Laura Rishel
City of Rockingham Board of Alcohol Control
Rockingham,NC
24
years of professional experience
Dynamic Finance Officer with the City of Rockingham Board of Alcohol Control, adept at optimizing cash flow management and enhancing internal controls. Proven track record in financial forecasting and relationship building, driving significant improvements in reporting accuracy and operational efficiency. Committed to delivering results through strategic planning and proactive decision-making.
Work History
Teacher Assistant
9 Years- Processed accounts payable and receivable transactions, maintaining accurate financial records and supporting timely reconciliations.
- Prepared monthly financial reports, summarizing expenditures, revenues, and ledger activity for management review.
- Reconciled bank statements, cash receipts, and general ledger accounts to ensure reporting accuracy.
- Monitored budget activity, tracking variances and flagging discrepancies for corrective action.
- Supported audit preparation by organizing documentation, verifying transactions, and responding to finance inquiries.
- Managed invoice coding and payment processing, ensuring compliance with municipal accounting procedures.
- Maintained confidential financial files and updated records in accounting systems with precision and consistency.
- Coordinated with internal staff to resolve billing issues, improve workflow, and strengthen financial controls.
- Prepared monthly reconciliation of bank accounts and took corrective actions on deviations.
- Optimized cash flow management, ensuring timely payment of invoices and reducing outstanding debts.
- Improved budget planning and forecasting with thorough analysis of historical data and market trends.
- Streamlined financial processes for increased efficiency and accuracy in reporting.
- Verified compliance of financial policies and accounting procedures against federal regulations.
- Collaborated with team leaders to define standards, policies and procedures to meet company revenue goals.
- Analyzed financial statements against forecasts to prepare high-level variance analysis.
- Established strong relationships with key vendors, negotiating favorable terms to benefit the organization''s bottom line.
- Monitored budget and revenue trends, compiling reports for company leadership to inform decision-making.
- Reduced financial risk by implementing robust internal controls and regular audits.
- Assisted executive leadership in making informed decisions by providing reliable financial forecasts based on rigorous analyses.
- Collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared financial goals and objectives.
- Enhanced internal control systems and procedures to mitigate risk and support opportunities.
- Assisted with recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new department employees.
- Implemented new accounting software system resulting in improved automation and streamlined workflows.
- Boosted stakeholder confidence with transparent communication of financial performance and projections.
- Developed comprehensive financial models to support strategic decision-making for company growth.
- Championed process improvements that led to significant time savings in monthly close procedures without compromising data integrity or accuracy.
- Managed a high-performing finance team, providing mentorship and professional development opportunities to improve overall performance.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements by staying current on industry standards and updating policies accordingly.
- Reduced process discrepancies through measured implementation of performance reporting and data systems.
- Conducted thorough due diligence for potential mergers or acquisitions to ensure sound financial decisions and seamless integration.
- Introduced software tools and process improvements to mitigate loss and drive operational growth.
- Checked payroll, vendor payments, commissions and other accounting disbursements for accuracy and compliance.
- Prepared cash flow projections, cost analysis and monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
- Prepared internal and regulatory financial reports, balance sheets and income statements.
- Established internal audit procedures to validate and improve accuracy of financial reporting.
- Developed strategic plans for day-to-day financial operations.
- Complied with established internal controls and policies.
- Utilized financial software to prepare consolidated financial statements.
- Performed banking, business administration and financial tasks to guarantee five-star service for clients.
- Improved overall financial reporting by streamlining control processes and reporting structures.
- Implemented and regularly reviewed financial controls to generate accurate and reliable financial data.
- Established and checked coding procedures, monitored reports and updated internal files.
Finance Officer
17 Years 10 Months- Processed accounts payable and receivable transactions, maintaining accurate financial records and supporting timely reconciliations.
- Prepared monthly financial reports, summarizing expenditures, revenues, and ledger activity for management review.
- Reconciled bank statements, cash receipts, and general ledger accounts to ensure reporting accuracy.
- Monitored budget activity, tracking variances and flagging discrepancies for corrective action.
- Supported audit preparation by organizing documentation, verifying transactions, and responding to finance inquiries.
- Managed invoice coding and payment processing, ensuring compliance with municipal accounting procedures.
- Maintained confidential financial files and updated records in accounting systems with precision and consistency.
