Overview
Work History
Education
Activities
Certification
Skills/Interests
Timeline
Generic

Patrick Laird, MBA

Greater Chicago Area,IL

Overview

9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Senior Audit Associate, Audit Associate II

Grant Thornton LLP
09.2023 - Current
  • Perform planning procedures for various clients and scoping for engagements to respond to relevant risks, improving efficiency and effectiveness of the audit
  • Provide detailed status updates to personnel and clients for ongoing engagement metrics including budgets, timelines, and performance
  • Supervise and review substantive procedures ensuring adherence to applicable quality standards
  • Promote Grant Thornton's brand by participating as a member in the professional community and attending recruiting events

Audit Intern II and I

Grant Thornton LLP
01.2021 - 08.2022
  • Performed substantive testing of both transactions and account balances
  • Analyzed supporting documentation to confirm account and transaction amounts
  • Used factor and trend analysis to develop expectations for account balances using Microsoft Excel and leveraged in-house data analytics tools and external sources as a benchmark
  • Developed and maintained positive relationships with clients and applied problem solving skills to meet their dynamic needs

Funeral Assistant

Laird Funeral Home
01.2016 - Current
  • Complete the annual comptrollers report and review financial statements for performance tracking and budgeting
  • Assist with funerals, communicating details with families and guests, organizing systematic car parking for processions
  • Support management with building upkeep, snow removal, event coordination, and equipment maintenance

Education

Global MBA -

Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL
05.2023

Bachelor of Science - Accountancy

Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL
05.2022

Associate's in Arts -

Elgin Community College
Elgin, IL
03.2020

Activities

  • Board Member, Lurie Children's Junior Research Board, 04/24, Present, Attend and participate in monthly board meetings to identify ways to raise money for the board's mission, Collaborate with the board to host fundraising events
  • Member, NIU Investment Association, 08/20-05/22, Participated in weekly finance discussions, managed a virtual stock trading portfolio, and assessed market trends, Delivered an informative presentation on Walmart corporation's financial health using fundamental and technical analysis
  • Head of Data Analytics, PwC's Business Case Challenge, 10/19, Composed a business strategy report and delivered a compelling presentation to PwC accounting partners in competition with fifteen universities, Analyzed various companies financial statements to identify strengths and weaknesses and to reveal synergies, Conducted cross-sectional benchmarking and developed proforma financial statements using historical and industry trends

Certification

  • Business Analytics Using SAS Software, Northern Illinois University, 05/22
  • Microsoft Excel Expert 2019, Microsoft, 10/21
  • Microsoft Word, Microsoft, 01/18

Skills/Interests

  • Data analytics
  • Mentorship
  • Financial statement/KPI analysis
  • Enjoy fishing
  • Car enthusiast
  • Cooking/baking


Timeline

Senior Audit Associate, Audit Associate II

Grant Thornton LLP
09.2023 - Current

Audit Intern II and I

Grant Thornton LLP
01.2021 - 08.2022

Funeral Assistant

Laird Funeral Home
01.2016 - Current

Global MBA -

Northern Illinois University

Bachelor of Science - Accountancy

Northern Illinois University

Associate's in Arts -

Elgin Community College
Patrick Laird, MBA