Thomas G Strauss, Cpa, Mba Email & Phone Number

Buffalo, New York, United States

Buffalo, New York, United States

Buffalo, New York, United States

Member of the Board of Trustees for Medaille College, a private, nonsectarian four-year college with campuses in Buffalo and Rochester, NY.

Erie, Pennsylvania, United States

Senior financial officer for manufacturer of tooling for high precision/high volume applications, serving largely the medical and consumer spaces as end markets through advanced engineering and world class manufacturing. Responsible for supporting the Company’s strong current and projected growth by providing leadership in the areas of finance, accounting, treasury, IT and human resources. Oversee financial reporting to the investment management company (NewHold Enterprises), the Board of Directors, and institutional debt and equity investors. • Established monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting processes/packages that ensures the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of historical financial results.• Developed value-adding financial analysis that supports decision making, established a budget and capital planning process aligned with operational initiatives and projected commercial growth, and created an effective internal control environment.• Coordinated several projects including the migration to a new treasury platform, modeling a facility expansion project, and creating a 13-week/annual cash forecast report and process.

Buffalo/Niagara, New York Area

Senior financial executive for global manufacturer and designer of specialty heat exchangers and heat transfer solutions. Responsible for all global financial activities across the company including accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, investor relations, risk management, tax, treasury, cash flow, working capital management, banking and acquisition activity.Responsible for coordinating the Company’s 4Q 2018 capital and debt restructuring, including a reduction in debt by over 70% and the addition of an asset-based lending facility that was 4X greater than the prior revolving line of credit. Lead the development of a robust financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and monitoring of appropriate control systems designed to manage company assets and report accurate financial results. Serve as a strategic business partner to the CEO and senior management while working across the business to build relationships and drive business process improvements and commercial growth. Work closely with the company’s PE investors (Wellspring Capital Management and Littlejohn & Company) to effectively manage the company’s balance sheet and evaluate growth opportunities. Built a high-performance Finance and Accounting organization of 56 members, including 4 corporate directors and 10 plant controllers, by attracting and developing top-flight talent and by creating the appropriate organizational structure and team-based environment.

Senior financial officer and member of the Board of Directors for manufacturer of land-based drilling rigs serving the oil and gas, mineral and water industries. Provide financial leadership, expertise and advice to Private Equity ownership (GenNx360), manufacturing operations and senior management in both the US and in Australia. Full responsibility for all aspects of banking arrangements and loan agreements, financial planning and analysis, accounting and reporting, tax, treasury, budgeting, and IT. Provided restructuring leadership and spearheaded financial aspects of turnaround by providing company with liquidity to run business through aggressive cost reduction activities, sale of real estate/other assets and refinancing multi-bank credit facility. Freed working capital through initiatives aimed at optimizing accounts receivable strategy, supplier contracts/pricing, accounts payable terms and an outsourced supply chain/distribution partnership. Renewed focus on operating results leading to reductions in functional expenses based on an improved budgeting process, standard reporting packages and monthly operations/expense reviews.

Senior financial executive for manufacturer and distributor of industrial safety products and safety related services. Responsible for leading and directing the organization's financial planning, accounting and reporting functions as well as relationships with lending institutions, shareholders and the financial community. Directed treasury, budgeting, audit, tax, real estate, long range planning, insurance, human resource and business process management activities for the organization. • Responsible for developing and designing proactive and innovative revenue and pricing models resulting in significant improvements in product and gross margin. • Renegotiated a new multi-year loan agreement with increased borrowing capacity, favorable terms and lower administrative fees improving financial flexibility and available working capital.• Developed a robust financial control system to assist in monitoring and controlling the Company's financial results and forecasts. Implemented the use of Key Performance Indicators and Balanced Scorecard to measure Company success.• Initiated several cost saving projects with significant reductions in health care costs, credit administration charges, bank and credit card fees, and audit expenses.• Designed Top Grading approach to performance management leading to increased productivity and enhanced job satisfaction.• Introduced and directed a Business Process Management Team that leveraged best-in-class technology and quality systems resulting in cost savings and efficiency improvements companywide.

Recruited by incoming President to provide financial leadership and strategic direction as the Company emerged from an FDA warning letter and began an ambitious turn-around. As senior financial officer and member of the Board of Directors provided financial leadership, expertise and advice to operations and senior management in both the US and in Switzerland. Full responsibility for all aspects of financial planning and analysis, accounting and reporting, tax, treasury, budgeting, information technology and SAP for the US operations. Instrumental in providing strategic direction and leadership for Company turnaround with sales improving by over 300% and operating earnings by over $15M. Introduced and directed Operational Excellence and other efficiency initiatives that streamlined all functional areas and reduced operating expenses in excess of $10M. Developed a robust financial control system to assist in monitoring and controlling the Company's financial results and forecasts. Implemented the use of Key Performance Indicators and Balanced Scorecard to measure Company success. Coordinated all financial aspects of $30M acquisition and financial integration into Siegfried USA. Managed SAP rollout at the Steering Team level resulting in on-time and on-budget implementation. Directed the Finance/Controlling Team in the areas of cost accounting, inventory valuation and accounting procedures. Redesigned the annual budget and mid-range planning processes and strengthened accountability by partnering with functional directors through formal budget reviews and monthly expense meetings. Saved over $1M by qualifying for and obtaining NJ Energy Sales Tax exemption on all energy purchases. Initiated many other cost saving projects at the site with significant reductions in waste disposal, remediation and administrative costs.

Selected by Senior VP, Imaging Materials Manufacturing to manage and direct 15-person staff with full responsibility for all financial aspects of $1B operation including business case support and review, financial analysis, accounting, reporting and internal controls.Collaboratively developed business strategy with leadership team and critiqued proposed business plans. Instrumental in the operation achieving productivity targets through improved financial analysis and reporting. Simplified the reporting structure of a very complex organization and established a more predictable estimating process. Aggressively pursued new talent and improved the MSO financial team.

Managed a 25-person organization responsible for the worldwide consolidation, analysis and financial support of $4B manufacturing organization. Coordinated Kodak’s global capital planning and reporting process.Made several process improvements to both the Strategic Quantification and Annual Operating Plan processes that made each activity run more smoothly. Made significant revisions to improve clarity and understanding in reporting monthly IMM results to the OCEO and OCFO. Reorganized the worldwide capital budgeting and reporting process to ensure presentations to the Board of Directors were prioritized, supported and easily understood.

Directed site-wide consolidation and reporting process at the Company's largest manufacturing site ($2B) and insured appropriate controls were in place.

Senior Financial Reporting Analyst, Corporate Financial Reporting (1994-1995)Responsible for consolidation, analysis and accounting research for US, Canada and Latin America regions. Coordinated the worldwide translation function and foreign exchange reporting and analysis. Senior Financial Analyst, Foreign Exchange Planning Department (1991-1994)Responsible for the determination and analysis of tactical and strategic foreign exchange risk embedded in Kodak businesses. Corporate Auditor, Corporate Auditing Department (1986-1991)Planned, organized and led a variety of international and domestic audit projects.

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, International Business

Bs, Accounting