Greg Irving Email & Phone Number

Provide financial support for Grainger's Asia and European Business Units, Single channel On-Line Business Units and Grainger's Global Supply Chain Operations. Support includes budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis and decision support, Cap Ex and strategic financial planning.

Chief Accounting Officer for a $9 billion public company, leading all financial accounting, external reporting and tax functions. Work with the CFO with direct oversight for financial planning/analysis, budgeting/forecasting, controls/compliance and strategic financial planning. Manage external audit relationships, lead SOX compliance efforts and the annual long-range planning process. Direct a 65-member team and 5 direct reports. Report to the CFO. Attend and present at Audit Committee meetings of the BOD.Engage in key facets of investor relations including representing the CFO at executive, investor, Audit Committee and Board meetings, and provide regular updates to financial results, SOX compliance and other business dealings to external auditors, regulators analysts and others.Part of the management team that delivered record sales, earnings and ROIC.Introduced a fresh perspective and performance-driven leadership, including changing the financial management structure streamlining the organizational structure and driving higher performance. Eliminated non-value added activities, reducing operating budgets $1M+ and providing higher value strategic and tactical support to the business.Spearheaded a comprehensive review of support services and identified areas to streamline activities and reduce costs by as much as 15%. Led/sponsored continuous improvement efforts including a fixed asset capitalization project and a repairs and maintenance tax deductibility project resulting in several million dollars of savings.Assembled internal and external resources to provide due diligence, deal structuring and investment banker/advisor communications for a large offshore acquisition target.

Leading the Fianance function of the largest business unit within Grainger, with at team over over 60 people and 6 direct reports. Direct support to US leadership team and President. Heavily involved with the financial aspects of key strategic and operating decisions including sales growth initiatives, capital investments, aquistions, planning and forecasting.

2004 to 2008)Named the 1st expatriate to the Canadian management team as CFO of a $700M autonomous business, and partnered with a newly appointed business unit President to plan and execute a multi-faceted business performance improvement plan, while instilling higher fiscal discipline, operating efficiency and cost control. Led a 60-member team including 5 direct reports with oversight for finance, accounting, credit, tax, customer/supplier transactions, real estate and non-product procurement. Controlled $7M in capital/operating expenses and reported to the President with dotted line to the US CFO.Played a key role in strategy development and business transformation from flat/declining to a strong growth, delivering 11% gross profit and 21% earnings increases over 4 years, and 3-fold improvement in operating margins. Contributed key business and financial insights to annual strategic plans and long range financial forecast, presented to and fully endorsed by Grainger corporate leadership. Led strategic valuations of non-core, ancillary businesses. Divested a service operation and "cashed out" a joint venture resulting in a >$30M impact on working capital and freed up cash for higher profit opportunities in the core business.Partnered with sales and operations to delineate target marketing and customer segmentation plans, culminating in large national contracts and 8% overall sales growth in a competitive, mature market.Supported new branch openings by directing sale/lease negotiations and other real estate transactions for a portfolio of 4 distribution centers and 160 branch locations.

Lead a staff of over 400 in the credit, collection, cash processing, accounts payable and payroll functions for all Grainger's U.S. business. Highly transactional, operational accounting.

Joined the CFO organization initially to turnaround an ineffective worldwide audit function. Subsequently given full management and financial oversight for a 400-employee financial services group comprised of 2 services centers and 19 nationwide field offices processing upwards of 3M cash/AR transactions monthly and all payroll and payable for US operations. Directed a ~$35M operating budget and 5-person management team. Served on cross-functional teams assembled to address significant business issues stemming from adoption of SAP and SOX operating structures/systems, and from business related high-volume sales, inventory and credit risk exposure.Named a Process Champion for SAP implementations in audit and financial services. Championed other technology and process improvements to streamline workflow, outsource non-core processes and generate millions of dollars in cost savings/avoidance.Led an enterprise-wide initiative to reduce DSO through systematic changes and improvements across credit, collections, A/P, A/R and cash/cost supported activities. Delivered $40M cash flow impact in 6 months.

Lead the global internal audit function of this diversified $3B company

Responsible for the US consolidation of this $9B global organization. Lead several US staff functions. Began as the US controller for Alfa Laval in 1993.

Lead engagement manager on the audit of FMC for seven years.

Mba, Business

Bba, Accounting

Activities and Societies: Beta Alpha Psi