PROFILE

	Experienced CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT with over a decade of experience acquired in a series of demanding roles within the business, IT, assurance and accounting arenas.  Melinda qualified as a CA with the ICAO in 2003 and is always seeking challenging and rewarding projects with customer-focused organization.

 
 
 
 
 
 


EXPERTISE
·       FORENSIC ACCOUNTING: worked on net worth and source and use of funds analysis, as well as other specialized indicators of fraudulent and criminal activity.
·       FINANCIAL REPORTING: worked with private and public organizations.
·       ASSURANCE: performed audit, review and notice to reader engagements.
·       IT, COMPUTER, CONTROL SYSTEMS: worked with accounting/audit/tax software such as Vantage, Asset, QuickBooks, Simply Accounting, QuickTax, TaxPrep T1, T2 and T3 programs, Caseware, Caseview; word processors such as Word, Lotus SmartSuite and WordPerfect; spreadsheets including Excel and Quattro Pro and presentation creation software such as Presentation 3.0 and PowerPoint.  Working knowledge of: Access, Acrobat, T-value, FTP, Telnet, PACSwin, Internet Explorer, Outlook and many other programs.
·       MANAGEMENT: involved in training, supervising and mentoring staff and performing reviews of both employees and their work.
·       ACCOUNTING: performed multi-level consolidations subject to foreign currency considerations and researching and performing other high-level accounting functions.
·       BUSINESS ANALYSIS: performed both micro and macro level analysis of organizations and their processes.
·       PROMOTION: preparation and presentation of lectures; creation of training and promotional CDs and DVDs; creation of brochures and websites.
·       PROJECT MANAGEMENT: managed large projects, including financial audits, with and without supporting staff.
·       FINANCE: prepared reports and analysis of finance measures including work with leasing, other bank instruments and  preparation of budgets, forecasts and projections.
·       TAX: prepared and reviewed corporate, personal and trust returns.
·     OTHER KEY SKILLS: well developed and intuitive problems-solving skills; quick adaption to new computer and client environments; superior organizational skills; great macro-level planning; willingness to take on additional responsibilities; exception skills in client relations, excellent understanding of the flow of accounting information and systems; well developed supervisory and team-building skills and terrific time management skills.
 

ACHIEVEMENTS
·       Overhaul of processes/schedules to cut monthly processing time significantly including the creation of various excel spreadsheets using macros and add-ins to streamline the financial reporting process, reducing the time on some task from a few days to less than 30 minutes.
·       Creation of new forensic accounting intake forms; data-entry/processing templates and reports for OPP.
·       Creation of training/reference databases and online reference libraries at various organizations.
·       Implementation of additional quality assurance measures and controls at various organizations.
·       Creation of scheduling tools in order to better allocate work at various organizations.
·       Lectures given at various high schools, universities and colleges regarding many different business and accounting topics including multiple lectures at the Ontario Police College with respect to forensic accounting.


WORK EXPERIENCE
Consulting Clients:
 


ABOUT: Automodular Corporation (AM) sub-assembles components and modules used in the manufacturing of cars and trucks for major automotive companies throughout North America. Automodular is a public corporation with annual revenues of $50 to $100 million.

INTERIM CORPORATE CONTROLLER/PROJECT ACCOUNTANT: Performing interim duties of corporate controller and performing systems and reporting projects.



ABOUT: Fareport Capital Inc. (FPC) provides personal transportation through charter services throughout Ontario and the operation of taxi brokerages, primarily in the Greater Toronto area. Fareport also provides financing facilities for the lease of taxi vehicles, vehicle insurance and administration. Fareport is a public corporation. Annual revenues: $2 to $5 million.

CORPORATE ACCOUNTING MANAGER/PROJECT ACCOUNTANT: Performing interim duties of corporate accounting manager and performing systems and reporting projects.


ABOUT: CTVglobemedia Inc. is Canada's premier multimedia company with ownership of CTV, Canada’s #1 television network, and The Globe and Mail, Canada’s #1 national newspaper. CTVglobemedia is a private corporation with some public ownership. Annual revenues: $1 to $2 billion.

INTERIM CORPORATE ACCOUNTING MANAGER/PROJECT ACCOUNTANT: Performing interim duties of corporate accounting manager and performing systems and reporting projects. Main responsibilities: supervision of five staff accountants; review and consolidation of major corporate reporting on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis; development of process improvements within corporate accounting; assistance in the consolidation and acquisition accounting for CHUM and other investments and assistance with tax provisions and reconciliations.

 


ABOUT: Mavrix (MVX) is a publicly listed asset management company that provides a comprehensive range of asset management services consisting principally of (i) the sponsorship and management of the Mavrix Funds, and (ii) the provision of consulting and portfolio management services to Specialty Funds. Annual revenues: $10 to $15 million.

INTERIM CORPORATE CONTROLLER/PROJECT ACCOUNTANT: Performing interim duties of corporate controller and performing systems and reporting projects.
 
