Joe Thielmann, CPA, MBA

1760 West Wrightwood, Unit 103, Chicago. IL 60614 Mobile: 312.731.1097

Website: www.joethielmann.com E-mail: jt9c05e2@westpost.net
________________________________________Chief Financial Officer * Operations * R
isk Management * Strategic Planning Overseas International
Experience * Six Sigma * Private Equity/Investor Relations
________________________________________
Enthusiastic, uniquely positioned leader, guaranteed to deliver exceptional resu
lts with significant experience in accounting, finance, and operations in an exe
cutive management capacity on a senior-level team. Passionate performer and inno
vative entrepreneurial thinker; accomplished with increasing both top and bottom
lines. Action oriented, contributor with verifiable success at all positions re
ady to wear many hats and roll up the sleeves to get things done. Will relocate
and travel as needed.
Professional Profile
* Over 15 years' of increasing responsibility in Accounting/Finance and General
Management. Past organizations include a multi-industry, NYSE-listed corp. to sm
all, multi-location privately owned businesses and private-equity owned business
with revenues from $25,000,000 to $350,000,000 and from 140 to 900+ employees.
* Experienced Manager of Accounting/Finance, Procurement/Purchasing, Human Resou
rces, Sales Teams, and IT in Manufacturing, Retail, Catering and Food Service Ma
nagement.
* In-depth experience, efficiency and a proven record with systems implementatio
n, upgrades and additions, including IT investment roadmaps and ROI analysis. Co
ntrol and reliability of ERP, MRP, and CRM systems; security and reporting.
Accomplishments
* Negotiated new debt financing and line of credit increase of $500,000 after pr
esenting company financial information to bank executives based on comprehensive
cash flow analysis while showing early detection of cash flow constraints in a
depressed market and lower than expected revenue for the following quarter.
* Established and fully responsible for Accounting, IT department and financial
operations for start-up international subsidiary in Germany including a Belgium
sales office. Plant had 30+ employees and $25,000,000 yearly revenue. Also playe
d a key role in negotiating a $6,000,000 foreign subsidy agreement for governmen
t reimbursement to be used for company capital purchases.
* Boosted sales revenue by $750,000/year while generating $60,000/month in free
cash flow by conceiving, developing and implementing 'First Look' sales campaign
. Increased sales revenue by $500,000/year collaborating with the marketing team
to develop and implement 'Lunch Crush' sales campaign.
* Collaborated on full ERP system implementation for retail business, including,
point of sales and full back office. Management included budgeting all costs an
d ROI, design specifications, system integration with the website, outside payro
ll, and banks and employee training. Three year payback adding $250,000 to $500,
000 in sales revenue.
* Negotiated new credit card processing contract with yearly processing savings
of $100,000.
* Developed and implemented inventory control process for all units including pe
riodic cycle counts, new valuation methods, slow moving inventory management and
semi-annual physical counts. Also negotiated smaller purchased lot sizes with a
total savings including, inventory holding costs, of $200,000/year.
* Developed comprehensive sales team key process indicators (KPI's) and commissi
on's structure focusing on individual measures and performance. These changes in
creased morale, established broader more focused sales goals and created a compe
titive sales approach.
* Leadership role collaborating with other functions in the reorganization and c
ombination of two plants into a $350M organization. This reorganization was a hi
ghly visible and important corporate project with an extremely tight deadline th
at involved the combination of two separate information systems and the movement
of all manufacturing assets from one plant to another. Full responsibility for
the accounting of all asset movement and the reconciliation of the two plant fin
ancial records. Collaborated with information systems, customer service and mark
eting management on the new development of product pricing programs and the tran
sfer of the customer order backlog from one plant to another.
Career Highlights
* Planned Sabbatical
Traveled the US
01/04/10 - 02/06/10
Designed, gutted, and rehabbed my Chicago condo 02/08/10 - 05/28/10
Designed and framed new kitchen for parents home 06/01/1
0 - 06/26/10
* Interim Chief Financial Officer/Operations Consultant 03/09 - 1
2/09
Food For Thought, Inc., Lincolnwood, IL - $25M Revenue
Reported to the Owner/CEO and President/COO
* Chief Financial Officer and Controller
07/07 - 03/09
Sam's Wine & Spirits (now Binny's Beverage Depot), Chicago, IL - $50M Revenue
Reported to President and Private Equity Group CEO, CFO, and COO
* Manager - Financial Planning, Analysis, & Reporting
