Senior level executive with demonstrated successes in transportation , financing, strategic planning and execution, financial and production operation streamlining, mergers and acquisitions, lender relations, IPO front line experience and International profit and loss responsibility. Accomplishments reflect resourceful problem solving skills, expertise in planning and implementation, and successful leadership in transportation, manufacturing, retail and professional consulting services.
President, Chief Executive Officer, Seel Jackson Consulting, LLC Fishers, IN 2009-Present
Management consulting company focused in public finance.
■ Registered Municipal Advisor
■ Project Management
■ Infrastructure Financing
■ Public Private Partnerships (PPP) Evaluation and Implementation
■ Federal, State and Local Revenue Forecasting
■ Financial Modeling
■ Strategic Advisory Services
■ Federal and State Grant submissions and awards
■ Managing time lines and budgets
Chief Financial Officer/Deputy Commissioner
Indiana Department of Transportation Indianapolis, IN 2005 – 2010 retired
Financial Executive for $1.5 Billion transportation agency. Transportation Agency has 5000 employees and 6 districts within the state. Employed by the state to streamline financial reporting and operational processes.
■ Responsible for the financial management of the Governors “Major Moves” $12 billion, 10 year highway construction program.
■ Directed the Transportation Agency conversion from existing software to People soft to improve financial reporting and provide the agency with an enterprise solution for state wide management.
■ Developed fully funded 10 year $12 billion highway construction plan.
Finance Director/ CFO
Stant Manufacturing, Inc. Connersville, IN 2002-2005
Senior Financial and Operations Executive for $200 MM domestic and international manufacturing company
with [7] locations, 5 domestic and 2 international. Employed by company to expand international manufacturing
capability and provide strategic leadership.
■ Responsible for the start up of Manufacturing and Engineering capability in the Czech Republic.
■ Directed Lean initiatives and cost reductions that achieved an annual savings of $4.0MM.
■ Developed International Expansion strategy to expand products in Europe and Asia.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Staffing Network, LLC Chicago, IL 2000 - 2002
Interim Financial and Operations Executive for $100MM light industrial staffing company with [90] locations nationwide.
Engaged by client to provide strategic growth leadership and initiatives to drive revenue to $500MM.
■ Executive Summary, Five Year Business Plan and Financial Modeling prepared for submittal and negotiations with Venture Capitalists to raise $20MM for acquisition of $150MM staffing company.
■ Negotiated the capital injection of $1MM in seed money to insure the company continued 25%growth rate.
■ Reorganized staffed and trained the Accounting and MIS departments to support the internal growth and merger and acquisitions activities.
■ Restructured the Credit and Collection department and procedures that reduced outstanding receivables by $1MM.
■ Arranged the refinancing of $30MM of debt to insure company could achieve 25% growth rate.
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Kelley Automotive Group Fort Wayne, IN 1996 - 1999
Executive financial operations officer and director of investment and real estate transactions for a 650MM automotive retailer, with [23] locations in Indiana, Georgia, and Florida. Charged with the responsibility to expand company operations. Supervised 35 financial and operations staff employees.
■ Negotiated $50MM finance package to acquire 5 dealerships with $250MM annual revenue.
■ Directed $60MM sale and lease back of dealership real estate to an automotive REIT; provided group with $25MM cash.
■ Developed comprehensive cash flow reporting system to identify actual available cash, highlight excess inventories; provided $3MM excess cash, lowered debt leverage.
■ Arranged bank syndication for $80MM new and used vehicle floor plans and $35MM term debt, resulted in $2MM annual interest savings.
BERNARD M. SEEL – page 2
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Fort Wayne Foundry Corporation Fort Wayne, IN 1987 - 1996
Recruited to oversee financial operations and to provide growth initiative leadership for a $200MM multi location [6] manufacturer of aluminum sand casting engine components.
■ Developed new product pricing and costing strategy that generated necessary sales growth to acquire an existing foundry with annual revenue of $60MM; negotiated financing of $25MM within 3 months.
■ Arranged $65MM bank syndication to acquire automated foundry casting line and to enable start-up costs and equipment acquisition for a new machining division; completed projects, generated $100MM annual revenue with 250 additional employees.
■ Refinanced existing real estate and term debt; decreased annual interest $1.6MM.
■ Contracted long term primary and secondary aluminum purchases with suppliers; resulted in $5MM annual savings, accommodated future growth plan.
Vice President, International Operations 1984 - 1987
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 1981 - 1987
Wabash, Inc. Fort Wayne, IN
Managed financial operations and production expansion for a multi location [8] company manufacturing electromechanical and electronic coils, Hall Effect devices, proprietary motion sensors and fuel injection coils. Established a 20-member international management team responsible for manufacturing, marketing, engineering, sales, quality assurance and accounting activities regarding international expansion projects.
■ Successfully completed $100MM IPO that enabled company to grow from $50MM in sales to $150MM in sales in 4 years with pretax earnings of 15%. Target offering price of $15.00 per share increased to $25.00 per share with excellent investor and Wall Street relations. Responsible for the coordination with company attorneys and outside accounting firm for the initial SEC registration and external reporting after completion of IPO.
■ Directed electromechanical coil manufacturing facility start-up in Mexico, developed training guidelines and process methods to ensure quality standards met; grew from 100 to 300 employees, $25MM annual revenue; achieved profitability in 9 months.
■ Coordinated start-up of warehouse, distribution center, and office to kit materials sent to Mexican facility for coil production, enabled subsequent shipment throughout the United States.
■ Restructured product cost and revised pricing strategy that increased sales growth from $50MM to $150MM in 4 years with pre-tax earnings of 15%.
■ Conducted negotiations with wire manufacturers; reduced annual wire cost $2MM.
Hoover Universal, Inc. Ann Arbor, MI 1979 - 1981
Hayes - Albion Corporation Jackson, MI 1976 - 1979
Chrysler Corporation Highland Park, MI 1974 - 1976
Cost Accountant
Chrysler Corporation Highland Park, MI 1972 - 1974
Education
Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance Tiffin University Tiffin, OH
Graduate Chrysler Management Training Program
Certifications
Seel Jackson Consulting, LLC is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a Municipal Advisor
(Registration Number 866-01107-00) and with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (Registration Number K0636).
Board of Directors Staffing Network, LLC 2000 - 2002
Board of Directors Sycamore Hills Golf Club 1996 - 1999
Board of Directors, Fort Wayne Community Development Corp. 1994 - 1997
President Junior Achievement 1992 - 1994