Ali Schmidt-Hoffman, CPA

Experience

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  DHL Supply Chain

  Jan 2014 - Mar 2015

  Accounting Manager

  I joined Exel in 2014, where I led a team to oversee project costing and capital expenditure management activities for 5 countries and $600MM+ in projects across the US and Canada. Some of my key contributions include:➥ Improved the quality and accuracy of operating/capital lease reporting for a $403MM portfolio of 500+ property and equipment leases. ➥ Established robust analytics processes to guide and inform insurance reserve efforts.➥ Deployed a risk forecasting tool and integrated into actuarial projections.➥ Improved costing accuracy, strengthened internal controls, and led accounting process improvements to close compliance gaps.➥ Trained Finance teams in best practice accounting protocols related to recoverable pre-contract start-up costs capitalized as receivables (IAS 18).➥ Managed accounting activities for all logistics centers to meet customer needs for warehousing, transportation, and distribution solutions. Show less

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  JPMorganChase

  Mar 2015 - Oct 2023

  JPMorgan Chase is a leading investment bank and financial services holding company.⌨ Learn more about our services at: www.jpmorganchase.com As Executive Director – Controller, I am accountable for leading a team of Senior Associate Controllers to manage key accounting and finance operations (including reconciliations, month-end close process, contract management, invoice receipt/payment, capital spend, and cost control) for the construction of a 1.4K ft. global office headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.To carry out my mandate, I establish robust accounting policies, workflows, and controls to strengthen risk posture, improve bottom-line performance, and ensure adherence to contractual commitments for the largest construction project in NYC. Among my accomplishments, I have:➥ Served as go-to resource, trusted advisor, and accounting SME for project teams; provided guidance in GAAP accounting and process/policy implementation. ➥ Collaborated with and influenced a range of cross-functional stakeholders to mitigate risk, optimize workflows, and capitalize on cost reduction/containment opportunities.➥ Managed JPMorgan Chase’s firm-wide sustainability projects from an accounting perspective (including the installation of solar panels and carports for the Columbus HQ and 400+ retail branches). Achieved investment tax credits of 26-30% via the sustainability project. ➥ Conducted research to identify opportunities to hedge foreign currency risk and evaluate the feasibility of interest capitalization.➥ Reinforced accounting best practices via mentorship and continuous feedback.➥ Managed all accounting and control aspects for the largest voluntary demolition in the world (2018 to 2021); performed contract reviews to identify embedded leases and develop accounting processes for government contracts.➥ Developed a new construction expense accrual mechanism that incorporated data from 9K+ projects. Show less As Credit Approval Officer, I was tasked with reviewing small business credit applications, analyzing financial statements, decisioning credit requests, and structuring credit solutions for a business banking loan portfolio (encompassing commercial real estate financing, business line of credit, and equipment financing). Some of my core contributions include:➥ Ensured alignment with key regulations and quality standards strengthen compliance posture and mitigate credit portfolio risk.➥ Delivered 108% of production quota.➥ Maintained 99%+ quality reviews over tenure.➥ Contributed 6-7 small business deals, valued up to $1MM each, on a weekly basis. ➥ Ensured accurate loss given default and risk ratings were assigned to each client profile. Show less As Vice President – Controller, I was responsible for leading a 3-member team of Associate Controllers and Senior Associate Controllers to steer key aspects of accounting activities, report on firm-wide severance and litigation/outside counsel expenses, and ensure compliance with GAAP, SOX, and bank regulations. Here are some additional ways I’ve made positive contributions to business performance:➥ Performed technology accounting (software capitalization) for internally developed software. ➥ Partnered with HR Technology to develop, test, and deploy the Reduction in Force (RIF) tool for significantly improved severance reporting accuracy and analysis procedures.➥ Evaluated database tools and legal billing unit tools’ data to identify control breaks, optimize existing processes, and enhance reporting accuracy.➥ Reported on $3B in litigation expenses; maintained reserves for hundreds of outstanding legal proceedings.➥ Developed a new outside counsel accrual process and resolved an issue with inaccurate database calculations related to litigation accruals. ➥ Drove the transition to bi-weekly Friday payroll for hourly employees; implemented accrual adjustments to ensure payment accuracy. Show less

  • Executive Director, Controller

    May 2018 - Oct 2023

  • Credit Approval Officer

    Mar 2017 - May 2018

  • Vice President, Controller

    Mar 2015 - Mar 2017
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  Fortuna Bank (in organization)

  Oct 2023 - now

  Proposed Controller and Chief Credit Officer