04/06 - 07/07
ITT Morton Grove, Morton Grove, IL - $350M Revenue
Reported to Vice President and Group Controller
* Manager - General Accounting
04/02 - 04/06
ITT McDonnell & Miller, Chicago, IL - $50M Revenue
Reported to Controller
* International Cost Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant
05/98 - 04/02
Boldt Metronics International (now Laird Tech), Schaumburg, IL - $50M Revenue
Reported to Chief Financial Officer
Past Responsibilities include
* Financial Planning Cycle, including strategic plan, budgets, forecasts, and pr
ojections, including sales, costs, EBITDA, cash and capital expenditures
* Cash flow optimization activities including working capital and cost managemen
t
* Coordinate the development and monitoring of sales forecasts and annual budget
s/plans
* Participate in key decisions pertaining to strategic initiatives and operating
execution
* Inventory control management, including usage, valuation and periodic counts
* Maintain bank covenants, LOC's, financing, including short term, and long term
investing
* Insurance contract negotiations for business, employee's, and benefits coverag
e
* Manage Human Resource department including, union negotiations, benefits, and
payroll
* Manage outside legal partners pertaining to all business affairs such as local
laws, product liability, general lawsuits, trademark/trade name, and partnershi
ps
* Capital appropriations, including purchases and leases
* Develop, manage and communicate financial measures, KPI's and metrics
* Process improvement and documentation including, ISO 9001 and Sarbanes-Oxley i
mplementation
Education
* Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Concentration: Leadership, Marketing and Corporate Strategy
University of Notre Dame, Cum Laude - 2006
* Bachelors of Science
Major: Accounting
University of Illinois, Chicago - 1998
Professional Development
* Value Based Management (VBM) and Strategy Development
ITT Industries Up and Coming Young Leaders Practitioner Training
- 2005
* Increasing Leadership Effectiveness Program
ITT Industries through the University of Michigan - 2003
* Process Mapping
William Rainey Harper College Corporate Services facilitated by
Quality Transitions, Inc -
2000
* Continuous Improvement
William Rainey Harper College Corporate Services facilitated by
Thunder Lizard Consulting,
Inc - 1999
Areas of Expertise:
* P&L Management
* Team Building
* Financials Development, Analysis & Management
* Risk Management
* New Operations Startup
* Operations Process Analysis & Improvement
* Regulatory & SEC Filing
* Sales Process & Strategies
* Procurement & Category Management
* Contract Negotiations
* Strategic Planning & Execution
* Problem Identification & Resolution
* Cross-Functional Team Leadership
* Advertising & Media Strategy Development
* Training, Coaching & Mentoring
* External Accounting Management
* Growth Strategies & Competitive Analysis
* Cost Reduction Initiatives
* Banking, legal, insurance, government, and tax preparers' relations
* Knowledge of GAAP
Certifications:
* Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
* Certified Six Sigma Green Belt
* Certified ISO Internal Auditor
Affiliations:
* American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
* Illinois CPA Society
Technical Skills:
* MAS 90
* A/S 400
* Advanced MS Office Including Visio
* Great Plains
* FRx Reporting
* Crystal Reports
* Cognos
* Vantage (Epicor)
* Hyperion Enterprise
* Web Development & E-commerce Software
* Business Intelligence & Reporting Software
* ERP Software
* Inventory Software
* Credit Card Processing Systems & Software
* Banking Systems & Software
* T&E Software
* Insurance Software
* QuickBooks
* Fixed Asset Software
* Payroll Software
Recommendations & Testimonials
* "Joe is also gifted in cash flow projections often coming within dollars of fo
recast 6-12 months ahead of date. I would lean on Joe in difficult times and sit
uations, both financially and operationally." Brian Rosen, President, Sam's Wine
& Spirits
* "Working with Joe as the CFO made my job easier. Joe is creative, intelligent,
and full of ideas." Nicole Dick, Purchasing Director, Sam's Wine & Spirits

* "I worked with Joe on everything from new business strategy to analysis regard
ing our current business and Joe was able to take all the data and communicate i
t to me in a way I could understand and use that knowledge learned, to grow vari
ous sales channels." Anne Hardy, Business Development Director, Sam's Wine & Spi
rits
* "Joe Thielmann is a financial professional, executive level performer of the h
ighest caliber. Joe possesses astute financial skills and also has the ability
to deconstruct and communicate the idiosyncrasies of complex transactions with
non-accountants." Nancy Sharp, CEO/Owner, Food For Thought, Inc.
* "Joe proved to be a team player who worked with integrity and showed a tremend
ous amount of passion for the business." Dan Pinsel, VP of Finance, Food For Tho
ught, Inc.