Jerome Romero

• (Company sold 12/2024, Laid-off 3/2025)
• Managed inventory reconciliations to ensure accuracy and compliance with financial standards.
• Streamlined accounting processes, reducing discrepancies in inventory valuation and reporting.
• Developed and implemented internal controls to enhance inventory management efficiency.
• Led cross-functional teams in audit preparation, ensuring timely completion and adherence to regulations.
• Provide direct support to the VP of Finance with banking activity and reconciliations.
• Prepared month-end journal entries and performed accounting close.

• (Temp Assignment 3/2022–7/2022)
• Responsible of month-end closing procedures, update month-end close & roll-forward template, review proper expense classifications, reconcile various B/S accounts, Income & Expense account analysis.
• Review, validate, and distribute financial statements.
• Lead monthly FP&A reporting - Budget planning, forecasting, tracking, and profitability & trend analysis.
• Developed and implemented various financial models and cross-functional reporting.
• Prepare journal entries and maintain proper documentation and support for all entries.
• Prepare and report key financial and performance metrics on a monthly & quarterly basis.
• Assist Controller with annual review process and procedures; coordinate with outside CPA firm.
• Monitor existing Investment decisions and Wholesale Customers' Sales performance.
• Oversee monthly and quarterly Sales Tax filing for all E-commerce channels.
• Oversee and support the A/R and A/P roles/functions

GrafLantz, Director of Finance (Temp Assignment 8/2021–2/2022)

• Developed operating and core financial metrics, analyzed results and trends, presented impactful insights and reporting results to leadership and key stakeholders, while improving forecasting and modeling accuracy.
• Developed and implemented the annual financial planning process, including actual monthly and annual financial results, analytics, and insights.
• Lead the development & implementation of NetSuite ERP from the Accounting and Inventory perspectives.
• Established Accounts Payable policy, procedures, and system.
• Ensure supplier invoices and expenses are approved, posted, reconciled, and paid on a timely basis.

• (Temp Assignment 8/2021–2/2022)
• Led strategic initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and drive revenue growth.
• Mentored cross-functional teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
• Developed and implemented business strategies aligning with market trends and customer needs.
• Streamlined processes, reducing costs while maintaining high-quality standards across departments.
• Developed operating and core financial metrics, analyzed results and trends, presented impactful insights and reporting results to leadership and key stakeholders, while improving forecasting and modeling accuracy.
• Developed and implemented the annual financial planning process, including actual monthly and annual financial results, analytics, and insights.
• Lead the development & implementation of NetSuite ERP from the Accounting and Inventory perspectives.
• Established Accounts Payable policy, procedures, and system.
• Ensure supplier invoices and expenses are approved, posted, reconciled, and paid on a timely basis.

• (Temp Assignment 11/2018 - 11/2020)
• Manage the Inventory accounting and close process, including supervising one staff.
• Review monthly Inventory roll-forwards and valuations, prepare and review journal entries and account reconciliations to ensure accurate reporting of Inventory, cost of goods sold, payables, accruals, and obsolescence.
• Collaborate with Accounts Payable and Warehouse teams to ensure proper month-end close and reporting.
• Streamlined processes and assisted in the automation of the accounting and close process for assigned areas and cross-functional areas.

• (Temp Assignment 4/2018 - 5/2018)
• Manage off-site staff of five accountants.
• Supervise, manage, and ensure accurate preparation and timely submission of all client participation statements.
• Manage the accounting month-end close process, review/approve journal entries, prepare and submit m/e reporting package.

