Open To Work
Helene Johnson
Aldie
Summary
Results-driven accountant with over 24 years of comprehensive experience in financial management, specializing in accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing, general ledger, and travel and expenses. Proven ability to streamline processes and enhance accuracy in financial reporting while effectively managing payroll and benefits. Detail-oriented professional committed to delivering high-quality results and maintaining compliance with industry standards. Adept at leveraging analytical skills to support strategic decision-making and drive organizational success.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
AP/Travel & Expense Lead
STRATEGIC EDUCATION STRAYER UNIVERSITY
Herndon, VA
09.2012 - Current
- Audit and process travel expenses. Enter accounts payable invoices in Coupa and payments in PeopleSoft. Participate in setting up guidelines and procedures for expenses. Process corporate credit cards reconciliation and postings, auditing of PeopleSoft AP records in preparation for year end and 1099 process. Train internal customers. Create training documents. Assist both internal and external customers. Assist with integration process of new acquisitions.
GL Accountant/Staff Accountant
REHAU INC.
Leesburg, Virginia
08.2010 - 06.2012
- Rehau is a polymer processing company that supplies products to construction, automotive and industry sectors. I entered GL entries for assigned accounts. Reconciled accounts and processed payroll files. Processed account payables for select affiliated companies and overhead. Upload daily bank information into SAP. Process Travel expense full cycle.
- Uploaded banking files for four companies into SAP system and reconciled accounts. Ensured that all clearing accounts had zero balance. Posted payroll files into the system for all four companies. Reconciled Accrual Accounts.
- Maintained Prepaid and accrual accounts. Posted monthly prepaid and accrual entries into SAP for various companies.
- Processed Accounts payables for affiliated companies. Ensured that all payments are posted to the correct Purchase Orders or GL accounts. Posted AP accruals at month end. Provided customer service to all clients of the firm.
- Processed all the company travel expenses for companies within the US and Canada. Served as Administrator for the Travel website. Created travel reports for executives to review at month end. Created a report to review travel losses to the company, where the losses occur and proposed guidelines to reduce loss.
- Processed all interest payments on debt accounts. Created schedule to keep up with various loan payments. Processed monthly liquidity reports for all companies and transmit to the head company in Germany.
- Downloaded, formatted, prepared, and uploaded monthly activities on corporate card into the SAP system. Reconciled expense accounts and charge card clearing account. Update currency conversion rates in SAP bi-monthly.
- Created procedures and guidelines for Amex process and for travel expenses.
Accounts Payable Supervisor
ACCOUNTEMPS
Herndon, Virginia
12.2009 - 07.2010
- Assumed responsibility as an Accounts Payable Supervisor in a contract position at an IT company. Supervised, reviewed, streamlined, trained, and mentored the process of the Accounts Payable Function.
- Supervised AP staff on the timely and accurate processing of invoices, expense reports, credit memos and payment transactions of Overhead invoices. Ensure the accurate processing and maintenance of Accounts payable information.
- Posted approved batches into systems upon review. Approved check runs. Resolved discrepancies and missing information and guided staff in resolving problems. Audited open payables.
- Reviewed and mentored the progress of the AP Specialists. Reviewed reconciled vendor statements.
- Managed and maintained the clean-up process of payable accounts for various companies regarding outstanding checks.
- Worked closely with the Treasury and Billing department as well as outside clients to get issues surrounding checks resolved from as far back as 2006. Prior to leaving, all checks unresolved were within 120 days. Proposed guidelines for resolving outstanding checks to be within three months timeline.
Staff Accountant
GREAT FALLS CONSTRUCTION CO
Great Falls, Virginia
03.2008 - 09.2009
- Performed the total AP cycle for the company. Prepared weekly outstanding invoice reports. Monitored statements.
- Entered time sheets into the system for internal employees and transmit to payroll outsource company, while maintaining our files and records for integrity and reconciliation against the records of the outsource company.
- Prepared year end 1099 and IRS 1096 forms for the company and subsidiary company. Prepared and filed the county license renewal and use tax payments. Filed State and Federal business tax forms and payments. Monitored and maintained the setup of new vendors by ensuring that all necessary documents were received and entered in the system with accuracy.
- Proposed and implemented changes to payment schedules which were incorporated into contracts to ensure timely payments and benefits of discounts and adherence by subcontractors. Resolved outstanding issues regarding payments and contract compliance.
