Charles Combs Email & Phone Number

Houston, Texas, Us

Santa Ana, Ca, Us

Work with Senior Leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives to improve operational efficiencies and service levels. Drive large initiatives including agency accounts receivable reorganization, industry best practices response development, compliance, records management, and cross channel projects. Managed numerous ad hoc projects.✔ Liaised between accounting and operations to develop and interpret key metrics that gauge success in the Agency AR area as well as recommend changes to improve efficiencies. ✔ Serve as a consultant to the Agency AR area, redesigning operations from the ground up.

Santa Ana, Ca, Us

First American Title Insurance Company2012 – 2012 Charged with directing strategic integration of finance and accounting processes with business operations. Ensured the delivery of accurate financial data and key metrics to Executive Leadership. ✔ Oversaw budgeting, forecasting, and revenue/expense analysis for the Title segment for the Eastern U.S. ✔ Interfaced extensively with Corporate and Senior Divisional Leadership on matters relating to Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger, Treasury, Internal Systems and Technology, Finance, Budgeting, Forecasting, Leasing, and Records Management.✔ Liaised operations and corporate real estate, managing occupancy expenses over $13M annually. ✔ Managed fixed assets review and cleanup, removing millions of dollars of fixed assets from the balance sheet. Assets were tied largely to over 100 office closures and sales.✔ Delivered strategy and financial results presentations to the field, senior divisional leadership, executive leadership, and the Board of Directors.

Santa Ana, Ca, Us

Managed team of Financial Analysts responsible for creation, delivery and review of 150 Profit and Loss statements for the Eastern U.S. Worked closely with department heads for general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, agency administration, IT, procurement and payroll to ensure accurate reporting. Analyzed return on investment of cash assets relative to business. Work closely with internal and external audit regarding audits and inquiries. Managed multiple projects. Collaborated with state management to troubleshoot issues effecting state and divisional profitability.✔ Established and managed internal controls to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and support internal and external audits✔ Consolidated operations and closed unprofitable operations resulting in multi million dollars of savings.✔ Reviewed over 150 profit & loss statements each month through key metrics savings and revenue opportunities. Monthly revenue averaged $100M+.✔ Held divisional budget and forecast responsibility comprised of over $1B in revenue and 1,400 employees.✔ Collaborated between GL, AR, AP groups and over 150 branches.✔ Reduced AR in 2012, resulting in savings of over $1M in bad debt expense.✔ Delivered presentations to field, executive leadership, and senior divisional leadership.✔ Worked with senior leadership to develop long term strategy map for key initiatives targeted to build market share and resulting in an increase of 1% or $113,000,000 in 2014.✔ Applied astute research and analysis skills to troubleshoot and identify root cause of issues affecting state and divisional profitability and contribute to the formulation of action plans to address them.✔ Delivered consistent evaluation of processes and procedures to identify opportunities for improvement, such as devising, planning and managing integration and centralization of financial reporting and escrow accounting for NY, North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern States and New England.

Santa Ana, Ca, Us

Steered a team of 30, providing leadership, guidance and support in the management of escrow accounting for the Eastern United States with responsibility of more than $250M in escrow deposits. Oversaw, managed and reconciled 300+ bank accounts for offices across the Easter United States. Ensured all activities and processes complied with regulatory standards.✔ Led management of escrow deposit investments including overnight repos, money market funds, and mutual funds.✔ Project managed a variety of initiative including the centralization of escrow accounting for the EAST and centralization of treasury services to Santa Ana, CA.✔ Enhanced process automation by developing claims payment model.✔ Applied financial skills to secure zero losses in deposits during period of banking instability and failure.✔ Increased revenue from investment income of $5M annually between 2006 and 2007.✔ Turned around a failing accounting team, fostering a positive working environment through increased empowerment and right sizing of compensation through market study resulting in annual turnover between 0% and 3%. ✔ Moved over 300 bank accounts to daily reconciliation to minimize escrow losses.✔ Reduced escrow shortage losses in over 300 bank accounts by more than 50% over 2 years, resulting in savings of approximately $100,000.✔ Managed, at the height of real estate market, over $500M in liquid assets through bank downturn, resulting in $0 losses to the company– transitioned addresses and signors for over 300 bank accounts to corporate office and officers. ✔ Saved $1M a year in bank fees through consolidation of banks.✔ Managed annual escheat functions for 27 states and/or territories. Successfully negotiated with state regulators to bring escheat functions current without penalty.

Delivered high standards of professional financial service, co-managing in excess of $200M for individual and small businesses investments, including equities, bonds, mutual funds, UITs, and fixed and variable annuities.✔ Implemented strategies to build business and secure clients through cultivating strategic partnerships.✔ Conducted detailed needs analysis based on interviews and Envision planning process to formulate investment strategies.✔ Developed small business plans such as SEPs, SIMPLEs and 410Ks.

Supervised approximately 22 registered representative and their staffs located in 15 offices across the eastern half of the United States. Provided technical support on securities products. Communicated changes in firm and regulatory policies to registered representatives. Assisted new registered representatives in the establishment of their offices in compliance with firm and regulatory guidelines. Supervisory responsibilities included: acceptance and approval of new accounts on behalf of WSS; review and approval of securities trading activity including but not limited to: individual equities, fixed income securities, mutual funds, variable life insurance, and variable annuities; annual branch inspections; review and approval of correspondence and advertising materials; and maintenance of books and records for the OSJ in accordance with Rules 17a-3 and 17a04 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Us

Provided technical support and firm/regulatory policy interpretation to approximately 150 registered representatives, management, and (through June 2000) the Fixed Income Trading Desk. Managed and closed customer complaints with assistance from Sales, Legal, and Operations. Evaluated propriety of sales activity through the monitoring of various exception reports. Evaluated compliance with regulatory setting and circumstances through onsite inspection of branch offices and Offices of Supervisory Jurisdiction. Identified registered representative for special supervision and conducted heightened surveillance to confirm compliance with firm/ regulatory rules. Conducted formal introductory securities training for new Series 6 and 7 registered representatives. Conducted ongoing compliance and securities training for Series 6 and 7 registered representatives. Served as a technical specialist to Compliance Management and the Compliance staff in responding to firm-wide Compliance issues. Serviced as Trainer for new Compliance personnel. Reviewed and approved securities correspondence and advertising. Processed U4 and U5 registration updates and RE3 reporting.

Us

As the designated Principal for the North Florida region, reviewed new account forms and documents for compliance with regulatory and firm guidelines and accepted with signature on behalf of the firm. Documented sales practice trends through review of the daily blotter. Assisted in the review of the Profit/Loss statement and maintained a data base to track trends. Reviewed and approved registered representatives’ communication with the public to ensure compliance with regulatory and firm guidelines. Managed the error account for the North Florida region. Assisted in communicating regulatory and firm guidelines. Assisted in communicating regulator/firm policy changes to North Florida registered representatives. Conducted customer callbacks to ensure customer satisfaction and understanding of the products. Conducted quarterly compliance training as part of the North Florida quarterly sales meetings.