• (Temp Assignment (11/2017 - 2/2018)
• Partner with company’s various business units to develop near and long-term financial budgets & forecasts. Identify key performance drivers, issues/concerns.
• Perform analysis of monthly results; provide insight and recommendations/enhancements/corrections to existing processes & controls, data, and data management tools. Also provide options of other/new/available tools that improve data accuracy and/or financial reporting of each option presented.
• Provide various financial planning & forecasting scenarios & analysis, to assist business unit leaders’ strategic decision processes.
• Analyze and present various financial scenarios that drive growth, applying varied modeling assumptions. Present options to the company’s President and senior business leaders.
• Lead internal discussions regarding near-term and long-term financial planning goals, discussing drivers, modeling, and available data resources in order to provide complete, well thought-out business models, plans, and options.
• Built and provided initial reporting of a fiscal year budget (for 2018), prior years (FY16 & FY17) and current year (FY18) monthly financial results (P&L and balance sheet) with analysis of key drivers, period-over-period variances, and other performance metrics.
• Provide analysis and insight of quarterly and annual financial results, focusing on unique and/or large quarter-to-quarter and year-over-year variances.
• Analyze variances among actual, forecasted and budgeted results, and provide meaningful and actionable performance improvements.
• Partner with the Accounting department’s manager/team in providing process improvements/efficiencies, standards, and consistencies while also ensuring proper controls are maintained.

• (Temp Assignment 6/2017 - 9/2017)
• Provide management and oversight of Inventory Control processes and systems.
• Implement new Inventory accounting and movement processes, and train staff.
• Establish procedures and controls over the physical Inventory Count and Valuation.
• Apparel Retail & e-Comm

• (Temp Assignment 2/2017 - 4/2017)
• Responsible for the accounting activity and analysis requests of the Licensing division, including the preparation of Royalty and/or Licensing statements, prepare Deal analysis/options for new/renewing licensing deals.
• Responsible for the Licensing division’s month-end accounting & close processes, including the preparation and distribution of Artist P&L’s, and calculating and recording accrual entries.
• Review key third-party settlements with Epic.
• Administer/apply royalty provisions of Artist & Photography agreements, including the preparation, recording, and timely issuance of statements as required by contract.
• Maintain various licensing databases (tracks deals, licensee settlement statements, & artist royalty statements).
• Music Artist Talent Mgmt.

• (Temp Assignment 11/2016 - 12/2016)
• Manage staff of associates key duties to verify, confirm, and reconcile daily store sales transactions and daily store bank deposits.
• Month-end accounting close responsibilities includes various bank account reconciliations, cash and sales journal entries, and various g/l accounts SOX review controls requirements.
• Prepare and report company’s daily cash position and request and affect any funding needs or invest available cash on-hand.
• On-line Retail Apparel

• Responsible for the company’s inventory valuation and record keeping.
• Responsible for the company’s wholesale and retail monthly revenue reporting and gross margin results.
• Prepare/review weekly inventory valuation (borrowing base capital), required by and compliant with creditors borrowing facilities calculation & reporting requirements.
• Maintain appropriate income and/or balance sheet reserve balances for (wholesale) sales returns, allowances, and chargebacks.
• Maintain adequate/proper inventory reserve balances for Shrink, LCM (lower of cost or market value) carrying cost, and Obsolescence and provide quarterly analytics supporting the reserve balances.
• Provide ad hoc cost of goods sold analysis, requests, and reporting.
• Support all business partners’ financial and accounting needs, concerns, and analytics requests.
• Calculate annual overhead capitalization allocation.
• Point person and lead on annual/external audits, interim reviews, and investor & consultants’ requests for information and reporting.
• Supervise staff of 3; 1 senior accountant & 2 accountants.
• Vernon, CA

• Responsible for the monthly reporting/reconciliation of all brands’ inventory cost variances (impact to COGS).
• Ensure timely and accurate PO closure and correct income/expense variance is recognized.
• Report YTD capitalized inventory costs (freight, duty, agent/broker fees) & data analytics; $8b annual budget.
• Provide pending close week merchandise cost forecasts and close week actuals for all brands/divisions w/variance explanations to budget and/or forecast.
• Prepare all brands’ annual merchandise spend (inventory) budgets.
• Update/provide rolling forecasts of all brands’ inventory cost variances, identifying and providing guidance as drivers & trends change (total P&L impact of ~60M annual income; all brands combined).
• Maintain accurate records of company’s open/outstanding stand-by Letters of Credit & Lines of Credit facilities.
• Calculate, book, and reconcile all related interest and fee accruals and amortizations. Verify and post all payments due to the issuing banks.
• Prepare SOX compliant monthly & quarterly off-balance sheet account reconciliations and related schedules (provided to external auditors & SOX Compliance internal department).
• Prepare analysis of inventory’s discounted first costs & duty expense for Treasury department’s foreign currency cash projections.
• Corporate Shared Services Center

