| Christopher W. Frey, CPA
Summary Chris is a business executive & entrepreneur with 18 years experience which include Managing Director for a start up consulting business, Chief Financial Officer for a $900 million operation of KPMG and Controller for a $750 million partnership of W.R. Grace & Co. With broad financial and management expertise Chris has significant experience in business operations, strategic planning, M&A, market analysis, controllership, financial planning and analysis, international operations, information technology, treasury, taxation and risk management. With a keen sense for people Chris has a track record of developing individuals and building high performance teams. Chris has an MBA from Columbia University, a BS from Lehigh University, and is a licensed CPA. Active in his community Chris has served in leadership roles in the New Jersey Society of CPA's and on several community boards. Experience As Managing Director for CFO Solutions (1997 - Present) he started and developed a financial & business advisory firm specializing in small to mid-size companies with a focus on technology & growth business’. CFO Solutions provides customized CFO services to its clients on an outsourced basis. As CFO for the Manufacturing, Retailing & Distribution division of KPMG Peat Marwick (1994 - 1997) Chris played a significant role in the turn around of this $900 Million business; from no growth in FY1994 to growth of 17% in FY1997. He established financial & business analysis systems, presented monthly financial analysis to the Management Committee, identified areas for operational & profit improvement and guided the Leadership Team through business & strategic planning processes. Chris was instrumental in the development of a firmwide business & strategic planning process and played a significant role in the development of a management goal setting process. Under his leadership his team developed world class business analysis and reporting programs which were adopted firmwide and a partner revenue planning model also utilized firmwide. As Controller for Grace Cocoa, a $750 Million division of W. R. Grace & Co. (1988 - 1994), Chris was responsible for world wide accounting operations and for evaluating and rationalizing global financial operations and systems. He was co-head of a cross functional team which analyzed the worldwide logistics function identifying $7 Million in cost savings. Chris performed due diligence reviews on acquisitions and integrated operations of four companies in Canada, Ecuador, France and the U.S; he finalized the $27 Million acquisition of a French company negotiating a purchase price reduction of $1 Million, arranged debt financing, hired local staff and established the accounting/finance function. Chris also finalized the $74 Million buyout of a minority interest negotiating a purchase price reduction of $2 Million. His team analyzed the capitalization policies on a new $92 Million plant increasing earnings by $3.2 Million. In 1990 W. R. Grace & Co. sponsored Chris in Columbia University’s Executive MBA program, graduating in 1991, he worked full time as Controller while also maintaining a full course load. As Finance Director for De Zaan, Inc. (1986 - 1988) Chris was responsible for accounting, information systems, administration and logistics for this $70 Million subsidiary of Grace Cocoa. He increased cash flow to the parent by $1 Million, restructured office operations improving work flow and reducing headcount. He designed, implemented and trained staff on a new IT system and integrated the U.S. subsidiary of an acquisition into existing operations. Joining W. R. Grace & Co. in 1985 Chris served as a Financial Analyst for the Specialty Business Group, in this role he discovered $1 Million in R&E tax credits and developed computerized commodity position reporting for a division of Grace Cocoa. After graduating from Lehigh University in 1981 Chris joined Price Waterhouse (1981 - 1985) and served as a senior tax consultant and small business advisor to the firms clients. In these roles he helped establish a small business practice and handled tax compliance issues for a significant LBO firm. Click here for more about CFO Solutions, Inc. |