Scott Diener Email & Phone Number

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Our mission is to help small and medium-sized businesses on their climb to sustainable, transferable business value. FocusCFO empowers business owners with sound financial management, forward-thinking insights and tools, and proactive financial strategies so businesses and organizations can improve internal cash flow, reduce business risk and increase the value and efficiency of their business or organization.

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Hand-selected by the CFO to lead FP&A functions in an effort to improve annual and long-range planning capabilities, enabling enhanced financial and performance management across the enterprise and supporting significant executive reorganization. Proved vital in building the infrastructure to support decision-making processes and enable the organization to adapt and lead through change. Provided governance over $3B+ in annual capital expenditures, surpassing enterprise financial targets.** In 2023, recommended strategic consolidation of corporate and utility financial planning teams—to drive further efficiencies and role clarity across the enterprise—resulting in consolidation of former VP role to create a single, SVP-led FP&A team. **»» Stepped into the FP&A role providing executive oversight for the implementation of cloud-based Oracle Hyperion Financial Management, enabling the confident delivery of timely and accurate financial results, improving analysis efficiencies, and creating a single source of truth, vital to short- and long-range strategic planning.»» Supported the new CEO in conducting a full strategic business review—in partnership with the CFO and a Board-appointed committee—and played an instrument total role in advancing the Business Planning Process workstream, enabling the organization to make risk-informed and strategically balanced decisions.»» Championed cross-functional and collaborative processes to ensure data-informed decisions, focusing on developing a best-in-class FP&A team and aligning to support multiple constituents and stakeholder groups.»» Received positive feedback from direct reports, peers, matrix managers, and business partners, citing accountability, responsiveness, establishing trust and credibility, and not being afraid to challenge the status quo.

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Developed and launched a supply chain transformation roadmap to build a strategic sourcing organization, mobilizing best-fit talent, eliminating non-value-added transactional processes, and capturing cost synergies on $2B in annual spend. Created new policies and procedures, evangelized across the organization, and secured mission-critical buy-in for change and adoption. Continued to achieve top employee engagement percentile scores across all measures of leadership performance.»» Fueled collaboration and partnerships across the business, identifying and taking action to capture cost avoidance opportunities, resulting in realization of $36M in annual savings within first 24 months of leadership. Continued to surpass cost control objectives, changing culture to adopt a continuous improvement mindset.»» Led a team of up to 50 in executing category management, strategic sourcing, procurement operations, supplier diversity, and fleet operations support with a commitment to efficiencies and effectiveness.»» Deployed new enterprise-wide Source-to-Pay (S2P) system, reengineering organizational processes to drive incremental value, reduce operating costs, and more easily identify spend management solutions.* Promoted from Director, Category Management & Strategic Sourcing in 2019, and from Managing Director in 2020.

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Defined and structured FP&A—first at the corporate level and next for all 7 operating companies—leading teams of 10-20 professionals in consolidating earnings and cash forecasting, performing financial modeling, producing credit rating agency and Board reports, and delivering ad hoc financial analyses. Supported each operating company’s President and Finance Director, ensuring the structure, controls, processes, and priorities to move the business forward in alignment with corporate objectives.»» Championed analytics and modeling efforts enabling separation of NiSource and its Columbia Pipeline business unit into two standalone public companies, collaborating with the Treasury team to create credit rating agency analysis and presentations to successfully support investment grade ratings for both entities.»» Achieved above-benchmark employee engagement results reflective of time spent coaching and mentoring team members, building focused development plans and providing constructive performance feedback.»» Improved accountability, streamlined processes, and forged unprecedented collaboration across FP&A, Regulatory, Tax, Treasury, and Operating entities, enabling operational synergies and efficiencies.»» Earned Executive Committee and CFO sponsorship for participation in the Executive Leadership Program.

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Gained deep foundational industry exposure while leading and closing the divestiture of the unregulated retail services and energy marketing business, providing executive leaders with financial benchmarking reports and detailed analytics on M&A transactions. Promoted to director level and gained additional responsibility for enterprise-wide management reporting.»» Stood up a management reporting organization with the talent and processes to ensure delivery of value-added, accurate, and timely executive financial reports and CFO presentations to the Board of Directors.

Transitioned into the Advisory practice and performed buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence on companies—primarily manufacturing and CPG—ranging from $35M to $18B in revenue. Analyzed financial statements to identify quality of earnings, actual versus forecast variances, working capital trends, and other key findings critical in evaluating acquisition targets.»» Led team through buy-side financial due diligence engagements, producing clear and concise deliverables, accurately forecasting cash flows, and providing executive leaders with the data to drive decisions.»» Assisted several Fortune 100 organizations through strategic divestitures, identifying and proactively mitigating key financial risks throughout the sales lifecycle, deepening expertise through expat assignment.

Hired following summer internship, gaining foundational experience developing SEC audit plans—spending 2+ years on an audit for a $3B manufacturing account—coordinating fieldwork, and ensuring SOX compliance, particularly with Section 404. Participated in talent acquisition and selection, building candidate pipelines through strategic outreach and engagement.

High Potentials Leadership Program, On Campus Study

Master Of Accountancy

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Finance & Accounting

Activities and Societies: Studied internationally through the business program in London, England.Cum Laude