Lorie Ann Bush
St Augustine,USA
Summary
Results-oriented professional with 15+ years of experience in the areas of Accounting, Finance, & Auditing, including corporate positions in Fortune 500 companies. Expertise across diverse industries such as retail, manufacturing, distribution, healthcare, insurance, and hotel businesses. Proven ability to lead and train a dynamic staff with hands-on problem-solving expertise, while motivating & cultivating business partnerships. Able to incorporate strong analytical & automation skills to lighten workflow with process improvement and risk management & ITGC SOX/SOC compliance initiatives. Created databases for detailed item cost and optimal pricing models, managed financial statements, budgets, and provided strategic insight to future outcome & profitability. Performed Sarbanes-Oxley IT compliance audits, SOCI,II, & evaluated potential risks. Demonstrated success in managing all phases of inventory control in manufacturing and in converting inventory item costs to Oracle from a legacy system. Energetic team player with proven success in effectively communicating with key players at all levels of management, resulting in consensus decisions to mitigate risks and overcome old paradigms. Independent self-starter and dedicated achiever who assumes ownership to deliver excellent quality results.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
2
2
Certification
Work History
Lead IT Systems Internal Auditor/SOX Coordinator
Allstate Ins.
Chicago, USA
10.2010 - Current
- Introduced Regulatory Governance of the IT GRC audit standards and general controls (ITGC) for Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) (SOC) NAIC Compliance
- Implemented the COBIT 5.0 framework while monitoring the IT security and SDLC risks to prevent/mitigate unauthorized changes to systems and applications
- Established IT controls based on policies, objectives, processes, and procedures relevant to preventing/managing/mitigating risks per the ISO/IEC 27001/NIST 800-53 IT Security/Privacy frameworks (PDCA)
- Created IT SOX control descriptions, audit test plans, risk control ranking matrixes, walkthroughs, & automated reports for the SDLC, AGILE, SCRUM change management process and system security
- Helped company become SOC I (SSAE 16) compliant and worked with external auditors
- Tested ITGC controls in the COBIT 5 domains for SDLC/Security: information requirements, impact financial, interface, and security assessments, testing of changes/deviations, final acceptance testing, and control of changes
- Wrote business proposals for improvement opportunities
- Designed Business End User Regression and SCR test plans for PDLC implementation of new products
- Facilitated project meetings as Testing Coordinator and Leader of daily SCRUM meetings and discussed critical tasks and daily test plans with key players
- Reviewed progress and accomplishments, learning lessons from prior implementations, potential risks and obstacles with action plans for mitigation
- Logged/Resolved critical issues and escalated to senior level management when needed
- Lead Coordinator for Deloitte & State Insurance Audits, Mirror Certifications, Annual Information Security Reverification, Data Retention/ Classification /Privacy Asset management process
- Reported the weekly status updates / roadblocks of projects to senior management
- Worked with managers to meet aggressive deadlines and goals
- Received Recognition for Leading Special projects
- Volunteered for VP for Special Projects: Risk Universe risk rating studies, Disaster Recovery Testing, Lead Sub Committee, Trained/Onboarded new Systems, SOX Control Optimization Project, Change Management Exception Reporting Project, Allstate Helping Hands, Root Cause Problem Solving Sessions
- Implemented process improvement strategies to improve the effectiveness/efficiencies of the business operations via flowcharts for SOX
- Elected Employee of the Month of September 2012
Senior Financial Compliance Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
Jacksonville, USA
06.2008 - 10.2010
- Performed Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) SEC Compliance Audits for system applications and interfaces (PeopleSoft HRMS/Financials), pharmacy (POS, PARS, PDX, PSGL), general computer controls, security, restricted access (OMI Suite, MVS), & manual accounting controls to mandate proper internal control and procedures for financial reporting
- Reduced potential corporate fraud by increasing the stringency of the controls
- Communicated with all levels of management to design and implement improvements
- Enforced Section 302 and 404 of the SOX Act for officer certifications on fairly represented financial disclosures and tested key controls in departments for external auditors to mandate and ensure effectiveness
- Responsible for records retention
- Created trend models for WAZAGUA claims by store as system administrator for both the Board and Executive team and reported on highly confidential & sensitive financial data
- Held weekly meeting to train staff
- Uncovered a procedural OMI Biceps manual to eliminate a 5 year 'security userid profile' audit failure with process improvement recommendations while remaining independent on the audit engagement
