Maggie Shortness
Aurora,USA
Summary
Dynamic risk management professional with extensive experience at DeSpir Logistics, LLC, excelling in high-value freight transportation. Proven expertise in carrier cargo insurance analysis and contract negotiation, coupled with strong leadership and training skills. Committed to enhancing operational efficiency and compliance while fostering collaborative relationships across teams.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
2025
2025
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Substitute Office Professional
West Aurora School District 129
Aurora, IL
11.2025 - Current
- Acts as liaison between school principals and parents.
- Works with parents in order to communicate and explain district policies and procedures.
- Organizes files, develops spreadsheets, faxes reports and scans documents to improve organizational workflow.
- Answers and directs phone calls to appropriate staff members.
- Handles incoming and outgoing mail and packages, including preparation for shipping.
- Facilitates internal communication by distributing memos and announcements.
- Supports bookkeeping tasks such as invoicing and expense tracking.
- Monitors student absences and attendance.
- Tracks daily attendance for 500+ students.
- Provides customer service, addressing inquiries and resolving issues promptly.
- Conducts data entry tasks with a high level of accuracy and efficiency.
- On-site liaison for after school programs.
- Creates onboarding materials for newly hired substitute office professionals.
Theater Dept Production Assist
Fox Valley Park District
Aurora, IL
09.2025 - Current
- Assists Theater Coordinator and Theater Supervisor in all ad hoc production assignments for multiple youth and adult productions.
- Assists in casting calls and auditions, organizing participant information efficiently.
- Monitors production quality, identifying and addressing issues promptly.
- Supports costume and prop departments in preparation and maintenance tasks.
- Supports directors and producers with ad-hoc tasks, improving overall production efficiency.
- Maintains a clean and safe production environment, adhering to health and safety standards.
- Organizes and coordinates key communications between cast and technical crew.
- Escorts actors and actresses to and from various locations during pre-production and production.
- In room support for youth and adult performers.
- Assists with cast registration and payment processing/discrepancies during pre-production.
- Key contact for checking/checking out during all rehearsals and performances.
- Delivers messages to various crew members to coordinate communications.
Independent Contractor
DeSpir Logistics, LLC
Lisle, IL
10.2024 - 08.2025
- Advised and collaborated with Risk Manager and Risk Management Specialists as well as Senior Procurement Specialists to mitigate risk as it relates to High Value Freight Transportation
- Collaborated with Risk Management Team to create documented GDP approved new standard operating procedures
- Reviewed all insurance exclusions for high value cargo liability and advised procurement to drive capacity
- Analyzed and confirmed commodity coverage
- Communicated commodity coverage to procurement staff
- Collaborated with Insurance Brokers, Agents, and Underwriting Departments to verify auto and liability coverages
- Provided continued guidance to procurement and carrier sales staff in order to maintain carrier accounts and complete carrier registration
- COI/Insurance system updates
- Carrier vetting and onboarding via various platforms and ongoing review of carriers’ FMCSA Status
Field Consultant, Accounting
LaSalle Network
Oakbrook, IL
07.2024 - 11.2024
- Reconciled accounts, managed payments and payment schedules for AP Departments in various industries
- Handled high volume accounts receivables for multiple vendors across the country
- Followed up with payment issues, resolved disputes to assist with full cycle of billing and collections
- Vendor management in various accounting programs
- Cash Applications
- Credit Specialist
- Credit Card Reconciliation
- Managed billing for multiple markets
- Processed payments through various internal accounting software
- Tracked and reported on payment history
- Maintained and supported Excel sales and financial forecasting tool which pulled information from many external sources
- Created various reports for different departments
- Assisted Staff Accountants with Month/Year End closing entries
- Assisted Accounting Team in report preparation, audit preparation, and participation
Accounts Receivable/Deductions Specialist
OSI Group
North Aurora, IL
03.2024 - 07.2024
- SME on customer invoicing requirements and deductions
- Help support the centralization of all manual/misc. invoicing including the creation and maintenance of approval workflows
- Prepare manual invoices and deliver to the customer in required format, paper, EDI, or portal.
