LAWRENCE SUTHERLAND
Finance and Accounting
Alpharetta,GA
Summary
Experienced Finance and Accounting Professional accustomed to C-Level exposure with expertise in the areas of GL Accounting, Month End Close, Financial Planning and Budgeting, Systems Implementation, Revenue Accounting, Accounts Payable, Operational and Financial Reporting, Process Improvement, Analysis, and Change Management
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner - Crabapple Woodworks
Self-employeed
Alpharetta, Georgia
12.2021 - Current
- Craft and construct custom furniture
Senior Associate - Full Time Engagement Practice
Robert Half Management Resources
05.2022 - 09.2023
- Established new accounting close process to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
- Created comprehensive reporting package for external investors and lenders.
- Assisted in implementation of SAGE accounting platform to streamline financial operations.
Manager of Rev Accounting, Fin Planning, Bus Mgr
Cox Enterprises (Cox Automotive and Autotrader)
Atlanta, Georgia
05.2005 - 10.2021
- Oversaw invoicing operations totaling approximately $1.5 billion annually.
- Developed operational KPIs and reporting metrics for billing and collections efficiency.
- Managed vendor relationships for sales tax, electronic bill presentment, and third-party collections.
- Directed integration of accounting activities from five systems into one following acquisitions.
- Established monthly reviews to enhance collaboration between Billing and IT departments.
- Led write-off processes in coordination with internal collections teams to optimize recovery.
- Recruited staff for Accounting Center of Excellence to enhance team capabilities.
- Produced comprehensive financial reports for month-end close and variance analysis.
Senior Budget Analyst
Infor Global Solutions
Alpharetta, Georgia
09.2004 - 05.2005
- Spearheaded implementation of Cognos Finance, enhancing financial reporting capabilities.
- Executed global budget and forecast reporting to analyze performance against actuals.
Finance and Accounting Manager
Railcar LTD
Atlanta, Georgia
05.2002 - 08.2004
- Achieved over $1M in recoveries through individual deal analyses.
- Reengineered maintenance accounting processes, resulting in more than $2M in recoveries.
- Managed accounts payable and receivable functions to maintain financial accuracy.
Manager - Financial Analysis and Reporting
INEOS Phenol
Atlanta, GA
08.2000 - 05.2002
- Conducted analysis for North American entity, reporting directly to Chief Financial Officer.
- Generated financial reports for parent companies, adhering to German GAAP, UK GAAP, and IAS standards.
- Evaluated proposed spending and projects to ensure optimal capital investment and return on investment.
Financial Operations Analyst
S1 Corporation (Project Assignment)
Atlanta, Georgia
03.2000 - 05.2002
- Developed and implemented a costing model for hosting services function.
Executed delivery of hosting services as an outsourcing product for S1 customers.
Facilitated end-user data storage for financial institution clients through effective planning.
Senior Financial Analyst
Coca-Cola Company
Atlanta, Georgia
02.1997 - 03.2000
- Coordinated and analyzed annual business plan and rolling estimate for Fountain Division's capital projects.
- Prepared status reports on $2 million contingency fund and year-to-date capital spending commitments.
- Delivered financial support for Coca-Cola Nestlé Refreshment joint venture, including economic analysis.
- Compiled business plans and financial results for management review at Nestlé Corporation.
Education
BBA - Accounting
Georgia State University
Atlanta03-1997
BA - Poli Sci, Minor Econ and History
Auburn University
08-1991
Skills
- Financial planning and analysis
- Financial modeling
- Process improvement
- Revenue recognition
- Data analysis
- Month-end close
- Balance sheet analysis
- KPI reporting and dashboards
- Systems implementation
- General ledger management
- Internal controls
- Account consolidation and integration
- CAPEX management
- Contract review
- Variance analysis
- Board deck preparation
- External audit leadership
- Lease accounting
- Operational reporting
- Legal support for dispute resolution
- Offshore team training and management
- Oracle EBS expertise (journal entries and close)
- Hyperion Essbase and Smartview proficiency
- Great Plains expertise (journal entries and close)
- Oracle RMB proficiency (revenue management and billing)
- PeopleSoft knowledge
- HFM expertise (Hyperion financial management)
- Blackline proficiency (account reconciliations)
- Advanced MS Excel skills (including VBA)
- Oracle OBIEE proficiency (reporting and analysis)
- MS PowerPoint proficiency
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Senior Associate - Full Time Engagement Practice
Robert Half Management Resources
05.2022 - 09.2023
Owner - Crabapple Woodworks
Self-employeed
12.2021 - Current
Manager of Rev Accounting, Fin Planning, Bus Mgr
Cox Enterprises (Cox Automotive and Autotrader)
05.2005 - 10.2021
Senior Budget Analyst
Infor Global Solutions
09.2004 - 05.2005
Finance and Accounting Manager
Railcar LTD
05.2002 - 08.2004
Manager - Financial Analysis and Reporting
INEOS Phenol
08.2000 - 05.2002
Financial Operations Analyst
S1 Corporation (Project Assignment)
03.2000 - 05.2002
Senior Financial Analyst
Coca-Cola Company
02.1997 - 03.2000
BBA - Accounting
Georgia State University
BA - Poli Sci, Minor Econ and History
Auburn University
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