Pamela Gerken
Bonita Springs,FL
Summary
Highly organized and detail-oriented professional with extensive knowledge of GAAP, taxation, and IT. Proficient in utilizing various business systems and applications to streamline processes and enhance efficiency. Adept at analyzing financial data and providing strategic insights to drive informed decision-making. Strong problem-solving skills coupled with excellent communication abilities, enabling effective collaboration with cross-functional teams.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Controller
Creighton Construction & Management
09.2023 - Current
- Improved and developed the finance and accounting processes including AP/AR and month end close and internal controls to complete monthly financials that follow GAAP
- Assigned job roles in the accounting department
- Improved process by automating the approval of invoices using AvidXchange
- Improved AIA AP/AR process by implementing Procore
- Improved the accounting system process by implementing Sage Intact
- Ensure that daily processes are followed, and all transactions are recorded correctly
- Track job costs to ensure that budgets are adhered to
- Assist CPA’s with tax returns and audits
- Train accounting staff in accounting software and processes
- Wrote process and procedures for accounting
- Implemented budgets for all companies
- Prepared ad-hoc reports for owners, including reconciliations, WIP and loan schedules using advanced knowledge of excel formulas
- Manage all accounting staff priorities
- Worked with executives to create annual budget and track actual expenses against projected expenses.
- Oversaw accounts payable and receivable operations for construction and development business with $1,000,000 in monthly expenses.
Controller
Southwest Property Management/DBA Seacrest Naples LLC
02.2021 - 05.2023
- The main responsibilities focus on managing (or controlling) all accounting departments to ensure controls and assess risk compliant with GAAP standards
- Planning, directing, and coordinating all accounting operational functions
- Ensuring compliance with applicable rules, laws, and regulations
- Establish and maintain financial controls
- Assess and improve accounting procedures
- Evaluate and select accounting software solutions
- Screen, hire, train, and retain accounting department employees
- Meet and speak with board members and other members of the accounting departments to discuss financials and other aspects of all accounting departments
- Solve issues relating to all accounting departments within the accounting system and ensure GAAP procedures are followed within the system
- Reconciliation and other projects requested by associations and other management
- Budget training to accounting departments and property managers to ensure budgets meet state statutes
- Prepare six association financials and 2 corporate financials including the preparation of the corporate consolidated financials
- Ensure corporate billings to associations are correct, which includes gathering reports to determine associations billings from several reports regarding office charges, salary/wage and monthly management fees billings
- Ensure corporate invoices are posted accurately and paid
- Completed journal entries, reconciliations, and account analysis to prepare quarterly financial documents and general account management.
- Prepared balance sheets, cash flow reports and income statements.
- Increased cash flow by diligently managing accounts receivable and implementing effective collection strategies.
- Completed year-end close processes through effective supervision financial functions and regular treasury transactions.
- Managed budgeting process, aligning departmental budgets with organizational goals and monitoring performance against targets.
- Accurately completed financial statement audits and thoroughly reviewed results.
- Prepared detailed variance analyses on a monthly basis, enabling more effective tracking of actuals versus forecasted figures.
- Collaborated with other functional areas to develop integrated solutions for complex business challenges related to finance operations.
- Established robust internal control framework, minimizing the risk of fraud and ensuring compliance with regulations.
- Negotiated favorable terms with financial institutions, securing loans and lines of credit that supported business growth.
- Improved cash flow management with rigorous monitoring and analysis of receivables and payables.
- Managed budgets, assets, portfolios, accounts payable, and receivable and general financial reporting procedures.
- Managed daily financial functions in collaboration with accounting and payroll personnel.
- Reviewed processes and procedures to guide program implementation and optimize auditing.
- Introduced internal controls to monitor critical areas of financial control and devised targeted corrective actions to address risks or deficiencies.
- Created and distributed reports on internal and external finances, audits, and budgets.
- Introduced internal controls to monitor critical areas of financial control and devised targeted corrective actions to address risks or deficiencies.
