Frank Stickel Email & Phone Number

Multiple assignments filling in for departing or departed financial managers at small to mid-sized firms. Duties typically involved maintaining the banking relationship, continuing the financial reporting function and assuring the timely and accurate completion of financial transactions.

OEM Press Systems is a privately held firm, with approximately 50 employees, offices in the US and China performing engineering design, manufacture, and servicing of customized hydraulic press systems and material handling systems.Developed the finance and accounting function consistent with GAAP.Created a labor tracking system in MS Access to supplement the MRP inventory management system and build a job cost database for performance metrics and bidding on future projects.Reviewed proposals and contracts for financial risk aspects.Guided and managed foreign letters of credit to minimize financial risk.Managed cash, billing, collections, tax planning, insurance, and banking relationships.

LSA Associates, Inc. is a $36M privately-held environmental services firm.Hired by the CFO due a lengthy absence by the Controller.Developed revenue recognition procedures and work-arounds to integrate the capabilities of BST Enterprise with the processes of the firm. Debugged numerous conversion issues hindering the acceptability of the new system

The Mike Ferry Organization is the leading real estate coaching and training organization in North America, > 100 coaches, trainers, and marketing professionals in the US and Canada.Recruited by Founder and CEO Mike Ferry to develop internal control systems and financial reporting to build profits in the rapidly growing real estate training market.Managed a staff of 15 and all accounting, banking, legal, risk management, HR and IT functions.Processed monthly credit card charges of over 4,000 client coaching contracts.Improved profits from 5% to 20% in a flat revenue environment through cost control protocols.Acquired $3.7 million office building with SBA 504 loan for lowest fixed rate financing, managed design/construction improvements, and negotiated tenant lease buyouts netting $100K.

London, Gb

Recruited by the CEO and new president to re-engineer business processes and build new operational infrastructure and IT systems to enable continued growth for this $30M, 7-office engineering and consulting firm and its $5M sister construction company, EnviroClean-West, Inc. Managed staff of 10 responsible for accounting, budgeting and forecasting, financial reporting, banking and auditor relationships, contracts, stock ownership, facilities, computer systems, and human resources. Established financial controls and operations practices, converted the accounting system, developed performance metrics, directed pre- and post-integration of mergers and acquisitions, and guided the development of an intra-net among western region offices. Structured acquisition of a Union Pacific subsidiary's contracts and assets without liabilities resulting in immediate 40% growth in annual revenues.Evaluated and implemented acquisition financing options, cash flow scenarios, project asset acquisition, and staff transitions.Accelerated cash flow by reengineering project management procedures including project setu, invoicing and accounts receivable tracking. Developed ISO 9001 project management procedures.Changed accounting policies and procedures to assure compliance with FAR government regulations.Upgraded Deltek / Harper Shuman accounting system from DOS-based MCFMS to SQL-based Deltek Advantage, improving financial data management, management reporting and invoicing.Negotiated a $4M working capital line of credit with local banks for tax planning purposes.Improved productivity by developing with staff a performance-based incentive compensation plan. Initiated regular project reviews of fixed-price contracts to improve revenue recognition and early detection of problem projects.Firm was sold to a global services company in a VC-led recapitalization of the ERM Group,

Environmental Services Business Manager of Superior Hazardous Waste Group, Inc. a $10M start-up division of Superior Services, Inc. of Port Washington WI. Hired environmental engineers, prepared bids, and managed remediation projects up to $600K. Superior Services closed the division as it narrowed its focus when it went public. Subsequently worked as temporary Environmental Remediation Services Project Manager for EMCON, Inc., an $80M public environmental firm, in their San Bernardino office, where I managed a RCRA-equivalent closure of a hazardous waste site.

IT Corporation was a $400M public industry leader in the environmental services industry.Promoted by the President to the corporate office to address financial performance issues, identify the underlying operation problems, and develop and execute corrective action initiatives to improve overall efficiency and profitability of the company.Increased awareness company-wide of the importance of accounts receivable management by engaging project managers in a campaign including training, contests, and peer pressure.Reduced days sales outstanding (DSO) by over 20 days on the $110M accounts receivable.Consulted to profit center managers on financial aspects of project management affecting cash flows, techniques to improve billability and equipment utilization, and cost control opportunities.Managed the divestiture of the $80M incinerator manufacturing division and the disposition of its real assets.

Managed a staff of 20 including accounting, purchasing, proposals, drafting, and human resources for the $30M California region of the Engineering Services Division.Provided budgeting, manpower planning, backlog review, and strategic planning for 4 CA offices.Developed business plan for opening 2 additional offices and managed implementation of the plan, increasing Southern California business by 60%.Realized a $100K annual profit improvement by conducting a division-wide cost reduction review.

UNOCAL Chemicals Division was a $1B division of UNOCAL and formerly known as Collier Carbon and Chemicals Corporation. Managed supply and domestic shipping of 40 commodity products competing on reliability of supply, cost and service quality for the $400M Nitrogen Group.Managed a staff of 18 in 4 groups responsible for shipping, order entry, inventory management and processing functions.Negotiated multimillion-dollar agreements for product storage, processing, shipping, and exchanges with location differentials to maximize economic netbacks of product sales.Realized $190K in one season by changing California shipping patterns to capitalize on market pricing and by shifting product mix to a higher equivalent netback mix.

Hired by the VP Finance into the Economics Group to evaluate proposed capital expenditures, pricing strategies, financial performance, and operatin and strategic plans for the $1B UNOCAL Chemicals Division.Evaluated risks and economics of proposed plant projects ranging from $50M to $500M.Improved cash management practices by changing billing terms and accelerating invoicing.

Aerothermodynamics analysis and design of solid-fuel propulsion systems. Held increasingly responsible engineering positions developing new analytical tools to enable more efficient designs of the system components.

Mba, Corporate Finance

M.S., Mechanical Engineering

Bsme, Mechanical Engineering