- Created process improvement flow diagrams and documentation for departments to satisfy Sarbanes-Oxley requirements and identified key controls for auditing significant accounts and high-risk areas
- Consistently lauded for ability to reduce time & automated Board WAZAGUA reports
- Developed ERM risk assessment matrix to measure likelihood and impact in the risk universe
Regional Finance Manager (for GA, SC, TN & AL MFG Plants)
Hanson Pipe and Precast
Green Cove Springs, USA
01.2006 - 06.2008
- Company Overview: A Manufacturing Division of Heidelberg Cement
- Responsible for the Financial/Operational Southeast Regional Profit and Loss (P&L) statement results ($10B Annual Revenue) for 11 plants and reported on budget/actual variances & cost trends
- Supported the financial analysis needs of the Regional VP and President
- Facilitated per rate forecasts and budgets
- Prepared capital expenditures for 36 plants ($50MM) as a Capital Projects Manager and projected ROI and payback to ensure maximum return
- Tracked depreciation/fixed assets by plant
- Supervised and trained a diverse staff and problem solved with plant operational/commercial managers & teams
- Monitored areas for process improvement initiatives; implemented efficient solutions to problematic areas on finished goods/raw materials inventory valuation costs and usage discrepancies
- Converted historical product item costing/pricing data for products from a legacy system to a new Oracle/UPC system
- Analyzed pipe/precast material item costs/unit
- Handled new hiring; compiled National Concrete surveys
- A Manufacturing Division of Heidelberg Cement
- Managed aggressive and stringent deadlines, 11 plant managers and mentored plant personnel
- Identified missing new item master product codes to reduce variable cost/inventory variances from substituting items in production
- Identified $2MM in obsolete inventory in the manufacturing environment
Senior Financial Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
Jacksonville, USA
04.2004 - 01.2006
- Provided strategic financial support to company managers and directors to achieve financial goals and objectives
- Analyzed manufacturing financial statements and prepared budget variance explanations and ad-hoc reports
- Forecasted weekly P&L profitability by plant and set KPI sales and volume goals for category and plant managers based on performance trends and future expectations
- Calculated savings on plants sold and compared before/after financial market transfer price scenarios
- Coordinated with external auditors/consultants & prepared the new footprint by restructuring the Mfg
- Budget & forecast based on disposal plans
- Created annual Corporate Brands item-level budget by dept-id, category, & sub-category
- Eliminated corporate brand up-charge/warehouse overbilling company-wide while documenting the before & after scenarios
- Succeeded in overcoming a 20-year-old company paradigm
- Revamped the manufacturing financial statements
Senior Cost Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
Jacksonville, USA
02.2003 - 04.2004
- Forecasted P&L weekly and monthly projections for senior management in a manufacturing environment to track business activities against KPI expectations
- Facilitated the budgeting process at a unit level basis
- Implemented accurate product costing methods and financial variance reports to coordinate plant month-end closing process
- Managed two analysts and recruited on Career Day for H.R
- Assisted in price studies for potential outside sales
- Responsible for preparing the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) spending requests for the plants
- Implemented CAPEX/Fixed Asset policies
- Created ABC per unit costing and pricing structure models for all manufactured/corporate brands products to determine break-even points, profitability and/or risks
- Negotiated optimal pricing cost-plus strategies and deal initiatives
Assistant Controller/Cost Accountant
Lafarge North America
Palatka, USA
09.2000 - 02.2003
- Company Overview: Manufacturing
- Processed month-end closing, finished goods/raw material inventories, prepared financial statements and reported on monthly results, account variances, and KPI’s
- Analyzed balance sheet accounts
- Managed office staff and administered company policies and procedures
- Analyzed product costing and pricing and reported daily shipments, production, and raw material usages
- Prepared annual budgets and approved spending for capital projects
- Reconciled and paid state sales and use taxes
- Manufacturing
- Consistently lauded for ability to reduce time and automate reports
- Received nationwide company recognition for developing databases for automation of the manufacturing & distribution areas to expedite efficiency, leading to software system module updates
- Created Excel spreadsheets to analyze raw material and gas daily usage rates
Information Systems Auditor
Winn-Dixie Stores
Jacksonville, USA
01.2000 - 09.2000
- Audited the IT Systems in the various business units representing the retail, warehousing, & manufacturing areas
- Reported the overall risk assessment based on audit findings and recommendations
- Monitored the implementation of the PeopleSoft HRMS from a legacy system
