KERI A. CHEKOUDJIAN

TRUSTED PARTNER | GATEKEEPER | PROBLEM SOLVER | PROCESS TRANSFORMER | ACCURACY EXPERT

Senior Controller leading pivotal finance and daily operations teams, driving efficiencies in residential construction services focused on siding, housewrap, exterior windows and architectural details. I oversee integrated teams managing the complete project lifecycle - from material procurement and financial controls to project scheduling and client coordination with major residential builders. Over 15 years' combined experience in accounting, business analysis, process automation, vendor management, conducting due diligence, and driving business strategies. Proficiencies include quick adoption of new tools and technologies, enhancements for profitability and revenue, budgeting, forecasting, communications, multidisciplinary team management, document processes, and inventory management. Transformed work culture from a challenging environment to a positive, collaborative workplace where teams thrive. Intelligent, thorough, collaborative, independent, honest, and fair.

MS Office | Excel | Textura | Procure | ADP | Nvoicepay | Oracle | Slack | Teams | Smartsheet | Zoom | AIA | QuickBooks Enterprise | NetSuite | Monday.com CRM Development

Full-time · 1 yr 10 mos · Brandon, FL · On-site

Lead comprehensive financial operations, purchasing department, and project coordination teams while transforming a toxic work environment into a thriving team culture. Report directly to President, managing cross-functional teams across finance, purchasing, and project coordination to support fast-paced residential and commercial construction operations.

• Strategic financial management and job cost analysis using QuickBooks Enterprise for multi-project profitability tracking
• Purchasing operations with vendor relationship management and supply chain optimization
• Cross-functional project coordination between major residential builders and internal field teams
• Advanced inventory management with lot-specific billing and monthly cycle count integration
• Financial controls integration with project scheduling and client coordination for major residential builders

Leadership & Culture Transformation

• Converted dysfunctional work environment into positive, collaborative culture where team members genuinely enjoy coming to work
• Lead and mentor personnel across finance, purchasing, and project coordination teams while ensuring consistent cost control through value engineering
• Foster team environment focused on delivering reliable services on time, on budget, and achieving quality metrics for customer satisfaction

Financial Operations & Systems

• Manage complete accounting cycle including GL, AP/AR, payroll, job costing, inventory tracking, and bank reconciliations per GAAP standards
• Execute timely month-end close processes with detailed variance analysis between actual vs. forecasted results
• Systems Optimization: Recognized QuickBooks was underutilized upon joining, immediately implemented comprehensive job costing system to track job profitability that was previously unaccounted for

Purchasing Department Leadership

• Lead purchasing department providing oversight of all purchasing operations, workflows, and team coordination in fast-paced residential and commercial construction environment
• Manage and design purchasing workflows with responsibility for coordination, delegation, supervision, and quality control of all purchasing functions
• Oversee performance and productivity of purchasing team members and subcontractors while ensuring accuracy of all related documentation
• Coordinate closely with Warehouse Manager to effectively manage inventory across all warehouses supporting construction teams
• Serve as playbook champion, ensuring every purchasing system and procedure is documented and operating effectively
• Schedule material delivery, manage quality control, and maintain key vendor relationships while analyzing productivity requirements and industry benchmarks

Technology & Process Innovation

• Built comprehensive CRM from Monday.com from start to production, deployed company-wide across field operations, subcontractor management, scheduling, estimation, payroll, and customer billing after recognizing existing processes needed transformation
• Manage daily, weekly, monthly KPI reports and eliminate waste across all production areas to minimize variances from construction time and project budgets

Project Coordination Leadership

• Lead project coordination team responsible for coordinating general office operations and scheduling workflows in fast-paced residential and commercial construction environment
• Manage project coordinators who coordinate and schedule internal team members and subcontractor workflows to meet customer production needs through proactive communication
• Oversee customer field representative coordination and internal construction management communication to ensure seamless project delivery
• Supervise material delivery scheduling, quality control processes, and key relationship management across all construction projects
• Ensure work product meets plans, specifications, and quality standards while maintaining safety policy compliance and industry requirements
• Manage warranty claim reviews and coordinate scheduling of warranty work per customer requirements

Business Development & Stakeholder Relations

• Cultivate strong relationships with team members, external vendors, subcontractors, inspectors, and customers to ensure satisfaction and keep projects on schedule
• Identify and develop relationships with customer key professionals to support existing business relationships and generate new opportunities
• Work with leadership team to implement business development initiatives and represent company at networking functions
• Establish profitable relationships with decision makers and identify strategic partnerships

Risk Management & Compliance

• Analyze, manage and mitigate risks while maintaining comprehensive insurance portfolio and coordinating annual audits
• Ensure security, integrity, and confidentiality of data across all operations
• Monitor safety rules while promoting safe workplace and elevating issues of concern immediately

Passionate about driving operational excellence in residential construction through strategic financial oversight, seamless project coordination, and fostering a positive work environment where teams thrive.

