certified Public Accountant
- Certified Financial Planner
Self-taught guitarist. Enjoy golf.
I am a proud self-taught guitarist who enjoys multiple genres. I also enjoy playing golf, mainly to get outdoors and spend quality time with family and friends.
Timeline
Member Accountant & Financial Consultant
Kerith Brook Financial Services, LLC
01.2006 - Current
Assistant Controller/Special Projects
P.KAUFMANN, INC
01.1992 - 11.2005
Staff Accountant, Assistant Controller / Assistant Accounting Manager
JAY YANG DESIGNS, LTD
01.1987 - 01.1992
Auditor
GLENN INGRAM and COMPANY
01.1984 - 01.1987
B.S.B.A - Accounting
SETON HALL UNIVERSITY
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