- Resolve daily any invoicing errors
- Review customer submitted deductions for validity daily and clear in both Adesso and SAP
- Audit for held invoices or missing price invoices daily
- Work with internal business partners (IT, Invoicing, etc.), customers and AR supervisor to improve invoicing accuracy
- Monitor individual metrics to ensure performance is aligned with individual and departmental goals
- Create and maintain desk procedures including customer specific knowledge and instruction
- Strive to maintain excellent customer relations through professional conduct
- Support internal and external audits as requested by AR Supervisor
Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable Consultant
Robert Half
Oakbrook, IL
03.2024 - 04.2024
- Reconcile accounts, manage payments and payment schedules for AP Departments in various industries
- Handle high volume accounts receivables for multiple vendors across the country
- Follow up with payment issues, resolve disputes to assist with full cycle of billing and collections
- Vendor management in various accounting programs
- Manage billing for multiple markets
- Process payments through various internal accounting software
- Track and report on payment history
- Maintain and support Excel sales and financial forecasting tool which pulled information from many external sources
- Create various reports for different departments
- Assist Staff Accountants with Month/Year End closing entries
- Assist Accounting Team in report preparation, audit preparation, and participation
Accounts Receivable Specialist
Charger Global Logistics
Brampton, ON
05.2023 - 01.2024
- Communicate with customers regarding new customer setup
- Monitor customer account details for non-payment, delayed payments and other irregularities and update payments/reconciliation in Sage 300 and Highradius Collections Management Software
- Investigate delinquent receivables accounts by communicating with customers via email and phone
- Provide daily feedback to Management
- Prepare and submit weekly outstanding receivables reports
- Follow established procedures for processing cash receipts and account credits/debits
- Record all checks in customer files
- Maintain and update customer files in the accounting system
- Notify management of collection disputes and escalation items and provide management with detailed status of aged receivables
- Coordinate with Billing to ensure accurate invoicing
- Work with Operations and Legal and various outside providers to resolve billing issues
Senior Risk Management Specialist
DeSpir Logistics, LLC
Lisle, Illinois
04.2020 - 05.2023
- Led and drove process improvement
- Drove Regulatory Compliance
- Drove Risk Mitigation
- Reviewed all insurance exclusions for high value cargo liability and advised procurement to drive capacity
- Communicated commodity coverage to procurement staff
- Provided continued guidance to procurement and carrier sales staff in order to assist in carrier development
- Performed initial review of all new carrier leads in order to forward to procurement for potential new carrier setups
- Trained all Risk Management, Procurement, Carrier Sales, and Operations New Hires on Risk Management Procedures
- COI/Insurance system updates
- QMS Management
- Carrier 411 Support
- DOT Support
- Carrier vetting via various platforms and ongoing review of Carriers FMCSA Status
- Carrier performance – KPI
- Created content for, led and facilitated compliance training
- Claims support
- Theft investigations
- Carrier vetting onboarding
- Ongoing review and revisions for existing process documents
- Security Threat investigations
- Maintained billing databases and spreadsheets updating daily as needed
- Communicated with customers to request payment and arrange payment plans
- Collected payment from customers and accurately record cash applications daily in accounting software.