Govern all financial and administrative infrastructure of company and 16 commercial real estate projects simultaneously, valued at up to $132M each. Lead end-to-end compliance adherence for all employees and executives to regulatory agencies, GAAP accounting protocols, tax readiness, and accounting best practices. Create construction WIP (work-in-progress) reports, detailing bids, budgets, forecasts, gross margins, expense targets, insurance, warranties, change orders, etc.) Build and track monthly all schedule of values, lien releases, and retainages, perform GL entries, prepare comp audits, enter all cost coding, and prepare for all tax filings.

• Fiscal Management: Own all AP/AR duties, IT procurement, contract administration, vendor RFPs, vetting, insurance verifications, and billing, manage credit lines and cash receipts, and conduct month-end close, complete credit card, cell phone, and account reconciliations, prepare balance sheets, and cash flow projections
• Executive Leadership: Own sole sign-off approval on all projects prior to execution, certifying all data is correct
• HR Administration: Calculate and administrate payroll, bonus distributions, FMLA, COBRA, healthcare insurance, retirement, disability, auto allowances, new hire paperwork, onboarding, and drug screenings
• Collaboration Verve: Partner with construction project managers to secure data and scheduling details used to prepare reports and fiscal forecasts. Build tenacious, proactive rapport to enable on-time delivery of milestones
• Agility Acumen: Balance ambiguous, ever-shifting priorities with dexterity and even temperament, never losing sight of actionable steps, big picture, and granular but still vital details
• Integration Successes: Establish integrity and reliability; earn leadership trust via approachability, exceptional work products, and focus on strong relationships that ensure forward momentum
• Data Mining: Analyze and evaluate information and information gaps, from wide array of sources, to extract and confirm/reconcile conflicts, disseminate high-level information, and address underlying needs
• Trend Analysis: Remain current on latest financial industry developments and trends to identify areas of improvement needed to direct operations, disperse information, and safeguard optimal choices

Oversaw all company administrative operations, including bookkeeping, HR, facilities, and purchasing. Managed budgets, P&L, and AP/AR, prepared and filed payroll and sales taxes, completed accurate credit card and bank reconciliations, owned invoicing, collections, and Workers' Comp claims. Balanced daily sales transactions and reconciled transactions against reports. Led recruiting, interviewing, hiring, interpersonal mediations, performance improvement reporting, and termination paperwork. Drove public, web, and customer communications, managed insurance company engagements, and governed vendor relations. Managed database updates, received and processed mail, developed and implemented policies and procedures, and purchased office supplies.

• Unshakable Initiative: Self-direct delivery of all commitments, raise concerns early to guarantee quickest resolutions and safeguard internal stakeholder/customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Culture Champion: Earned respect and enthusiastic compliance from teams via careful conversation framing, consistency, and recognition, which provided much needed sense of inclusion and pride
• Leadership: Participated in key decisions as member of senior administrative team, negotiated and managed vendor contracts, and oversaw employee benefit plans with emphasis on maximizing cost-effectiveness
• Financial Planning: Issued timely and complete financial statements, managed production of annual budget and forecasts, calculated budget variances and provided financial analysis

Led staff management, administration, and operations for five sites with 10-14 employees each, serving 500-700 clients per year. Transitioned processes from family-owned startup to world-class business by developing protocols and standards, conducting team trainings, and expertly educating staff on diplomacy and tact.

• Financial Administration: Directed AP/AR, legal, HR, P&L, GL entries, tax withholding, advances, payroll, garnishments, e-payments, FMLA, comp planning, reporting, benefits support, and bank reconciliations
• Leadership Polish: Role-modeled always-available visibility and hands-on participation with each client and employee to strengthen bonds and trust. Developed face-to-face relationships with key contacts - solving problems and adjusting communication style for each person
• Legal Processes: Provided consistent, trustworthy, independent supervision of administrative business practices, maintaining 100% knowledge of applicable HR, OSHA, Workers' Comp, and other laws
• Process Reengineering: Made aggressive but prudent changes to close processes based on extensive reviews of systems and workflows that reduced laborious corrections and improved speed and accuracy