- Posted Cash Receipts, miscellaneous deposits and interest to system as received. Reconciled cash receipts and bank transactions. Processed bank deposits. Prepared monthly statements and closing of period. Prepared Monthly Bank Reconciliation and reports in comparison to monthly bank statements received.
- Prepared new contracts and addendums to contracts. Set up contracts in the system and enter contract adjustments as needed.
- Maintained communications with Site Managers concerning payments of invoices and contracts reconciliation.
- Prepared and maintained a spreadsheet to track all expenses and payments. Prepared and reconciled expense reports such as the money market spreadsheet to keep track of changes to accounts. Submitted a Weekly Cash Flow Report to track and ensure current spending, account balances, revenue, and projected expenses for the month. Audited accounts for tracking overage spending. Maintained and updated a 6-month Projected Cash Flow Spreadsheet to track current and future job costs, general overhead costs, revenue, total expenses, and payroll costs.
- Prepared detailed Job Cost Reports for distribution to Project Managers to review costs-to-date, budgets, overage spending, and status of projects. Processed all costing and close-out of Project. Created detailed reports evaluating the profitability and the management of each project. Conducted monthly Job Cost Meetings. Analyzed profit and changes within projects. Created reports to analyze completed jobs for reference on future jobs with similar costs.
- This is a custom builder/construction company. I was responsible for the complete and total accounting cycle of the company and job cost accounting for an average of 10 projects annually. I prepared month end and fiscal year end reports and closings. I maintained Accounts Payable total processing cycle and issuance of payments. Coordinated Payroll processing and reporting. Set up project budgets and issue contracts. Also responsible for preparing and maintaining reports of two subsidiaries.
Regional Accounts Payable Manager
B. F. SAUL COMPANY
Sterling, Virginia
10.2006 - 03.2008
- I was responsible for the complete and total payable cycle of seven company owned hotels. Supervised two staff members. Prepared month end accrual batches for the seven hotels. Ensure proper entry of invoices and payments. Set up guidelines of payment process with the General Managers.
- Input invoices into the system for 7 various hotel locations. Maintained files, reviewed budgets with General Managers and prepared Use Tax month end reports for usage tax payment.
- Design Purchase Order Report for tracking expenses per hotels. Trained and supervised two staff members handling Accounts Payable and Petty Cash for 6 of the hotels.
- Monitored statements to ensure hotel accounts were up to date at all times and assisted vendors with questions. Assisted with auditing needs. Monitored the set up of new vendors.
- Participated in month end closing review meetings with controller to go over GL entries and account budgets. Prepared month-end accruals spreadsheets for each hotel.
Accounts Payable Coordinator
GREENVEST L.C.
Vienna, Virginia
02.2002 - 08.2006
- Entered invoices into the system for 10 plus different jobs. Maintained files, Viewed budgets. Served as a counter check for invoice approval. Assist with auditing needs. Maintained spreadsheet concerning retainage payments per vendors.
- Designed, created, and maintained Checks Report for use by executives. Created Cash Report records in Excel for the use of the accounting department to manage individual job accounts and maintained and controlled the spreadsheet.
- Proposed and implemented payment schedules which were incorporated into contracts per entries to ensure timely payments.
- One of two people that handled the processing of 1099s at year end. Assisted vendors with questions concerning payments. Maintained communications with Site Managers concerning payment of invoices per projects.
- Processed Bank/Investors funding requests for each job based upon the requirements per individual jobs. Maintained Cash Report workbook for all transactions on various jobs to be reconcile with bank records and G/L closing at month end. Posted GL entries to expense accounts to process adjustments per contract changes to various jobs. Process Change Orders and contract adjustments in relation to Purchase Orders.
- Greenvest is a developer/homebuilder. I was responsible for the complete and total payable cycle of 10 different jobs. Set up guidelines to maintain payment efficiencies and payment schedules. Worked closely with Site managers to maintain accuracies of payment. Processed 1099s. Handled other special projects. Served as a member on the Steering Committee for setting company guidelines and rules and computer lead for Accounting Department
Accountant/Temp
KFORCE INC.
Vienna, Virginia
11.2001 - 02.2002
- Worked as an Accounts Payable Coordinator in an assigned temp to perm position at Greenvest.
