ROBERT ABRAMS

206-07 Lori Drive

Bayside, NY 11360
Home # (718) 423-5377
ra8e15cc@westpost.net
SENIOR FINANCIAL EXECUTIVE with progressive experience from an accountant with a
public firm to a divisional controller of a large publishing company. Professio
nal, hands on manager effective in leadership, reducing costs, generating revenu
e and promoting a strong team environment. Strong background in accounts receiva
ble, accounts payable, general accounting, payroll, budgeting, forecasting, fina
ncial reporting and analysis. Experience with various accounting software and s
preadsheet packages including JD Edwards, Insight, Macola, One Write Plus, Ready
To Run, QuickBooks, MAS90, Ethan Allen TAC II, DPS Wholesale, Peoplesoft, ACCPA
C, SB Client and Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
MACFADDEN PERFORMING ARTS MEDIA, New York, NY
2007 - 2010
A NYC based publishing company who publishes a series of dance and cheerleader m
agazines.
Controller
Provided financial support directly to the President of MPAM. Managed the invoi
cing process, receivables and credit/collections for all the magazines with one
direct report. Analyzed the monthly financial statements, prepared the annual b
udget and updated forecasts, calculated the sales commissions, reviewed and appr
oved all employee expense reports and maintained the petty cash fund.
*Transferred the billing from the uptown corporate office to a new team member i
n our downtown location.
*Compiled a manual of all the invoicing and cash application procedures using Qu
ickBooks and SB Client.
*Reduced the over 90 day old receivables from $1.5 million to $847,000, a 42% de
crease.
*Collected $188,000 of old receivables that were going to be written off.
*Negotiated payment arrangements with advertisers and rates with collection agen
cies.
*Created a simple credit application for potentially new advertisers to assist i
n the collection of receivables.
THE ECONOMIST GROUP, New York, NY 2000 - 2007
A London based publishing company who publishes The Economist Magazine/Newspaper
, CFO Magazine, and the European Voice among others.
Controller - Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
Started as Assistant Controller of the Electronic Division and was promoted twic
e to obtain the title of Controller of EIU. Supervised a staff of 3 with respon
sibility for billing, ADP payroll, general accounting, budgets, forecasts, fixed
assets, balance sheet reconciliations and analysis, month end closings, global
sales commission calculations, various in depth sales analysis, second rights re
venues, royalty payments and the year end audit with PWC.
*Set up new policies and procedures in order to have the billing done more timel
y and efficiently.
*Reduced the month end closing process from 7 days to 4 days. The financial res
ults were then issued to the business heads in a timelier manner so that they ca
n manage the business more effectively.
*Set procedures into place which enabled EIU to stay current with the royalty pa
yments which are due the technical partners as well as with the royalty payments
due EIU from the second rights partners.
*Reduced bank charges and currency conversion fees by at least $100,000 per year
by having a new Barclays bank account set up, enabling EIU to deposit British P
ounds and Euros.
*Recovered about $200,000 in royalties owed EIU by the second rights partners wi
th the proper research and analysis.
PEOPLE'S AMERICANA D/B/A ETHAN ALLEN FURNITURE, NY, NY 1991 - 2000
A privately held Ethan Allen Furniture Store and it's affiliated companies with
sales of $15 million.
Vice President/Controller
Responsible for all the financial related matters of the privately held retail f
urniture and wholesale companies, as well as the real estate, parking garage and
management companies. This includes banking and insurance arrangements, financ
ial statements, taxes, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fringe be
nefits, credit and collections, and inventory. Monitored and used the cash bala
nces more effectively.
*Reduced expenses in various areas, including a reduction of outside professiona
l fees, elimination of late payment charges and the taking of purchase discounts
, which enhanced the company's profitability by approximately $100,000 per year.
*Uncovered about $40,000 of misappropriated funds, which was later recovered.
*Converted the accounting systems of the Ethan Allen and wholesale furniture com
pany from using individual PC's to Novell networks with upgraded, industry relat
ed, accounting software packages.
*Established procedures, guidelines and deadlines to properly prepare the monthl
y financial statements, deposit checks, pay invoices and update accounts receiva
ble on a timely basis.
*Worked closely with lawyers, collection agencies and outside accountants to han
dle unemployment hearings, small claims court, landlord-tenant issues and all au
dits and tax related matters.
UNITY HEALTH CARE HOLDING CO., INC., New York, NY 1990 - 1991
A small publicly traded healthcare company.
Assistant Controller
Responsible for all General Accounting and Accounts Payable functions using Maco
la and Lotus software, on a PC Network computer system with one direct report.
Assisted the Personnel/Payroll department in the processing of the weekly payrol
l through the ADP system. Worked closely with the outside auditors from Arthur
Andersen.
*Improved accounting procedures in regard to the monthly closings, which enabled
the financial statements to be prepared in less time, with less manpower and mo
re accurately.
*Interacted with senior management to properly present and analyze the financial
statements.
*Monitored bank balances and analyzed the open accounts payable to properly pres
ent the weekly cash requirements to the Chief Financial Officer.
FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, Div of Capital Cities/ABC, New York, NY 1981 - 1990
A US publisher of a variety of trade and consumer publications including Woman's
Wear Daily and W.
Assistant Controller
Started as a staff accountant with responsibility for the standard accounting fu
nctions that relate to the Production, Circulation and Book divisions. In 1983
was promoted to Accounting Manager to supervise the Cashier and Cash Application
Departments, which consisted of 7 people. In 1986 was promoted again to Assist
ant Controller to manage a staff of 17 from Accounts Payable, General Accounting
, and Cashier's Departments. Advised and assisted the Accounts Receivable, Cred
it and Payroll Departments in regard to proper accounting for transactions or pr
oblems that arose. Responsible for audits performed by internal auditors from C
apital Cities/ABC Inc., outside auditors from Ernst and Young, and various state
sales tax auditors.
*Prepared and analyzed monthly financial statements, the annual 10-K package, th
e self-assessment accounting manual and various special packages.
*Directed the conversion of the J.D. Edwards Accounts Payable and General Ledger
systems to the Insight system. Responsible for the maintenance and updating of
these systems when new accounts and relationships are added so that all the fin
ancial reports would run accurately and be in balance.
*Played a key role in uncovering certain accounting irregularities, which enable
d the company to be reimbursed $150,000, which would have been written off.
FRANKLIN and BARKER STORES - Asst. Controller of Inventory Control 1979 - 1981
Responsible for all inventory related transactions, including the reconciliation
of the physical and perpetual records, of this retail chain of 200 department s
tores.
BRAND and BARON, CPA'S - Junior Accountant 1978 - 1979
Summarized monthly payrolls, wrote up the cash receipts and disbursements, perfo
rmed the bank reconciliations, posted entries to the general ledger, prepared fi
nancial statements and prepared all the various tax returns for many clients of
this small public accounting firm.
EDUCATION
B.A. Accounting and Economics - Queens College of the City University of New Yor
k