Kellie L. LaPlante
South Portland
Summary
Dynamic financial leader with extensive experience as Controller at STARC Systems Manufacturer, driving compliance and enhancing financial reporting accuracy. Expert in budgeting and forecasting, I implemented robust internal controls that improved cash flow management. Proven ability to lead teams effectively while delivering insightful financial analysis to support strategic decision-making.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Controller
STARC Systems Manufacturer
01.2023 - Current
- Provide leadership and management of financial activities and working with the site leadership team, and all departments and levels of employees to drive company growth and initiatives.
- Responsible for overseeing all accounting operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and provide insightful financial analysis to support strategic decision-making.
- Provide Protect company assets by evaluating and implementing robust financial controls and guidelines while monitoring cash flow, working capital and liquidity.
- Assume treasury functions including approving payment rungs, cash forecasting, maintaining relationships and covenant reporting.
- Plan, organize and coordinate year-end financial audit process with external auditors.
- Develop and maintain accounting financial control processes and procedures.
- Provide financial modeling and analysis as needed.
- Assist in the preparation of monthly reporting, complete with analysis of targets.
- Oversee companies fixed asset systems for all physical locations.
- Provide accurate financial reports to guide decision-making.
Controller
Prompto Oil
01.2021 - 01.2023
- Accountable for the accounting operations of the company, to include the production of periodic financial reports, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records, and a comprehensive set of controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk, enhance the accuracy of the company's reported financial results, and ensure that reported results comply with generally accepted accounting principles.
- Implemented POS system and designed upload files to integrate with accounting system.
- Oversaw and performed the accounting operations for the company including accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, financial reporting, payroll, cash management, tax compliance, budgeting, and forecasting.
- Managed and provided leadership to team members by effectively communicating, establishing clear goals and objectives, coaching team members on achieving goals, and ensuring access to training and development.
- Assessed current accounting operations to determine recommendations or solutions for improvement and implementation of new processes.
- Conducted ad hoc analyses of division finances and prepares reports to facilitate decision making.
Controller
Shalom House Inc
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Complied and analyzed financial information and report findings directly to Finance Director, oversee and manage all aspects of accounting functions while providing leadership to set objectives that provide staff recognition, growth, and positive feedback.
- Provided feedback to improve productivity and implemented a new process for recording party related transactions and implementing pivot tables, formulas, and linked information to improve developing the annual budget.
- Led quarterly and year-end financial activities, and annual financial and compliance control audits.
- Assessed current practices and procedures and made recommendations for improvements, reviewed, and analyzed financial statements and regulatory reporting to ensure accuracy.
- Developed staff through supervising and managing performance, setting goals, providing ongoing training, and maintaining strong employee relationships.
- Coordinates and directed the preparation of yearly budgets, financial forecasts control procedures; and analyze report variances.
- Maintained fixed assets & depreciation, capitalized lease, and amortization, insurance, prepaid and accrual schedules.
- Compiled and processed complex cost allocations, party related transactions and elimination entries.
- Implemented and improved the process for recording and tracking party related transactions.
- Supervised and Implemented process improvements for Accounts Payable Clerk duties.
- Worked with 10+ managers across departments, to create an integrated annual budget workbook using advanced Excel skills.
- Hired and Trained new Accounting Assistant.
- Implemented a new credit card program implementing controls, processing, and recording requirements among 20 divisions.
Professional Accounting Consultant
Robert Half International & KBW
01.2019 - 01.2020
- As a full-time salaried employee, provide support to clients with financial management, financial forecasting, auditing, and suggestions on how to improve financial reporting processes.
- Provided financial support to a Lending/Investment Industry, $24M.
- Assisted Finance Director in preparation of Audit documents.
- Prepare State/Federal compliance reports.
- Analyzed/reconciled Subsidiary trail balances and eliminating entries with adjustments.
- Created Excel pivot tables for analysis and reporting.
- Provided general ledger project cleanup for outstanding items and projects.
- Provided Financial Support to a College University, $20M.
- Assisted Controller in re-creating bank transactions and reconciliations for Forensic Auditors.
Grant Accountant
Maine Medical Center
01.2015 - 01.2019
- Oversaw and streamlined diverse range of financial operations for 10+ cost centers, such as the preparation and presentation of wide range of financial reports in line with US GAAP to maximize integrity of financial reporting.
- Created and delivered budgets, analyzed variance reports, and devised effective plans to minimize budget deviations.
- Conducted account reconciliations to identify and eradicate discrepancies to ensure accuracy and transparency of financial data.
- Managed month-end and year-end closing procedures, recorded journal entries, processed payments, and prepared reports for senior management.
- Supervised and mentored accountants, assessed performance, evaluated training needs, and proposed plans to improve accounting management capabilities.
- Cultivated lucrative working relationship with key stakeholder through interactive collaboration.
