Michele DiPalo
Middle Island
Summary
Dynamic Accounts Payable Analyst with a strong foundation in accounting and financial reporting. Proven track record of leading teams through successful operational transitions and implementing process improvements that reduced invoice processing time by 30%. Committed to leveraging analytical problem-solving skills to enhance organizational success.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Accounts Payable Analyst Blue Point Brewing
Tilray Brands
Patchogue
09.2024 - 02.2026
- Led AP team in takeover of 12 breweries, ensuring smooth transition of financial operations.
- Managed full-cycle accounts payable process, including invoice processing, payment approvals, and vendor reconciliation.
- Implement process improvements that reduced invoice processing time by 30%.
- Contributed to implementation of SAP Concur, enhancing efficiency in expense management.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.
- Developed comprehensive expense reports for senior management, identifying potential cost reduction and process improvement opportunities.
- Managing month-end closing procedures, ensuring all invoices are accurately entered into the accounting system within designated timeframes.
- Coordinated annual 1099 reporting process for accurate tax filing purposes, minimizing potential penalties due to noncompliance or late submissions.
- Blue Point Brewing, Patchogue NY- Remote
Accountant Blue Point Brewing
Anheuser-Busch (Craft Beer)/ Randstad Staffing
Patchogue
10.2015 - 09.2024
- Implemented internal control processes at newly acquired brewery to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
- Developed comprehensive budgets and forecasts for financial planning.
- Led software integration into SAP/Obeer and developed reporting capabilities to enhance financial oversight.
- Prepared journal entries, and account/ balance sheet reconciliations, lead month end close processes.
- Directed the check-run process.
- Coded invoices and set up new vendors ensuring compliance, bank verification.
- Led AP team in the successful takeover of 8 breweries, ensuring a smooth transition of financial operations.
- Streamlined accounts payable functions across breweries by implementing new procedures, improving workflow and accuracy.
- Processed 1,000+ invoices monthly with a high level of accuracy and efficiency.
- Review T&E Expenses and corporate credit card procedures.
- Performed thorough fixed asset reconciliation and reclassification tasks.
- Lead Accountant in finalization of Capital Expansion.
- Negotiated lease agreements and contracts to secure favorable terms.
- Blue Point Brewing, Patchogue NY- Hybrid
Senior Operational Accountant
First Data
Melville
02.2013 - 10.2014
- Recorded daily credit card processing exceeding 1 billion dollars across two processing platforms.
- Record all cash transactions for multiple bank accounts for both processing platforms.
- Reconcile all balance sheet accounts pertaining to the recording of credit card transactions to the sub ledger activity.
- Facilitated relocation of operational accounting to NY office, ensuring seamless transition and continuity.
- Voluntarily parted with the company to take on a full-time parenting role after maternity leave.
- Melville, NY
Accounting Manager
Corporate Resource Services, Inc
New York
09.2011 - 05.2012
- Managed accounting staff and led month-end, quarter-end, and year-end closes for two company divisions.
- Financial statement preparation and variance analysis.
- Processed payroll for temporary employees, issuing up to 3000 checks weekly.
- Reviewed and coded expense reports, ensuring accurate taxable reimbursements.
- Maintain software, Chart of Accounts, security and financial reports.
- The company failed to comply with Federal and NYS tax reporting regulations, resulting in an investigation by both Federal and State tax divisions.
- New York, NY
Temporary Senior Accountant
The Related Companies/Accounting Principles
06.2011 - 09.2011
- Prepared month-end close, financial reports, and consolidated analysis for multiple entities.
- Process and account for incoming and outgoing wires, distributions, contributions and capital transfers; unrealized and realized gain recognition on investments, notes receivable and payable schedules.
- Eliminations, capital account reconciliations, cash flow statements.
- Facilitated transition from manual consolidations to internal software, enhancing reporting efficiency.
- Executed contracts to ensure compliance with company obligations.
Senior Accountant, Subsidiary Accounting Manager
Emerging Vision, Inc
NY
05.2004 - 05.2011
- Assist CFO with preparation, review, and analysis of consolidated financial statements, G/L, and month/ year-end close.
- Directly responsible for the financial reporting of subsidiary companies, including reconciliation of inter company accounts, foreign currency conversion, ratios, variance analysis, bad debt analysis and write offs; Managed new startup.
- Prepare and perform monthly balance sheet, income statement and cash flow analysis.
- Prepare and post monthly accruals for revenues and expenses, pre-paid adjusting, standard and recurring journal entries.
- Participated in the company's multi-state tax returns and prepared supporting schedules.
- Conducted daily cash reporting for multiple entities, ensuring accurate posting of cash/ACH, EFT, credit card transactions, and wire transfers, while performing cash position reconciliation and analysis.
- Maintain schedule of fixed assets for multiple locations, recording of partial and full sale of investments, acquisitions and disposals, maintenance of the book value roll-forward, and validation of assets additions with depreciation.
- Ensured accurate application of cash receipts and credit memos to maintain financial integrity.
- Create and update schedule of lease commitments for approximately 150 store locations.
- Ensure accuracy of monthly rent invoices, CAM and tax reconciliation.
- Managed work-in-progress for retail stores, ensuring accuracy and consistency in cost calculations.
- Oversaw corporate liability insurance policies and monitored allocation of costs across departments.
- Post and reconcile 3rd party insurance receivables and payables.
- Acted as the primary contact for quarterly and annual audits, documenting and improving internal controls for SOX compliance.
- Successfully promoted with increasing responsibilities.
- Relocation of Corporate office to NYC, voluntary parting with company for location.
- NY, NY
Project Supervisor
E&M Hardwood Flooring Corp.
Middle Island
05.1999 - 05.2004
- Led projects through all phases from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with client expectations.
- Established project budgets and forecasts, coordinating material purchases and deliveries to optimize workflow on worksites.
- Prepared estimates for homeowners and builders, including sub-developments, and executed contracts to facilitate project initiation.
- Prepare job-costing schedules for labor /materials, ensure all costs for projects have been properly allocated and recorded.
- Middle Island NY
Education
BS - Finance
SUNY Old Westbury
Old Westbury, NY12-2004
AAS - Accounting
Suffolk Community College
Selden, NY12-2001
Skills
- Accounts Payable Software
- Bank reconciliation
- Ledger reconciliations
- Cash Flow Management
- Financial Reporting
- Inventory Management
- Vendor Management
- SAP Concur/Obeer ERP Software
- Xtra Chef Hospitality Software lead
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Analytical problem-solving
- Time management
- Organizational skills
- Attention to detail
- Collaborative teamwork
- Team Collaboration
- Shopify, Eventbrite, 3rd party online merchandise software
Timeline
Accounts Payable Analyst Blue Point Brewing
Tilray Brands
09.2024 - 02.2026
Accountant Blue Point Brewing
Anheuser-Busch (Craft Beer)/ Randstad Staffing
10.2015 - 09.2024
Senior Operational Accountant
First Data
02.2013 - 10.2014
Accounting Manager
Corporate Resource Services, Inc
09.2011 - 05.2012
Temporary Senior Accountant
The Related Companies/Accounting Principles
06.2011 - 09.2011
Senior Accountant, Subsidiary Accounting Manager
Emerging Vision, Inc
05.2004 - 05.2011
Project Supervisor
E&M Hardwood Flooring Corp.
05.1999 - 05.2004
BS - Finance
SUNY Old Westbury
AAS - Accounting
Suffolk Community College