Richard Pearl Email & Phone Number

Newton, Ma, Us

Newton, Massachusetts, Us

A U.S.-based hotel management company and owner of four unique hotel brands that prides itself on caring for its employees, communities, guests and hotel owners. More than 65 Sonesta hotels operate in nine countries around the world.As CFO, led all financial, accounting, reporting, and risk management for Sonesta Hotels worldwide and directly supervised more than 20 corporate accountants, including eight managers, controllers, or directors. Also had dotted line supervision of 10 hotel Directors of Finance and a Regional VP of Finance in Middle East subsidiary.• Oversaw the conversion of a decentralized hotel management company into an integrated organization utilizing a single accounting chart of accounts and general ledger, accounts payable, payroll, and financial reporting system, which facilitated a year one growth rate of 700% for U.S.-managed hotels.• Led the operating and capital budget process for a portfolio of 37 U.S.-managed hotels with revenues in excess of $250M, workforce and benefits planning for more than 2,200 hotel employees, and capital plans in excess of $100M annually. • Led the annual operating and capital budget process for an international hotel management company, integrating fees from 37 U.S.-managed hotels, 20 international franchised hotels, and 10 international managed hotels. • Provided risk management supervision, including: managed relationship with national insurance brokers used to market and procure insurance coverage for >$300M of all-risk property coverage; 37 U.S. managed hotels general liability, umbrella, and excess coverage; and workers compensation insurance coverage for more than 2,200 employees. • Participated in selecting providers and monitoring negotiations of employee benefits coverage including (health, dental, vision, and AD&D insurance) which resulted in governing the increases of benefits costs during a period of rapid healthcare costs to less than 10% increases.

Newton, Ma, Us

As Internal Audit Manager for The RMR Group, formerly Reit Management & Research LLC (RMR), I assisted four NYSE listed REITs (GOV, HPT, HRP and SNH) and two AMEX listed operating companies (FVE and TA). Now publicly held, RMR was a privately held company that manages one of the largest portfolios of publicly owned real estate in the US with more than $15 billion of assets. My primary focus was supporting Hospitality Properties Trust and Five Star Quality Care, Inc, but often worked on projects for all of the RMR companies.As Internal Audit Manager, reported to the Director of Internal Audit for RMR. My assigned companies included: Hospitality Properties Trust (HPT); Senior Housing Properties Trust (SNH); Five Star Quality Care (FVE); and TravelCenters of America (TA). Directly supported three CFOs simultaneously and was a regular presenter at the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees meetings.• Supervised and reviewed Management’s Assessment of Internal Controls over Financial Reporting for many of the RMR companies (FVE 2007 – 2010; HPT 2008 – 2010; SNH 2011 – 2012; and TA 2011 – 2012).• Served in a key leadership role in the risk assessment process for all of the RMR family of companies ensuring management’s attention and prevention measures stayed focused on the most relevant and pressing risks to the business.• Conducted a series of operational audits across all RMR companies, leading to higher compliance rates of general risk avoidance strategies. • Conducted regular audits of unaffiliated hotel operating companies (Marriott International, Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group, plc, Hyatt Hotels Corp., and Carlson Hotels Worldwide) to evaluate the hotel operations and financial reporting systems used to report operating results of HPT owned hotels.• Directly coordinated integrated audit efforts of Ernst & Young, the external auditor of my assigned companies, which improved audit efficiency and limited annual growth of overall audit costs.

As an RMR Controller, reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer of Hospitality Properties Trust (NYSE: HPT) which had more than $6.2B of hotel and travel center investments, $1B in annual revenue, and net income of $160M.• Supervised and reviewed the financial statement close of a REIT that grew in size by $4B, from a portfolio of 210 hotels to 292 hotels and 185 travel centers located throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Ontario during this eight-year period.• Developed the system and processes to combine operating results of seven hotel portfolios, under separate management agreements, into a single consolidated set of financial statements.• Led the accounting and reporting implementation of the REIT Modernization Act of 2001 and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act of 2002 and reorganized staff controlling the cost of compliance.• Responsible for preparation of SEC Reports on Form 10-Q (21 filings), Form 10-K (seven filings), Proxy Statement (seven filings), and Form 8-K (more than 50 filings).• Identified, evaluated, and created process documentation using COSO Model in connection with SOX Section 404 – Internal Controls Certification for HPT by implementing a controls-based strategy that limited daily interruptions, preventing the need for additions to staff.• Performed management’s assessment and testing of 10 distinct control environments, including nationally recognized hotel companies which allowed management to attest to their financial controls and resulted in greater owner transparency and value.• Managed relationship with independent accounting firm (Ernst & Young, LLP).• Oversaw treasury functions and liquidity planning, which allowed Board of Trustees to plan for capital market needs.• Maintained forecasting models for quarterly, annual, and five-year terms, providing management and the Board with the insight to make major corporate decisions. • Regularly participated in all Audit Committee Meetings of Board of Trustees.

• Assisted in SEC reporting, including preparation of financial statements and selected notes and participated in filing Form S-11 Registration Statement (HRP spin-off of SNH).• Supported transition from Great Plains to Timberline accounting software for more than $1B of assets.

Master Of Science, Finance

Bachelor Of Science, Finance

Accounting