Public finance expert with 20 years experience in managing operations ranging from $5 million to $5 billion. Able to work effectively in complex, and often tenacious, environments to achieve the organization's objectives.Accomplished financial leader, highly proficient at forecasting, budgeting, analysis and planning. Effective at consensus building and decision making in dynamic political environments. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬EXPERTISE►Accounting Principles►Annual audit management►Budgeting (Operations + Capital)►Cash flow modeling►Cat herding►Communication of finances in lay terms►Contracts / Procurement►Debt issuance + financing►Economic forecasting►ERP implementation and administration►Fund accounting►Human resource management►IT management►Labor union negotiations►Operations performance measurement and management►Payroll management►Process improvement►Project management►Team leader + mentor►Treasury management▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬BACKGROUNDCraig Lesner is a Senior Manager with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) - founded in 1906, it represents over 20,000 public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada. Prior to joining GFOA, Craig was the Budget and Tax Research Director for the Illinois Poilcy Institute. For the nine years prior, he served as Chief Financial Officer for the Village of Oak Park, Ill., where he oversaw the financial affairs of the town. Prior to his work for Oak Park, Craig was a deputy director in the city of Chicago’s Office of Budget and Management, where he helped lead the city’s $5.2 billion annual appropriations process and served as a member of the cash management team.Craig received his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his master’s degree from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.Craig lives in Chicago’s western suburbs with his wife and three children.
Listed skills include Policy Analysis, Financial Analysis, Project Management, Procurement, and 11 others.