- Audited retail stores & DC markets for compliance
- Identified $2MM in obsolete warehouse inventory on an auditing assignment
- Standardized the audit reporting process
Internal IT Auditor/Pricing Analyst
Rite Aid Corporation
Camp Hill, USA
10.1998 - 01.2000
- Company Overview: Corporate
- Responsible for reviewing company records and operations for safeguarding company assets
- Special emphasis: contract, store construction, & IT auditing
- Streamlined corporate procedures and tightened operation controls by identifying and mitigating key areas of operating risk
- Reported on IT audit conclusions based on field work, findings, and recommendations that identified system improvements to strengthen the internal controls
- Used Audit Cost Language (ACL) and Digital Analysis software to detect fraud patterns; Assigned special projects, such as auditing the data warehouse and year-end assignments with external auditors
- Prepared store observations/reconciled retail inventory book to physical variances
- Corporate
- Automated the tracking of product groups belonging to various category managers
Information Analyst
HealthAmerica
Harrisburg, USA
10.1997 - 10.1998
- Provided on-going Business Support Services, reporting, and database development for process improvements for the Customer Service Call Center Insurance Group (CSG)
- Processed daily time-sensitive claims
- Reported claims inventory, production, phonics, receipts, and the quality feedback information on a weekly basis in a healthcare environment for 500+ employees
- This aided in determining increases in team salary and bonuses
- Served as help desk and handled all CSG discrepancies
- Produced ad-hoc requests for Senior Management in a timely manner
- Volunteered to assist the Information Systems Department in Network Support to the CSG Group
Accountant
Penn National Insurance
Harrisburg, USA
06.1995 - 10.1997
- Introduced automated procedures in a manual environment to lighten workflow
- Created documentation on technical procedures and held classes to effectively train on process improvements
- Analyzed, reconciled, and maintained the general ledger accounts in a CICS system environment
- Reconciled bank statements, prepared journal entries, future projections, and standard reports
- Monitored late accounts receivable payments and discrepancies in a billing atmosphere to agent policy holders
- Assisted outside auditors with annual reports and due diligence
- Handled account reconciliation, enforced underwriting policies and procedures
- Provided customer service via phone and written correspondence
Education
Master of Business Administration -
The Jacksonville University (JU)
Jacksonville, FL12.2002
Bachelor of Science - Professional Accountancy, Concentration in Computer Science/Mgmt Info Systems
The Pennsylvania State University (PSU)
Middletown, PA12.1995
Skills
- Sarbanes Oxley IT Compliance (COBIT)
- Agile/Scrum/Waterfall Compliance
- Process Improvement
- Leadership
- Report Automation Expertise
- Reg Compliance & Governance
- Risk Management & Compliance
- Alteryx Report Building
- External/Internal Audit Expertise
- Disaster Recovery Testing
- Analytical Mindset
- Client Focused
- Change Agility
- Holistic Problem Solver/ Self-Starter
- IT Security Reverification
- Data Retention
- Privacy Expertise
- Profit & Loss Variance Analysis
- Budgeting/ Forecasting/KPI’s
- Month-End Closing/Reporting
- Capital Expenditures ROI/Payback
- Developed Audit Plans/Scopes
- Cost & Pricing Models
- Alteryx Report building
- Building Database Modules for JD Edwards
Certification
- Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE), ISACA, #2111568, 02/15/21
- Certified Information System Auditor (CISA), ISACA, #17140273, 06/23/17
Community Service
- Hospitality Co-Director Board Member for ISACA JAX FL Chapter as of 07/2022
- Finisher in 26.2 with Donna ½ Marathon & Gate River 15K Run
- Volunteer at Seamark Ranch, Clara White, Celebration Church, Compassion Intl, etc.
- Home-School Instructor
- Tutored others in Advanced Accounting, Computer Science, Algebra, Calculus
- Allstate Ambassador
- Past Girl Scout Leader
- Published Poet
- FBLA Business Award /Recognition - 4 Years Top High Honors
- Model Ambassador for Jewelry TV (JTV), SARDA
- CPA Exam Eligible
Timeline
Lead IT Systems Internal Auditor/SOX Coordinator
Allstate Ins.
10.2010 - Current
Senior Financial Compliance Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
06.2008 - 10.2010
Regional Finance Manager (for GA, SC, TN & AL MFG Plants)
Hanson Pipe and Precast
01.2006 - 06.2008
Senior Financial Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
04.2004 - 01.2006
Senior Cost Analyst
Winn-Dixie Stores
02.2003 - 04.2004
Assistant Controller/Cost Accountant
Lafarge North America
09.2000 - 02.2003
Information Systems Auditor
Winn-Dixie Stores
01.2000 - 09.2000
Internal IT Auditor/Pricing Analyst
Rite Aid Corporation
10.1998 - 01.2000
Information Analyst
HealthAmerica
10.1997 - 10.1998
Accountant
Penn National Insurance
06.1995 - 10.1997
Master of Business Administration -
The Jacksonville University (JU)
Bachelor of Science - Professional Accountancy, Concentration in Computer Science/Mgmt Info Systems
The Pennsylvania State University (PSU)
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