Regional Controller
Discovery Senior Living
05.2016 - 01.2021
- Prepare and review monthly and quarterly financial statements for entities with more than $500 million in total assets and more than $70 million in annual revenue
- Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly lender and investor reporting packages
- Reporting packages include financial statements, occupancy reports and debt compliance certificates
- Coordinate the end of month closing process to ensure all corporate deadlines are met and information is presented in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
- Collaborate with internal audit team of publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to design, implement and monitor internal controls to ensure compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
- Ensure monthly close checklist is followed and each item has been reviewed prior to sign off as part of the company’s internal controls
- Review and analyze closing entries for asset acquisitions, dispositions, and financing with transactions ranging from $30 to $600 million
- Update accounting policies for changes as a result of new transactions, changes in accounting policies and standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board
- Supervise and mentor a team of five staff accountants, including fixed assets, accounts receivable and accounts payable
- Prepare, review and coordinate all real and personal property tax budgets and payments
- Monitor accounts payable to ensure vendor payments are current
Controller
Ranger 40 Petroleum LLC/GAP Exploration LP/ Wind River Petroleum LLC/ Calusa Bay Development LLC/ Calusa Bay Properties LLP/ Vanderbilt Development LLC
04.2013 - 04.2016
- Analyze and prepare month end and year end Consolidated financial statements
- Prepare month end and year end journal entries and adjusting journal entries
- Review intercompany balances monthly and ensure the liabilities are paid monthly
- Ensure adequate cash flow
- Review Financials to ensure proper accounting
- Report to CEO and discuss budgets and financial planning
- Prepare and file property and sales tax
- Record depreciation
- Record purchase and disposal of assets
- Reconcile 25 bank statements
- Reconcile accounts
- Enter all general ledger data and ensure correct recording
- Enter all rental, commission, oil and gas revenue and expenses and review for accuracy
- Record and update payroll
- Record, review and reconcile intercompany accounts
- Assist CPA with tax filings
- Responsible for 25 entities
Certified Tax Preparer
Fromi Tax
12.2012 - 04.2013
- Preparation of tax individual tax returns
- CPE courses to keep up-to-date with changing tax laws
Sales
Target Corporation
10.2012 - 04.2013
- Assist guests in all areas including electronics with computers and other technology
- Train other team members to stock, arrange and make signs and labels using the target specific software
National Corporate Customer Service Rep
AT&T
09.2011 - 12.2011
- Analyze customer’s bills to ensure accurate billing
- Recommend alternate billing plans
- Process payments and payment plans
- Make financial decisions to protect/collect revenues and adjusts customer accounts
Contractor / Accountant
John Deere Information Systems (Volt)
04.2008 - 04.2011
- Prepare and support dealerships with general journal entries and trial balance
- Prepare and support dealerships with month end and year end entries and financial report
- Prepare and analyze financial statements
- Audit dealerships trial balance and reconcile accounts
- Trained dealerships on cash processes
- Prepare and train Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable
- Prepare and file property and sales tax
- Support and train dealerships on annual budget process thru the Equip business program
- Train dealerships and John Deere employees on the financial process through the Equip business system
- Lead team project to update and verify all SAP solutions
- Managed and train dealership personnel with the business system as assigned
- Responsible for developing new solutions for employees and dealers and entering them in SAP
- Responsible for updating system manual with new version of the business system
- Responsible for updating and planning training checklist
Part time Seasonal Accountant
Carpentier, Mitchell & Goddard LLC
03.2010 - 04.2010
- Prepare large and small Corporate, Estate, Partnership, Individual tax returns and other tax returns
- Other miscellaneous duties as required
Mortgage Consultant
Wells Fargo
03.2006 - 03.2008
- Developed knowledge of company products, policies and procedures, underwriting requirements, and conventional and government loan requirements
- Produced high quality loans which meet Wells Fargo Home Mortgage guidelines while providing excellent customer service
- Developed relationships with real estate professionals, builders and other business referral sources
- Understand real estate appraisals, title reports and real estate transactions
- Informed prospective and existing customers of WFHM’s programs, rates, policies, underwriting requirements, and loan procedures
- Analyzed detailed financial and credit data, matching customer needs with an appropriate loan program and level of risk
- Received customer applications, quotes the rate and points, and completes follow-up activities with the registration lock-in
- Developed and maintained a high degree of visibility for WFHM in the marketplace
- Performed miscellaneous duties as needed and required
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Mel Foster Company
10.2003 - 05.2006
