Curtis H Short, Finance Expert in Franklin, TN, United States
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Curtis H Short

Verified Expert  in Finance

Finance Expert

Location
Franklin, TN, United States
Toptal Member Since
June 5, 2023

Curt has 30+ years of experience spanning large, mid-size, and small companies—private equity and public, for-profit, and not-for-profit (NFP)—specializing in process improvement. He has successfully led three sell-side M&A transactions and negotiated and implemented a 3-party transitional services agreement. Curt is a CPA with an MBA who loves learning new businesses and looks forward to driving client business success, leveraging his extensive background.

Financial ForecastingPerformance ImprovementExcel ExpertInterim CFOFractional CFOFinancial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)AccountingBudgetingFinancial ModelingFinancial ReportingRevenue & Expense ProjectionsCertified Public Accountant (CPA)CFOProject FinanceBusiness TransformationPrice Optimization

Career Highlights

VP of Corporate Strategy
Billerud
CFO
Raybestos Powertrain
Director of Material Costs
Ford Motor Company

Education Highlights

Master's Degree
Purdue University

Certification Highlights

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Tennessee State Board of Accountancy
Six Sigma Green Belt
CSSC

Case Studies

Work Experience

Interim CFO

2020 - 2022
Collegiate Enterprise Solutions
  • Corrected a wrecked set of financial books, completing an external audit of two fiscal years within three months—after taking over from the previous CFO, who had no NFP or higher education experience and had not closed the books for nine months.
  • Completed a 5-year strategic financial analysis demonstrating the school's financial viability over the period.
  • Simplified and streamlined the chart of accounts focusing on management required to make decisions.
Focus areas: Accounting, Board Decks, Audits, Strategy, QuickBooks Online, Dashboard Design, Budgeting, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Financial Closing, Financial Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Grant Accounting, Higher Education, Forecasting, Finance, Investments, Financial Data, Migration, Automation, Financial Modeling, Business Processes, Business Analysis, Microsoft 365, Performance Improvement, Controller, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Monthly Close Process, US GAAP, CFO, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Three-statement Modeling, Nonprofits, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Interim CFO, Internal Financial Reporting, Business Planning, Budget Modeling, Cash Management, Chart of Accounts, Bookkeeping, Intuit QuickBooks, Fractional CFO

CFO | COO

2015 - 2019
Christian Theological Seminary
  • Launched an all-new financial system with an updated chart of accounts.
  • Worked with investment advisors to manage a $120+ million endowment.
  • Led negotiations with Butler University to divest the campus in a sale and leaseback.
  • Established an all-new accounting system and chart of accounts.
  • Grew long-term investments by over 30% during my tenure.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Presentations, Dashboards, Process Redesign, Financial Reporting Dashboards, Strategy Planning, Accounting, Budgeting, Higher Education, Microsoft Excel, Board Decks, PowerPoint Design, Prezi, Divestitures, Microsoft, QuickBooks Online, Meetings, Grant Accounting, M&A (Sell-side), M&A Modeling, M&A Valuation (DCF), Forecasting, Finance, Investments, Financial Data, Migration, Automation, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Business Processes, Business Process Analysis, Business Analysis, Microsoft 365, Business Process Refinement, Performance Improvement, Business Transformation, Controller, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Monthly Close Process, US GAAP, CFO, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Three-statement Modeling, Nonprofits, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Internal Financial Reporting, Business Planning, Budget Modeling, Project Management, Cash Management, Chart of Accounts, Bookkeeping, Operations, COO, Vendor Management, Business Operations

VP of Corporate Strategy

2013 - 2015
Billerud
  • Led a 5-year strategic plan used to exit bankruptcy proceedings.
  • Directed the divestiture of two paper mills to satisfy antitrust concerns.
  • Negotiated and implemented a 3-party transitional services agreement.
  • Drove the response to the DOJ antitrust investigation of a proposed merger.
Focus areas: Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Presentations, NPV Calculation, Dashboards, Strategy Planning, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Microsoft Excel, Board Decks, PowerPoint Design, Prezi, Divestitures, Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC), Microsoft, Meetings, Paper & Packaging, M&A (Sell-side), M&A Modeling, M&A Valuation (DCF), Forecasting, Finance, Financial Data, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Business Processes, Business Process Analysis, Business Analysis, Business Process Refinement, Performance Improvement, Business Transformation, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, US GAAP, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Project Finance, Three-statement Modeling, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Internal Financial Reporting, Business Planning, Budget Modeling, Project Management, Operations, Business Operations, Manufacturing, Spinoffs, Private Equity