Accountant
HOWREY SIMON ARNOLD & WHITE, L.L.P.
Washington, DC
01.2000 - 09.2001
- Performed detailed billing and corrections and worked very closely with lawyers that I was assigned to in order maintain integrity of bills. Processed final bills for mailing upon making all adjustments and corrections per attorney. Performed final course-check quality control and bill adjustments. Responsible for client accounts research and management.
- Monitored and controlled pre-authorization expense vouchers. Reconciled cash receipts and bank transactions. Processed bank deposits. Processed payments received to clients’ accounts. Enter GL entries for adjustments to accounts.
- Entered invoices into the system in compliance with contracts, discounts, use tax etc.
- Trained new hires in various accounting positions and served as backup and referral for assistance.
- Howrey was a global IP law firm. I served as floating accountant and assisted with the daily financial process which included cash receipts, billing, disbursements, expense accounting, GL entries, deposits, and supervision of the cash office. Helped cleanup and resolved issues with clients’ accounts. Served as a point of contact to train personnel in regional offices.
Accountant
INTERIM TECHNOLOGY/NORRELL, INC.
McLean, VA
08.1998 - 01.2000
- Administered staff orientation and enrollment in various benefits plans. Prepared staff payroll deductions and expense accounts reconciliation to be entered and process for weekly payroll run. Responsible for posting of funds to maintain various benefits perks. Monitored plans administrator systems and maintained accuracy of data.
- Prepared and reconciled time driven employee’s 401k plan reports. Performed audits, posted transactions, and maintained general ledger accounts. Responded to customer and internal requests and questions.
- Processed and reimbursed for all travel expenses done by contractors. Processed special billing for travel expenses.
- Interim was an IT subcontract/job placement firm. I processed billing for specials jobs and for expenses. Part of orientation process for new hires. Prepared payroll deductions. Maintained reports of various benefit plans.
Accounting Clerk I
INTERIM TECHNOLOGY/NORRELL, INC.
McLean, VA
08.1997 - 01.1998
- Prepared special billing. Assisted with the handling of cash receipts. Helped analyze vendor accounts. Organized monthly accounting meetings.
- Prepared monthly billing for selected clients. Supported the process to generate and finalize prepared invoice creation.
- Reviewed and issued reports on control schedules irregularities. Handled cash receipts and organized adjustment forms. Performed various clerical and accounting tasks.
Education
M.B.A. - Business Administration concentrating on Finance
Strayer University
01-2017
B.S. - Business Administration, minor Accounting
Voorhees College
Denmark, South Carolina01-1995
Skills
- Accounts Payable Processes & Management
- Invoices/Expense Reports/Payment Transactions
- Spreadsheets & Accounting Reports
- Journal Entries & General Ledger
- Teambuilding & Staff Supervision
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork and collaboration
Certification
- All American Collegiate Award
- National Deans List
- Golden Key Honor Society
- Who’s Who Among College Student Award
- Empire’s Who’s Who (2005-2006)
- IOFM APM Certification
Timeline
AP/Travel & Expense Lead
STRATEGIC EDUCATION STRAYER UNIVERSITY
09.2012 - Current
GL Accountant/Staff Accountant
REHAU INC.
08.2010 - 06.2012
Accounts Payable Supervisor
ACCOUNTEMPS
12.2009 - 07.2010
Staff Accountant
GREAT FALLS CONSTRUCTION CO
03.2008 - 09.2009
Regional Accounts Payable Manager
B. F. SAUL COMPANY
10.2006 - 03.2008
Accounts Payable Coordinator
GREENVEST L.C.
02.2002 - 08.2006
Accountant/Temp
KFORCE INC.
11.2001 - 02.2002
Accountant
HOWREY SIMON ARNOLD & WHITE, L.L.P.
01.2000 - 09.2001
Accountant
INTERIM TECHNOLOGY/NORRELL, INC.
08.1998 - 01.2000
Accounting Clerk I
INTERIM TECHNOLOGY/NORRELL, INC.
08.1997 - 01.1998
B.S. - Business Administration, minor Accounting
Voorhees College
M.B.A. - Business Administration concentrating on Finance
Strayer University
SEMINARS
Advance Excel Seminar
OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Treasurer of LECUSA (A non-profit 501C organization) - 2010 to 2015