- Coordinated with internal staff to resolve billing issues, improve workflow, and strengthen financial controls.
- Prepared monthly reconciliation of bank accounts and took corrective actions on deviations.
- Optimized cash flow management, ensuring timely payment of invoices and reducing outstanding debts.
- Improved budget planning and forecasting with thorough analysis of historical data and market trends.
- Streamlined financial processes for increased efficiency and accuracy in reporting.
- Verified compliance of financial policies and accounting procedures against federal regulations.
- Collaborated with team leaders to define standards, policies and procedures to meet company revenue goals.
- Analyzed financial statements against forecasts to prepare high-level variance analysis.
- Established strong relationships with key vendors, negotiating favorable terms to benefit the organization''s bottom line.
- Monitored budget and revenue trends, compiling reports for company leadership to inform decision-making.
- Reduced financial risk by implementing robust internal controls and regular audits.
- Assisted executive leadership in making informed decisions by providing reliable financial forecasts based on rigorous analyses.
- Collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams to achieve shared financial goals and objectives.
- Enhanced internal control systems and procedures to mitigate risk and support opportunities.
- Assisted with recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new department employees.
- Implemented new accounting software system resulting in improved automation and streamlined workflows.
- Boosted stakeholder confidence with transparent communication of financial performance and projections.
- Developed comprehensive financial models to support strategic decision-making for company growth.
- Championed process improvements that led to significant time savings in monthly close procedures without compromising data integrity or accuracy.
- Managed a high-performing finance team, providing mentorship and professional development opportunities to improve overall performance.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements by staying current on industry standards and updating policies accordingly.
- Reduced process discrepancies through measured implementation of performance reporting and data systems.
- Conducted thorough due diligence for potential mergers or acquisitions to ensure sound financial decisions and seamless integration.
- Introduced software tools and process improvements to mitigate loss and drive operational growth.
- Checked payroll, vendor payments, commissions and other accounting disbursements for accuracy and compliance.
- Prepared cash flow projections, cost analysis and monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
- Prepared internal and regulatory financial reports, balance sheets and income statements.
- Established internal audit procedures to validate and improve accuracy of financial reporting.
- Developed strategic plans for day-to-day financial operations.
- Complied with established internal controls and policies.
- Utilized financial software to prepare consolidated financial statements.
- Performed banking, business administration and financial tasks to guarantee five-star service for clients.
- Improved overall financial reporting by streamlining control processes and reporting structures.
- Implemented and regularly reviewed financial controls to generate accurate and reliable financial data.
- Established and checked coding procedures, monitored reports and updated internal files.
Education
Para-Professional
High School Diploma
Skills
Bank reconciliation
Financial administration
Accounts payable
Cash flow management
Payroll processing
Internal controls development
Accounts receivable
General ledger accounting
Internal controls
Financial statements
Financial planning
Tax compliance
Revenue recognition
Internal auditing
Account reconciliation
Financial forecasting
Ledger reconciliation
Capital budgeting
Financial audits
Customer service
Attention to detail
Financial reporting
Data analysis
Human resources knowledge
Financial analysis and reporting
Staff management
Planning and coordination
Willing to learn
Proactive and focused
Prioritizing and planning
Financial management
Budget planning
Budget forecasting
Goal setting
Relationship building
Proficient in software program
Cash handling expertise
Process implementation
Accounting management
Critical thinking
Know your customer
Decision-making
Internal controls and reporting systems
Team building leadership
Work planning
Sales professional
Financial information systems
Operational reporting
Fraud prevention
Human resources
Data trending
Fundamental payroll certification (FPC)
Collections actions
Employee training oversight
Workflow coordination
Revenue generation
Financial resource management
Certified municipal finance officer
Risk management
Certified payroll professional
Firm-level financial assessment
Staff training
Adaptable to market fluctuations
Compliance assessment
Certification in risk management assurance (CRMA)
Financial risk manager
Recruitment and hiring
Certified accounts payable practitioner
Relationship building and management
Certified government financial manager
Strategy development
Professional risk manager
Timeline
Finance Officer
City of Rockingham Board of Alcohol Control
09.2003 - 07.2021Read More
Teacher Assistant
Richmond County School System
06.1997 - 06.2006Read More
Richmond County School System
Para-Professional
Read More
Richmond Community College
High School Diploma
Read More