• Review licensee contracts to ensure that clients were properly invoiced and paid per contract.
• Reconcile licensee payments to the general ledger and recognize income per GAAP.
• Lead annual Capital Budgeting process and quarterly re-forecasts.
• Prepare monthly/quarterly Cash Flow projections.
• Supervise staff of 1, financial analyst.
• Corporate Financial and Accounting professional services
• Warner Music Group, Director Royalties Finance & Reporting (Temp Assignment 01/2006–09/2006)
• Provide support to Label Finance & Accounting Shared Services as related to artist capitalization & marketing recovery analysis, royalty expense analysis and accruals, unapplied cash receipts & aging, TV advertising expense & recoupment, cash flow projections for royalty payments.
• Provide analysis to Label Finance & Business Affairs including breakeven & recoupment analysis, projections, and coordination of rate information for artist P&L.
• Supervise staff of 3; 1 manager & 2 financial analysts.

• Responsibilities include coordinate & manage the monthly financial close & reporting process for all BMG Music Publishing N.A. companies in the US & Canada; deliver results & commentary to divisional & corporate management; coordinate & execute monthly forecasting of revenue and costs w/ drivers, cash projections, and reconciled balance sheet accounts w/ variance analysis. Coordinate annual budget setting process and year-end audits. Develop & maintain all financial reporting systems, analytic models/tools, and all related processes & procedures.
• Successfully consolidated 7 music publishing companies within one centralized location, responsible for delivering all financial reporting/analysis, and providing all accounting functions and services.
• Redesigned and implemented standard monthly internal reporting to management, including key performance indicators and analysis to budget.
• Assisted in the redesign and implementation of two new general ledger systems (SAP & Navision) and two financial reporting systems, trained staff and established SOX compliant procedures and standards within all systems and reporting cycles.
• Ensure adherence to company’s policies & procedures.
• Liaise with external auditors and manage their annual on-site field work & testing.
• Analyze and implement cost-savings and efficiencies over all company’s business lines & operations.
• Supervise staff of 3; 2 managers & 1 financial analyst.
• Beverly Hills, CA
• Director Financial Reporting & Planning, US & Canada Publishing operations (06/2002–12/2003)
• Manager Financial Reporting & Planning, United States Publishing operation (06/2000–06/2002)

• Preparation of annual budget, including forecasting and modeling of revenue & expenses and cash flow for all theatrical & television product and new production.
• Developed methodology & established Borrowing Base Formula to support $250M credit-line for the company.
• Designed cash-flow model to project income streams and to track actual cash collection activity; activity in excess of $100M/year.
• Created & implemented a Marketing budget/tracking PO system to track individual projects’ marketing expenses (including advertising & promotion) against budget for theatrical & television product; budgets up to $30M per title/project.
• Santa Monica, CA
• Financial Analyst Financial Reporting Group (03/1994–11/1996)

• Supervised and examined a portfolio of nationally chartered banks.
• On-site audits and testing of banks’ asset & liability management.
• Detailed review and testing of sampled assets (all lending facilities, investments, tangible & intangible assets), credit analysis, and loan review & risk assessment/grade assignment.
• On-going review (on & off-site) of banks’ operations and compliance with established banking and lending laws, rules, and regulations.
• Glendale, CA

• Responsible for the reconciliation and review of all balance sheet accounts of all financial institutions under supervision, prior to their sale and transfer to acquiring institution, and/or at time of closing of failed institutions.
• Supervised the institutions’ preparation of all balance sheet accounts for final reconciliation and review.
• Supervised the transfer of ownership and possession of all assets and liabilities accepted by the acquirer.
• Newport Beach, CA
• Closing Supervisor (09/1990–09/1991), Grade 9
• Planned, managed, and supervised all activities related to the disposition (sale & transfer or closing) of failed savings & loan institutions; both off and on-site.
• Coordinated and supervised all activities (all teams/staff participating in the closing) related to the disposition of failed savings & loan institutions; both off and on-site.

• Newport Beach, CA

• Albuquerque, NM