- Developed and implemented effective internal control procedures to ensure strict compliance with applicable regulatory or reporting guidelines.
- Designed and delivered customized pivot tables for multiple management levels to facilitate financial analysis and corporate decision-making process.
- Provided senior-level leadership to cross-functional teams for fostering competencies and improving financial performance of divisions.
- Provided hands-on training to existing and new staff members and delivered guidance geared towards professional development to cultivate accounting management capabilities.
- I designed and presented customized pivot table reports that compared 20+ sub-ledger cost center balances to general Ledger actual vs budget Variances for Maine Health’s VP for corporate decision-making.
- In my analysis of the payroll processing, found 300K payroll errors. Therefore, developed a pivot table reconciliation report and document procedure to train Coworkers to use, to ensure Audit compliance.
- Designed and delivered customized pivot tables for at least 10 cost centers for multiple management levels to facilitate financial analysis and corporate decision-making process.
- Trained and provided support to other Grant Accountants.
- Initiated, designed, and delivered customized pivot tables that included financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis to facilitate the decision-making process to improve the financial performance of the Northern New England Poison Control Division comprising of three states (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) The result was recovering from a prior year $300,000 loss to break-even the following year, while obtaining additional indirect income to help sustain the flat-funded division.
Senior Accountant
MCD & MCDI Inc.
01.2002 - 01.2015
- Spearheaded the management of complex accounting operations for $43M international/domestic multi -fund NFP agency while adhering to applicable financial reporting and regulatory standards.
- Collaborated with executive management to ensure strict compliance with grant polices, design and execute effective internal controls, and introduce advanced accounting management procedures to optimize financial performance and strategic position.
- Conducted account reconciliations to identify and eradicate inconsistencies.
- Designed and executed sub-accounting reports in external programming software to streamline financial reporting process.
- Managed multiple fixed asset acquisition and disposal.
- Served as key member of leadership team that completed complex consolidation process of 8 subsidiaries in line with consolidation standards.
- Automated the financial reporting processes by creating and delivering reports, utilizing accounting software.
- Fostered and strengthened lucrative working relationships with cross-cultural teams across the globe for managing reporting process of divisions.
- Acted as a Liaison for International Division, implemented processes, internal controls, prepared/ converted multi- currency transaction and financial statements, facilitated/prepared for audits for 12+ countries.
- I implemented reporting processes for the International Division to convert multi-currency transactions and prepare financial statements, for CFO and Auditors for 12+ countries.
- Automated the financial reporting processes by creating and delivering reports, utilizing accounting software.
- Facilitated and assisted with complex accounting conversions.
- Fostered and strengthened lucrative working relationships with cross-cultural teams across the globe for managing reporting process of divisions.
- Served as key member of leadership team that completed complex consolidation process of 8 subsidiaries in line with consolidation standards.
Education
Bachelors of Science - Accounting
University of Maine
Skills
- Accounting Operations Management
- Financial Reporting
- Analysis & Consolidation
- US GAAP
- Regulatory Compliance
- Financial Accounts Reconciliation
- Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Variance Analysis
- Process Redesign
- Change Management
- Team Building
- Leadership
- Complex Inter-Company Transactions
- MUNIS
- MS Office
- Excel
- Lawson
- Outlook
- Macola
- QuickBooks
- Crystal
- BNA
- Blackbaud
- Strong Leadership
- Communicational Skills
- Internal controls development
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Audit coordination
- Accounting software proficiency
- Cash flow management
- Financial analysis
- Financial reporting
- Team leadership
- Cross-department collaboration
- Decision making
- Time management
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
- Team oversight
- Accounting management
- Grant administration
- Financial document review
- GAAP compliance
- Finance
- Management accounting
- Statement reconciliation
- Month-end closing
- General ledger accounting
- Expense control
- Audit preparation
- Investment analysis
- Balance sheet management
- ERP systems expertise
- Processing payments
- Internal controls
- Financial statements expertise
- Procedure development
- Preparing financial statements
- Financial planning
- Financial strategy management
- Budget development
- Account reconciliation
- Accounts payable management
- Payment disbursement
- Revenue recognition
- General ledger management
- Budget preparation
- Commission calculation
- Policy planning
- Corporate finance
- Non-profit accounting
- Project accounting
- Cash flow forecasting
Timeline
Controller
STARC Systems Manufacturer
01.2023 - Current
Controller
Prompto Oil
01.2021 - 01.2023
Controller
Shalom House Inc
01.2020 - 01.2021
Professional Accounting Consultant
Robert Half International & KBW
01.2019 - 01.2020
Grant Accountant
Maine Medical Center
01.2015 - 01.2019
Senior Accountant
MCD & MCDI Inc.
01.2002 - 01.2015
Bachelors of Science - Accounting
University of Maine