- Negotiated with customer Financial Controllers in order to improve customer account history and minimize average days to pay
- Created Aging Reports that document overall daily cash collections
- Analyzed Aging Reports and prioritize collections efforts to maximize cash flow
- Updated customer accounts based on payment contact information
- Finalized all customer invoices in internal company accounting software
- Collaborated with Account Managers to properly process invoices for daily and monthly closings
- Negotiated with customers in order to resolve customer invoice disputes
- Promoted transitioning to ACH payments for customers who are set up for check payments to improve cash flow
- Collaborated with Operations Teams in order to resolve customer disputes and improve collections
- Reported outstanding collections issues daily with Senior Leadership in order to resolve disputes and avoid write offs
- Teamed with Accounting Manager and Company Partners in order to perform monthly closings
Accounting Associate
Fastmore Logistics, LLC
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
04.2017 - 10.2019
- Supervised and advised Compliance Specialist who is responsible for daily monitoring/auditing of RMIS, (Registry Monitoring Insurance Services), carrier registration database
- Reviewed ad hoc projects completed by Compliance Specialist
- Ensured compliance with all regulatory standards
- Increased employee safety awareness by creating and facilitating web-based and in-person comprehensive and consistent training (regulatory and company mandated)
- Coordinated safety activities and training to ensure implementation of safety awareness and compliance programs
- Collaborated with CFO regarding companywide Compliance issues to improve processes
- Facilitated communication/cooperation between management/employees on compliance issues
- Provided direction on safety/compliance programs and procedures based on organizational goals and policies
- Generated financial and operational reports for management review, identifying issues and reporting results
- Performed financial audits of customer and vendor accounts by reviewing contractual terms and ensuring all accounting terms were properly followed
- Performed operational audits of customer and vendor accounts to ensure that all contractual terms and safety standards were being followed across lines of services
- Created, monitored and implemented safety/compliance policies and procedures
- Conducted investigations of current procedures and amended as needed
- Collaborated with department managers on current procedures and amended as needed to improve efficiency and decrease risk related behaviors
- Attended Safety seminars to stay current with FMCSA and OSHA Rules and Regulations
- Collaborated with HR to ensure all facilities met conformance with all corporate, state and federal safety/health standards
- Maintained Compliance Department email and processed requests as needed
- Reviewed and negotiated customer and carrier agreements as needed
- Collaborated with contracted attorney and insurance broker during contract negotiations as needed
Business Services Tax Team Assistant
PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP)
Chicago, Illinois
01.2012 - 03.2017
- Assisted Midwest Project Management Drivers as needed in order to track engagement team budget to actual activity
- Compiled and analyzed monthly and biweekly reports to compare engagement activity using Microsoft Exceland FlexForecast Engagement Tracking Tool leadership data
- Responded to inquiries on engagement management tools such as FlexForecast and Mobile T&E in order to improve team metrics
- Sent monthly email communications to engagement teams regarding time capture and Flexforecast project tracking compliance metrics to improve firm business unit metrics
- Processed billing and financial reporting using GFS database
- Facilitated training for the Greater Chicago Market on such databases as WebEx Meeting Portal, Iris Client Relationship Manager, GFS financial database, Mobile T&E, and FlexForecast Engagement Management
- Processed monthly ADP Payroll and prepared various payroll reports for three Japanese clients utilizing Microsoft Excel and ADP Payroll database
- Prepared Iris opportunities, activities, subscriptions, and reports
- Xlos Iris Peer Mentor for Greater Chicago Market responsible for troubleshooting for xlos staff and communicated firm updates and best practices
- Acted as Backup Coordinator each month for the Chicago Tax Business Services Team
- Assisted with document branding for client services staff utilizing Microsoft Powerpoint and Word
Accounts Receivable Billing Manager
Gabriel Environmental Services
Chicago, Illinois
09.2006 - 09.2009
- Prepared invoices upon request and matched to Purchase Orders for approval
- Scanned invoices and transmitted to third-party accounting services for payment processing
- Prepared daily bank deposits
- Analyzed vendor accounts via AR Aging Reports and maintained AR Reports and Files
- Teamed with Managers, Vice President, and President to promote billing and perform monthly closings
- Maintained contact with all clients to ensure timely payment and guarantee future business
- Researched client history via County Assessor and Secretary of State web sites
