MICHAEL J.

FREEMAN
1314-B Center Drive #305, Medford OR 97501
(541) 601-5909 * mf9e2a02@westpost.net

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Excellent record of accomplishment as an initiator, developer and director of au
diting and financial and operational controls for retail industry leaders, inclu
ding Harry & David and West Marine Products.
* Technical expertise in accounting, auditing, and data processing systems of sp
ecialty, discount, mail order and concession retailers.
* Experienced in audit risk analysis, development of audit plans and audit execu
tion.
* Successful implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act and Payment Card Ind
ustry (PCI) Compliance requirements through aggressive application of AS5 concep
ts.
* Repeated success in the start-up and development of new business functions.
* Experienced leadership of small professional teams and staff as large as 18.
* MBA in Management and Quantitative Analysis; Certified Internal Auditor.
EXPERIENCE
Harry & David Operations Corp, Inc., Medford, OR 2005 to 2010
Harry & David (formerly Bear Creek Corporation) is a $500 million company, one o
f the nation's leading direct marketing, on-line and retail specialty food and g
ift companies, with leading brands including Harry & David, Wolferman's and Cush
man's. Managed up to six direct reports.
Vice President, Corporate Compliance
Responsible for ensuring the Company was in full compliance with all governing r
ules and regulations, including SOX, and that corporate standards of professiona
l conduct were met.
* Successfully established the Compliance division and led the Company's SOX 404
efforts through three years of self-assessed compliance with no material weakne
sses;
* Aggressively pursued and applied Auditing Standard 5 (AS5) concepts to reduce
the number of key controls from 260 to fewer than 100;
* Enhanced the Compliance Methodology and Planning documentation and execution o
f controls testing in preparation for the external audit firm's first year attes
tation;
* Led the Company's efforts to become PCI compliant;
* Actively supported and participated in the Company's quarterly, annual and per
iodic SEC filings as Chair of the Company's Disclosure Committee.
West Marine Products, Inc., Watsonville, CA 2001 to 2005
West Marine is the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and a
pparel, with over 330 stores in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, as well as ca
talog and internet channels, and $600 million in annual sales. Supervised up to
four direct and indirect reports.
Senior Director, Internal Audit
Responsible for establishing and overseeing the Internal Audit function.
* Performed Risk Analysis, identifying over 30 audit priorities;
* Developed audit plan to audit all high priority areas in eighteen months, with
all areas to be audited within three years. Executed audits, including Vendor M
anagement and Distribution Operations;
* Coordinated corporate compliance efforts required for FASB 141, Business Combi
nations and FASB 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets;
* Successfully led the Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Project, including software acq
uisition and positioning the company for ongoing, sustainable compliance.
Starboard Cruise Services, Inc, Miami, FL 2000 to 2001
Director, Inventory Control & Risk Management,
Recruited to oversee the systems conversion and integration of Warehouse Managem
ent and Merchandise Control systems for the newly acquired $300 million Cruise R
etail division of LVMH-Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Responsibilities included s
upervision of Sales Audit, Inventory Control, Loss Prevention and Risk Managemen
t functions of the company. Total staff consisted of 3 professionals and 15 sta
ff members.
* Represented the Finance Division in the total conversion of both the Warehouse
Management and Merchandise/Inventory Control systems simultaneously;
* Coordinated and executed the scheduling, execution and reconciliation of physi
cal inventories of gift shops on 95 vessels world-wide in a six month time frame
;
* Introduced EAS technology in gift shops and implemented CCTV systems in wareho
use operations;
* Coordinated annual policy renewals for Property, Liability and P&I programs.
Bear Creek Corporation, Medford, OR 1994 to 2000
Director, Risk Management & Control, 1996 to 2000
Director, Audit & Loss Prevention, 1994 to 1996
Recruited as the Senior EDP Auditor/Audit Manager for the $400 million Mail Orde
r/Retail Outlet division of Shaklee Corporation (later renamed Harry & David).
Assumed responsibility for the Loss Prevention program for the entire company in
1994, and in 1996 assumed the additional responsibility for Corporate Property
and Liability Insurance programs. Managed a professional staff of 6.
* Developed and executed internal audit plans consistently on schedule. Establis
hed co-partnered IT audits with external auditors;
* Developed and implemented the Stores Division physical inventory processes whi
ch enabled the company to identify inventory shortage (which decreased dramatica
lly in the first year); created the Shortage Audit function and instituted in-st
ore self audit programs;
* Developed and enhanced an effective loss prevention presence in the organizati
on.
The Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC), Berkeley, CA 19
91 to 1994
The ASUC is a student run, non-profit organization generating $20 million in ann
ual volume in the ASUC Store and the Student Union. Total staff included 14 ful
l-time and 16 part-time employees.
Associate Director Financial Services/Internal Auditor
Responsible for establishing the Internal Audit function and overseeing the depa
rtments of Financial Reporting and Analysis, Accounts Payable, MIS and Loss Prev
ention.
* Successfully implemented the audit function within 3 months;
* Redirected Store Security into a loss prevention/asset protection oriented dep
artment;
* Streamlined the financial reporting process to improve turnaround at month-end
.
Caldor, Inc., Norwalk, CT 1986 to 1991
Caldor was a $1.5 billion, 120 store discount retail division of May Department
Stores.
Director of Inventory Control & Systems, 1990 to 1991
Responsible for directing the inventory reconciliation process to ensure timely,
accurate reporting of cycle inventory results. Represented Finance Division in
all aspects of systems development.
Director of Audit, 1987 to 1990
Improved overall control through the leadership of operations and financial audi
ting and the Policy and Procedures Administration group. Managed a professional
staff of six.
Manager, EDP Audit, 1986 to 1987
Successfully established the EDP Auditing function by developing a professional
team, implementing a formal New Systems Development Audit methodology and cultiv
ating a partnership with MIS.
EDUCATION AND ASSOCIATIONS
MBA, Management and Quantitative Analysis, Golden Gate University, San Francisco
, CA
BBA Management, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA
Certified Internal Auditor (by examination)
Memberships: Institute of Internal Auditors
NRF Internal Audit Advisory Council
Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)