Controller

Posted on: 2006-06-10

LISA S. CASEL, CPA 2304 CRANBERRY COURT LAFAYETTE HILL, PENNSYLVANIA 19444 (610) 397-1558 HOME (610) 613-3439 CELL [email protected] SUMMARY: Experienced Controller with superior management and organizational skills. Excellent technical knowledge with hands-on experience. Strong SEC and internal financial reporting experience. Proven record of implementing and monitoring internal control systems. EXPERIENCE: ORTHOVITA, INC. July 1997 – Present (8+ years) Vice President, Controller March 2005 – Present (1 year) Senior Director, Financial Services January 2004 – February 2005 (1 year) Controller (Director) July 1997 – December 2003 (6+ years) • Coordinated IPO and subsequent SEC and other regulatory filings (S-3, S-8, 8-K reporting). Responsible for SEC regulatory compliance, including all Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, for Company. • Insured first and second year full compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. Hired and trained in-house audit staff to reduce reliance on outside consultants and lower expenses by approximately $150,000. • Manage all aspects of quarterly and year-end audits by independent outside accountants. Prepare all information for • Implemented web-based Stock Option Management Program and insured compliance with SFAS 123R. • Negotiated notes payable with financial institutions to finance the Company’s capital equipment needs. • Continually seek to automate manual information reporting reducing monthly closing time. • Manage accounting and reporting requirements for Delaware-based holding companies. • Manage Sales Service Department and Accounts Receivable with staff of six professionals. Maintain excellent “days sales outstanding” relative to the industry with very limited bad debt expense. • Excellent written and oral communication skills enhance my ability to prepare financial information to management, the Board of Directors and outside investors. • Handle all investor related inquiries. • Converted from DOS-based Peachtree Accounting system to Great Plains system. Wrote monthly financial reports independently which reduced consulting fees. Financial conversion was $10,000 less than original consulting budget. • Implemented monthly balance sheet reconciliations to better monitor and control financial information. Streamlined closing process to quicken financial reporting. • Manage Employee Stock Purchase Plan and Stock Option Plans. • Responsible for corporate property and casualty, directors and officers and liability and other insurance coverage. • Strong interpersonal skills as demonstrated by the coordination of the Corporate-wide budget, which requires the involvement of all employees of the Company. • Excellent computer and system-related skills. Utilize MBS Great Plains, MS Office including Excel, Word and PowerPoint on a daily basis. Lisa S. Casel, CPA (continued) COLONIAL PENN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY July 1986 – July 1997 (11 years) Director - Treasury Operations August 1991 – July 1997 (6 years) Manager - Corporate Accounting April 1989 - July 1991 (2 years) Senior Accountant July 1987 - March 1989 (2 years) Staff Accountant July 1986 - June 1987 (1 year) Financial: • Directed staff of eight professionals responsible for all cash and investment functions including bank reconciliations. • Prepared investment income and expense annual budget and monthly forecasts for $900 million stock and bond portfolio. Analyzed monthly portfolio return and explain variances for reporting to the Company’s CFO, President and Board of Directors. • Responsible for executing all investment trades related to the Companies' $900 million portfolio. Transactions include purchases and sales of bonds, as well as short and cover positions in equities and options. • Daily interaction regarding investment decisions and trading activity with Companies’ outside Portfolio Managers and Banks. • Prepared all quarterly investment schedules including GAAP/SEC year-end audited financial statement footnote disclosures. Directly interfaced with outside auditors in preparation of GAAP and Statutory financial statements. • Responsible for preparation and audit of financial statements for two Pension Plans and 401(K) Savings Plan. • Worked with Company’s CFO on consolidation and merger of Parent Company’s Accounting and Investment Departments from St. Louis to Philadelphia. Coordinated with Parent Company’s Controller and staff on conversion and transfer of all accounting records. • Involved in due diligence work for acquisition of Arkansas-based life insurance company. Worked with President and Controller to consolidate and move financial operations to Philadelphia. • Worked with three separate teams of State Examiners in coordinating triennial reviews. • Over four year period, decreased monthly and year-end investment closing time by 30% without decreasing accuracy of information reported. • Developed accounting procedures and trained staff in accounting for derivative investment products. • Maintained exception-free audits for 5 years. Treasury: • Primary contact with Companies’ custody, premium collection, disbursement and operating banks. • Coordinated conversion of premium collection from lockbox to ACH transaction. • Researched and successfully implemented outsourcing of check printing function in order to decrease departmental operating expenses by 25%. • Manage Escheat and Abandoned Property System database and reporting to fifty-two States and two U.S. territories. Lisa S. Casel, CPA (continued) PRICE WATERHOUSE Staff Accountant August 1984 - June 1986 (2 years) Conducted auditing procedures for large to mid-sized public and private corporations. Significant involvement with investment and financial service clients. Directly involved with the preparation of financial statements and the appropriate footnote disclosures. EDUCATION: M.B.A., Villanova University, May 1991. B.S., American University, Washington, D.C., May 1984. Dual Major: Accounting and Finance. References furnished upon request