- Prepared Mechanics Liens, Lien Releases, and Partial and Final Lien Waivers
Bookkeeper/Tax Assistant
The Accounting Firm of George Sterling, CPA
Aurora, Illinois
- Performed daily accounts receivable tasks and data entry utilizing Quickbooks Accounting Software and Microsoft Excel
- Processed daily bank deposits and prepared monthly Bank Reconciliations utilizing Quickbooks Accounting Software
- Communicated with clients to ensure proper status and classifications of account activity and verify discrepancies
- Assisted in preparation of Individual and Corporate Income Tax Forms
Education
Income Tax Preparation 1
Turbo Tax Intuit Academy
United StatesMasters Certificate Program – Mini MBA - Business Administration and Management
Loyola University Chicago Quinlan Graduate School of Business
Bachelor's - Business Administration, Concentration in Organizational Development and Leadership
Loyola University Chicago
Skills
- High Value/Pharma/Electronics Logistics Risk Management
- Carrier Cargo and Auto Insurance Analysis
- Carrier Cargo and Auto Exclusions Analysis
- Accounts Receivable and Payables Management
- Cash Applications/Account Reconciliation
- Credit Specialist
- Bill Review, Processing and Reporting
- Accounting Processes Auditing
- Major Software/Systems Implementations
- Testing/Documentation
- Tax Processing Administrative Support
- Expense Reporting
- Leadership and Mentoring
- Technical Writing (Manuals/System Specs)
- Financial and Operational Auditing
- Verbal and Written Presentation Skills
- Cargo Claim Management
- Transportation and Safety Compliance
- Contract Management and Negotiation
- Training Program Development
- Training Content Creation
- Training/Instructor/Public Speaking Skills
- Problem Identification and Resolution
Accomplishments
- Promoted from Accounts Receivable Specialist to Lead Risk Management Specialist in under 2 years at DeSpir Logistics
- Named by PwC Business Services Team Leadership as Advanced Subject Matter Specialist Chicago in Finance/Account Billing/myEngage/FlexForecast
- Created, implemented, and led Fastmore Logistics’ first Compliance Department from 2017-2019
- 18 years of professional Accounting Clerk experience with expertise in both financial and operational auditing
- 14 years of professional training and staff development expertise in the use of various internal accounting, compliance, and marketing client relationship management tools
- 5 years of managerial experience in Accounting and Compliance
- 8 years of risk management experience in high value freight
- 8 years of leadership experience in risk mitigation
- 8 years of content creation and training in transportation risk mitigation
- High volume Accounts Receivable specialist responsible for multiple entities aging reports (each aging report totaled $3+ million in receivables)
- Check and ACH payments processed with deposits exceeding $2 million/day
- Processed write-offs, credits, and debits in order to reconcile aging and resolve any account discrepancies, consequently improving billing processes and customer relationships
- Promoted switching customers to ACH in order to decrease days paid and was able to achieve nearly 80% ACH enrollment
- Teamed with Account Managers, Billing Managers and Customer AP Specialists in order to improve EDI invoice submission and decrease average days paid
- Content creator responsible for drafting, maintaining and training of standard operating procedures for AR and Risk Management Specialists for multiple Freight Brokers
Education
other
Technology Summary
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Outlook, Adesso, SAP, Kronos, Talent Management, Keypoint, McLeod, Paylocity, Tradeshift, Uroute, Exworks, Power BI, Adobe, Conquer Expense Management, Litmos, Lotus Notes, FlexForecast Budgeting Tool, Iris Client Relationship Management Tool, Mobile T&E Expense Reporting Tool, Spark, Google (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Hangouts, Teams), Quickbooks, Sage 300, Highradius, ADP, Highway, Freshdesk, RMIS, Carrier Assure, Carrier411, Safer
Timeline
Substitute Office Professional
West Aurora School District 129
11.2025 - Current
Theater Dept Production Assist
Fox Valley Park District
09.2025 - Current
Independent Contractor
DeSpir Logistics, LLC
10.2024 - 08.2025
Field Consultant, Accounting
LaSalle Network
07.2024 - 11.2024
Accounts Receivable/Deductions Specialist
OSI Group
03.2024 - 07.2024
Accounts Receivable/Accounts Payable Consultant
Robert Half
03.2024 - 04.2024
Accounts Receivable Specialist
Charger Global Logistics
05.2023 - 01.2024
Senior Risk Management Specialist
DeSpir Logistics, LLC
04.2020 - 05.2023
Accounting Associate
Fastmore Logistics, LLC
04.2017 - 10.2019
Business Services Tax Team Assistant
PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP)
01.2012 - 03.2017
Accounts Receivable Billing Manager
Gabriel Environmental Services
09.2006 - 09.2009
Bookkeeper/Tax Assistant
The Accounting Firm of George Sterling, CPA
Income Tax Preparation 1
Turbo Tax Intuit Academy
Masters Certificate Program – Mini MBA - Business Administration and Management
Loyola University Chicago Quinlan Graduate School of Business
Bachelor's - Business Administration, Concentration in Organizational Development and Leadership
Loyola University Chicago