Experience

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  Hôtel le castel

  Jul 1986 - Aug 1988

  Night auditor

  • Responsible for checking in guests arriving at night, handled guest request and booked reservations.• Balanced and reconciled all accounts of the current day, processed invoices, checked out guest as required.• Involved in food and beverage management of the hotel's banquets, lounges, and restaurants.

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  Wasserman stotland bratt & grossbaum (chartered accountants)

  Jan 1988 - Dec 1989

  Staff accountant/auditor

  Audited and prepared financial statements and tax returns for a variety of different sized companies in industries varying from: real estate, investment holdings, advertising, textiles, petro-chemical, health club, and other service industry companies.Conducted certain audits autonomously and reported directly to a partner. Also, as member of a team, conducted large audits lasting several months.

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  Houston press co. ltd

  Apr 1990 - Jun 1995

  Financial controller

  • Handled the financial control of a company of 28 employees with annual sales of over $2 million.• Initially concentrated on resolving the cash management issues then moved on to developing & implementing financial procedures, as well as improving the cost accounting system.• Developed & analysed budgets and forecasts (monthly and annual); implemented the original procedure.• Developed strong contacts within the industry, which strengthened the reputation of this company.

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  Belcourt property management

  Jun 1995 - Jun 1996

  Accountant/analyst

  • Active on a portfolio of commercial and office properties, requiring monthly reports to owners (i.e. financial statements - individual and consolidated, variance analysis, leasing information- rent rolls, expiry reports, leasing status, and other statistics). Involved in the annual budgets and cash flow analysis.• Completed: working paper files for annual audits, compliance reports, and governmental reports.

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  Kari services

  Aug 1995 - Aug 2016

  Principal & partner

  Mission: contribute to the development & management of non-profit/charitable organizations.• Established internal and external strategies for clients/organizations to build their sustainability and capacity.• Developed creative solutions for clients to foster their growth (i.e. strategic fundraising, marketing plans, financial forecasting, donor databases/CRM).• Improved effectiveness through tailored managerial, administrative, accounting, and fundraising support.

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  The cadillac fairview corporation limited

  Jun 1996 - May 2001

  Accountant/analyst

  • Responsible for the financial control of one of Quebec's largest shopping centres with over 260 tenants and with a gross leaseable area of more than 1 million square feet.• Administration of all accounting matters: supervision of A/R and A/P, as well as active in financial reporting, including monthly and quarterly variance analysis on both a cash and accrual basis. Preparation of annual cash & accrual budgets, year-end files, and special annual projects (i.e. annual CAM and tax billing files).• Acted as key liaison between internal departments and head office.• Supervised in-house accounts payables and accounts receivables clerks. Show less

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  Weylands property management

  May 2001 - May 2003

  Accounting controller

  • Active in the financial control of a newly formed property management company.• Directly involved in both new acquisitions as well as in dispositions of real estate properties.• Key player in designing & implementing an electronic property management and accounting system called HOPEM. Also created a manual of "Policy & Procedures for Internal Control".

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  First capital realty

  May 2003 - Mar 2005

  Manager - regional accounting department

  • Successfully set-up, implemented, and recruited personnel for a new accounting department in Montreal, which incorporated: Lease Administration, Billing, Common Area Cost Recovery, and Accounts Payable.• Managed and supervised this new team, responsible for a portfolio of 52 Shopping Centres with an aggregate gross leaseable area of over 5.2 million square feet.

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  The shaprio group - real estate developers & managers

  May 2005 - Apr 2006

  Director of accounting

  • In charge of the financial operations of the organization with several hundred million dollars in assets. Reporting to the VP Finance, I supervised at team of six which included a controller, four property accountants, and an accounts payable clerk.• Quarterbacked the design, construction, implementation, and conversion to a new computerized property management and accounting system called HOPEM.

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  Missionary oblates of mary immaculate

  Jan 2007 - Aug 2007

  Financial controller

  aka: OMI Lacombe Canada• Hands-on and active in the management & financial control of a national catholic non-profit/charitable organization. Including accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, payroll, and governmental reporting i.e. HST, T3010's, Remittances, T4's and T4 summaries. • Involved in the consolidation of associated/related organizations for long-term financial sustainability.

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  R.c.e.c.o. (roman catholic episcopal corp of ottawa)

  Aug 2007 - Oct 2008

  Diocesan financial administrator

  • Responsible for financial administration of a catholic, regional, charitable, Non-Profit Organization (NPO).• Responsible for fund accounting, budgets, reports, HR and payroll, property mgt., HST and Charity Information Returns. Created monthly and annual financial statements.• Lead on legacy gifts seminars. Was the contact person for parishioners regarding planned gift initiatives.• Participated in diocesan councils, committees, and boards: to share information to make informed choices. Show less

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  Autism canada

  Nov 2011 - Mar 2015

  Executive director

  • Responsible for the operations, administration and financial control of a national charitable non-profit organization. Active with hands-on in the full accounting cycle, budgets, monthly and annual financial statements, goverment reporting (montly HST and annual Charity Information Returns T3010), and regular reports to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.• A key point person in the re-organization and the ultimate merger of two like-minded national Autism organizations (Autism Society Canada and Autism Canada Foundation merged to become Autism Canada).• Coordinated all provincial society member affairs, and stewarded stakeholder relations.• Lead, developed, & implemented a plan for the sustainability of this organization.• Creatively and strategically positioned this organization within a national coalition of stakeholders.• Active in annual giving campaigns, major gifts, planned-giving, and multi-year grant applications.• Built and lead annual marketing campaigns via social media, eblasts, and website.• Active and hands-on in the full accounting cycle. Show less

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  Antigonish chamber of commerce

  Mar 2016 - Jan 2020

  Executive director

  • Advocated for the business community.• Membership management; maintained, stewarded, and grew member base; re-engaged lapsed memberships.• Coordinated special events and managed sponsorships.• Handled marketing of the Chamber through: social media, newsprint, radio spots, eblasts, and website.• Delivered strategic leadership & stakeholder engagement.• Active with hands-on in the administration & accounting duties of the Chamber, including full accounting cycle, budgets, monthly and annual financial statements, goverment reporting (HST, Deductions at source, T4's and T4 Summary), and regular reports to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. Show less

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  Inverary manor

  Jul 2022 - now

  Director of finance
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  County of inverness municipal housing corporation

  Apr 2023 - now

  Chief financial officer