- Sold single, multi-family, investment, new construction, acreage, condominiums, and first-time home buyer property
- Developed and utilized sales networks with mortgage consultants, builders and other referral sources
- Prepared comparable properties portfolio for clients, appraisers and banks
- Sold over 5 million dollars in real estate
- Continued professional education in business ethics and law
- Informed clients of the home buying process
- Performed home buyer seminars
- Prepared contracts and other documents as needed
- Achieved Presidents Award
Controller
Parochetti Enterprises Inc/DBA Taco Bell/KFC/Pizza Hut
09.2005 - 02.2006
- Prepare month end and year end journal entries and adjusting journal entries
- Prepare financial statements
- Prepare and file property and sales tax
- Prepare depreciation schedules
- Record purchase and disposal of assets
- Adjust monthly inventory
- Reconcile all bank statements
- Reconcile accounts
Education
Master of Science - Accounting
Southern New Hampshire University
Florida05-2026
Bachelor’s Degree - Accounting
St Ambrose University
Davenport, IA08.2000
Western Iowa Tech - Accounting Major
Western Iowa Tech
Sioux City, IA05.1998
Skills
- General Ledger Accounting
- Financial Statement Preparation
- Preparation of Tax Returns
- Financial analysis
- Client specific software of retail sales and manufacturing
- MS Excel
- MS Word
- Great Plains Software
- Report Designer
- Quick Books Pro
- Quick Books Enterprise
- Quick Books Online
- T-Value Software
- BNA
- CCH Tax Software
- Pro System Tax
- Ultra Tax
- SAP
- MAS 90
- OGSys
- Sage
- PeachTree
- Yardi
- Vitals
- Move-in
- Matrix
- Floqast
- Equip (Auto-IT)
- AppFolio
- Sage 300
- Timberline
- Payroll processing
- Preparing financial statements
- Cash flow management
- Staff management
- Accounting management
- Statement reconciliation
- Fixed asset management
- Audit preparation
- Account reconciliation
- General ledger accounting
- General ledger management
- Budget preparation
- Accounts receivable management
- Team oversight
- Cost accounting
- AP/AR invoicing
- Financial statement review
- Internal controls development
- Financial management
- Internal control management
- Expense control
- Cash flow forecasting
- Audit management
- Pricing and costing
- Processing payments
- Project management
- ERP systems expertise
- Revenue recognition
- Strategic planning
- Management accounting
- Procedure development
- Budget development
- Financial statements expertise
- Financial document review
- Project accounting
- Tax compliance
- Internal controls
- Intercompany transactions
- Trend analysis
- Revenue generation
- Corporate finance
- Audit coordination
- Non-profit accounting
- Month-end and year-end closings
- GAAP compliance
- Accounts payable management
- Balance sheet management
- Variance resolution
- Public accounting
- US GAAP proficiency
- Month-end closing
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Analytical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Multitasking Abilities
- Multitasking
- Time management
- Relationship building
- Interpersonal communication
- Reporting oversight
- Team building
- Task prioritization
- Excellent communication
- Written communication
- Teamwork
- Problem-solving abilities
- Reliability
- Team collaboration
Accomplishments
- Successful accounting professional with a solid record of accomplishments including public, private and corporate accounting.
- Extensive experience in researching to develop and enhance business systems for accounting procedures and correct reporting of financial statements for John Deere dealers and auditing dealers trial balances for reporting to John Deere Corporate.
- Accountant working under VP of Finance for Prince Manufacturing Corporation preparing financial statements and general journal entries, including intercompany journal entries.
- Accountant under the VP of Finance for Illinois Casualty Company preparing financial statements and general journal entries, including the holding company and reconciling all the bank accounts.
- Several years’ experience as a Tax Accountant and Auditor for McGladrey & Pullen LLP preparing corporate and individual tax returns.
- Controller for Parochetti Enterprises preparing financial statements, journal entries, reconciling all bank statements, depreciation, Sales Tax reporting, inventory audits for the restaurant division, reporting for holding company.
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Ambrose University.
Timeline
Controller
Creighton Construction & Management
09.2023 - Current
Controller
Southwest Property Management/DBA Seacrest Naples LLC
02.2021 - 05.2023
Regional Controller
Discovery Senior Living
05.2016 - 01.2021
Controller
Ranger 40 Petroleum LLC/GAP Exploration LP/ Wind River Petroleum LLC/ Calusa Bay Development LLC/ Calusa Bay Properties LLP/ Vanderbilt Development LLC
04.2013 - 04.2016
Certified Tax Preparer
Fromi Tax
12.2012 - 04.2013
Sales
Target Corporation
10.2012 - 04.2013
National Corporate Customer Service Rep
AT&T
09.2011 - 12.2011
Part time Seasonal Accountant
Carpentier, Mitchell & Goddard LLC
03.2010 - 04.2010
Contractor / Accountant
John Deere Information Systems (Volt)
04.2008 - 04.2011
Mortgage Consultant
Wells Fargo
03.2006 - 03.2008
Controller
Parochetti Enterprises Inc/DBA Taco Bell/KFC/Pizza Hut
09.2005 - 02.2006
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Mel Foster Company
10.2003 - 05.2006
Bachelor’s Degree - Accounting
St Ambrose University
Western Iowa Tech - Accounting Major
Western Iowa Tech
Master of Science - Accounting
Southern New Hampshire University
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