Chief Accounting Officer

2009 - 2013
Billerud
  • Reduced accounting time to close books monthly from 16 days to 5.
  • Drove a 1-year inventory reduction of $120 million.
  • Improved financial forecast accuracy by 60% by focusing on physical drivers of financial results.
Focus areas: Financial Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Financial Presentations, Financial Closing, Process Redesign, Financial Reporting Dashboards, Accounting, Budgeting, Process Design, Microsoft Excel, Board Decks, PowerPoint Design, Working Capital Management, Paper & Packaging, Microsoft, SAP, Meetings, Forecasting, Audits, Financial Data, Automation, Financial Modeling, Business Processes, Business Process Analysis, Business Analysis, Business Process Refinement, Business Process Flow (BPF), Performance Improvement, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Monthly Close Process, US GAAP, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Three-statement Modeling, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Internal Financial Reporting, Budget Modeling, Cash Management, Chart of Accounts, Bookkeeping, Manufacturing, Private Equity

CFO

2007 - 2009
Raybestos Powertrain
  • Streamlined and reduced close timing from over three weeks to only six days.
  • Negotiated bank loan terms to provide sufficient liquidity for operations.
  • Handled the sell-side M&A to divest Raytech operating companies.
  • Mediated the closing balance sheet negotiations with the buyers.
Focus areas: Financial Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Financial Presentations, Financial Closing, Dashboards, Financial Reporting Dashboards, Strategy Planning, Accounting, Budgeting, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Process Design, Microsoft Excel, Board Decks, PowerPoint Design, Working Capital Management, Divestitures, Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC), Microsoft, Meetings, M&A (Sell-side), Due Diligence, M&A Modeling, M&A Valuation (DCF), Forecasting, Finance, Investments, Audits, Financial Data, Automation, Financial Modeling, Valuation, Business Processes, Business Analysis, Business Process Refinement, Business Process Flow (BPF), Performance Improvement, Business Transformation, Controller, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Monthly Close Process, US GAAP, CFO, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Project Finance, Three-statement Modeling, Internal Financial Reporting, Business Planning, Budget Modeling, Cash Management, Bookkeeping, Vendor Management, Business Services, Business Operations, Manufacturing, Spinoffs, Private Equity

Director of Material Costs

1985 - 2007
Ford Motor Company
  • Oversaw budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing $35 billion worth of annual spend.
  • Drove a $1 billion cost reduction through re-engineering and supplier negotiation.
  • Reduced forecast error to under 0.2% by completely revamping the forecasting methodology.
  • Earned multiple Ford Leadership Awards signifying respect from peers and subordinates.
Focus areas: Financial Forecasting, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Financial Presentations, NPV Calculation, Dashboards, Process Redesign, Financial Reporting Dashboards, Strategy Planning, Budgeting, Cost Reduction & Optimization, Process Design, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint Design, Working Capital Management, Microsoft, Meetings, Automotive, Forecasting, Finance, Audits, Financial Data, Migration, Automation, Business Processes, Business Process Analysis, Business Analysis, Business Process Refinement, Business Process Flow (BPF), Performance Improvement, Business Transformation, Controller, Financial Reporting, Revenue & Expense Projections, Monthly Close Process, Reporting, Excel Expert, Data Visualization, Project Finance, Internal Financial Reporting, Business Planning, Budget Modeling, Project Management, Operations, Vendor Management, Business Services, Business Operations, Manufacturing
1983 - 1985

Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA)

Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

1979 - 1983

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting

Albright College - Reading, Pennsylvania, USA

JANUARY 2020 - PRESENT

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Tennessee State Board of Accountancy

MAY 2005 - PRESENT

Six Sigma Green Belt

CSSC

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