 Zysman Forensic Accounting
Placement: Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), Ontario Provincial Police     Reference Letter         
ABOUT: Working through Zysman Forensic Accounting Inc. (a public accounting firm that specializes in the provision of Investigative and Forensic Accounting services) in the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the Ontario Provincial Police. The Asset Forfeiture Unit is an OPP-led joint forces operation with members from police forces around Ontario, Canada. The unit works to identify, quantify, seize and forfeiture property used in criminal activities. This government body is made up of approximately 40 members including officers and a few civilian experts.

FULL-TIME IN-HOUSE FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT: Undertook criminal and civil forensic accounting engagements ranging in complexity from simple to very involved (seven main targets, over seventy bank accounts and multiple businesses). Cases worked on related to: drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, illegal gambling, auto theft, money laundering, fraud, homicide, and other violent crimes. Prepared reports for use in criminal investigations and court proceedings. Designing and writing of key unit reports such as: annual reports, financial projections, budgets, unit expenditure summaries, posters, executive summaries report and promotional items for the unit including CDs, DVDs and a website. Creation and assistance with various presentations used in internal/external training and joint force operation briefings that were distributed to the highest level of Ontario Law Enforcement. Lectures given to AFU members, Frontline Officers and college students.


Permanent Experience:


Business Analyst (full time) May 2006 -June 2007  Reference Letters

ABOUT: Pattison Sign Group, a private corporation owned by the Jim Pattison Group, is one of the world's largest sign companies. With over 800 employees, multiple manufacturing facilities, a full range of products, and sales and service locations throughout North America Pattison Sign Group also maintains a large portfolio of securitized leases. Annual revenues: $50 to $75 million.

BUSINESS ANALYST/CORPORATE CONTROLLER: Consolidations of: various monthly reports and financial statements; quarterly packages; annual audit and tax packages; and budgets from multiple regions which report in Canadian and US currency. Accounting for corporate office (journal entries, account reconciliations, financial statements and budgets). Collections, analysis and communication of key financial data from regions to company management and the parent company. Coordination of the national internal audit program. Coordination of external audit. Special projects such as targeted internal audit, forensic investigations of expenses and cost analysis. Assistance with the securitization of large lease portfolios and preparation of lease sales tax and continuity reports. Creation of excel spreadsheets using macros and add-ins to streamline the financial reporting process. 
 

Supervisor (full time) Sept. 1999 – June 2004  Reference Letters

ABOUT: Based in Toronto Canada, Smith Nixon LLP is a full-service business advisory, accounting and audit firm that has been serving a broad range of Canadian business and individual clients since 1962.

SUPERVISOR: Budgeted, planned and managed engagements in many industries including manufacturing and sub-assembly, resources (gold mining), distribution, financial services, professional services and retail. Managed teams in the completion of assurance engagements for both public (for sales up to $108 million) and private (for sales up to $40 million) companies. This included scheduling, providing on-the-job training, supervising, reviewing work and providing performance assessments for team members. Typical teams consisted of the partner, four staff members under my supervision and me. Involved in the staff-mentoring program as a mentor. Focused on risk based audit approach, involving assessing client exposure to financial statement account and business risks, through research of company history, industry and potential future impacts of the economy. Extensive development of custom assurance procedures for complex accounting systems. Involved in the development of firm templates for general assurance areas. Performed special engagements on financial information other than financial statements and on other data to ensure compliance with contracts. Identification and evaluation of complex business and accounting issues. Chairing research and problem-solving sessions with staff and clients in order to best handle issues. Prepared financial statements and note disclosure. Participated in the public company working group which identified and evaluated issues relevant to public companies and establishing firm policy on how to handle these issues. Performed multi-level consolidations with foreign currency. Concentration on client development, resulting in strong and lasting client relations. Prepared and reviewed provincial and federal income tax returns for personal, corporate and trust clients. Computerization of many processes. Creation of electronic templates, checklist and scheduling tools.
 

Co-op Accounting Student (co-op) Jan. 1999 - April 1999

ABOUT: Taylor Leibow is an accounting firm, established in 1947, which serve entrepreneurial companies and organizations in the not-for-profit sector with a wide range of value added services.

CO-OP ACCOUNTING STUDENT: Completed year-end files including compilations, reviews and audits. Prepared additional schedules and spreadsheets used for financial accounting and business valuation purposes.
 

COMPUTER LAB ADVISOR: Supervised computer labs and worked with staff and students to assist them with any computer problems.

BROCK BUSINESS AMBASSADOR COORDINATOR: Selected, trained, coordinated and evaluated teams and individual business ambassadors. Coordinated visitations to over 25 schools. Participated in speeches and tours for high schools.
  EDUCATION

Brock University Honors Bachelor of Accounting Co-op (full time) Sept. 1997 – Dec. 2001

CO-OP ACCOUNTING PROGRAM: completed 5-year co-op accounting program.

Recent Training Courses Taken:

COMPUTER: Microsoft Interactive Course, Excel levels 2 and 3, Outlook 2, PowerPoint 2, Access 2 and Lawson 9.

FORENSIC ACCOUNTING: Proceeds of Crime (OPP); Financial Investigations (FBI); Money Laundering (RCMP); Major Case Management System (HPS); Fraud Investigations (YRPS); Proceeds of Crime Investigative Techniques (RCMP); Legal Issues in Asset Forfeiture (MAG).