Theresa Berg
Warrenville,IL
Summary
Motivated Accounts Receivable Professional experienced in leading projects and teams to enhance financial operations. Achieved efficiency in complex billing and collection processes through financial analysis and process improvement. Focused on optimizing workflows and fostering collaboration to drive organizational financial success.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager, Accounts Receivable
KeHE Distributors, LLC
Naperville, IL
09.2024 - Current
- Managed and optimized operational processes to enhance efficiency. a $100M AR portfolio, leveraging financial analysis and strategic collection policies to maximize cash flow and reduce bad debt reserve.
- Developed plans and actions to meet departmental goals and decrease bad debt reserve.
- Streamlined departmental workflow to improve efficiency and ensure compliance with internal controls, policies, and procedures.
- Collaborated with A/R Director to enhance stakeholder relationships, streamline departmental processes, measure team productivity, and strengthen internal controls.
- Leads monthly calls with Sales Account Management leadership and gains the support needed to resolve collection issues.
- Proactively reviews accounts on weekly 1:1 meeting with Analysts. Monitors, resolves, or escalates payment deductions issues.
- Oversee the customer post audit research and resolution process for all chain accounts.
- Composes month-end financial reports and conducts calls with Sr. Management to discuss results.
- Conduct Bi-Weekly team meetings to foster effective communication and performance.
- Trained employees to enhance their confidence and facilitate quicker adaptation to job roles.
- Supported development and implementation of departmental operating policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Manages and leads a team of Senior Analyst, Lead Analyst and AR Analyst.
Accounts Receivable Credit Manager, Finance
Hearthside Food Solutions
Downers Grove, IL
01.2011 - 09.2024
- Managed $340M A/R portfolio, achieving average > 90-day balance of 1-2%.
- Managed all A/R functions and provided A/R support for twenty-four production facilities.
- Develop, evaluate, and implement all corporate A/R internal controls and processes in relation to the cash receipts, applications, and collection functions.
- Managed the day-to-day collections, cash receipts, and customer disputes.
- Reduce DSO, past due percentages and improve cash flow.
- Analyze trends in the customer A/R portfolio to identify risk factors and predict future performance.
- Perform credit investigations and complete financial analysis to determine credit worthiness, credit limits, and terms for new customers.
- Analyze the root cause of customer disputes and past due receivables and assist on resolution.
- Implemented streamlined procedures that reduced delinquent AR balances.
- Managed all Bad Debt accruals to meet month end close deadlines.
- Report regular updates to the Finance Management, Sales, and Customer Service located at multiple locations regarding at-risk past due accounts and assess need to reserve and/or escalate collection process.
- Compile & Distribute weekly A/R Report status to Finance Management and Senior Leadership Team.
- Created reporting tools to organize and document collection activity.
- Oversee daily operations including billing, collections, and cash posting.
- Executed additional tasks requested by the VP Corporate Controller and CFO.
- Process development for ten corporate acquisitions.
- Handled data requests during annual external audit to ensure compliance.
- Established team priorities and coordinated training resources to enhance team capabilities.
- Maximum Direct reports of 11 Senior A/R Specialist and A/R Specialist.
- Reported peak revenue of $1B for FY2023, indicating strong financial performance.
- Maximum Direct reports of 11 Senior A/R Specialist and A/R Specialist.
National Key Account Credit Executive
Phonak Hearing Systems
Warrenville, IL
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Managed portfolio of eighty-one national and key accounts, buying groups, and loan accounts.
- Collaborated independently to manage accounts receivable balance of $23M, ensuring timely processing and accuracy.
- Resolved account disputes through negotiation, aligning payments with contractual terms to maintain cash flow.
- Oversaw personal cash allocation, proactively identifying accounts needing special attention to optimize cash flow.
- Led monthly discussions with National and Buying group account managers, focusing on account management and coordination.
- Reviewed monthly variance reports to analyze invoice discrepancies, eliminating future billing errors in collaboration with sales management and pricing department.
- Generated and updated accurate aging reports and financial statements to track outstanding receivables.
- Performed complex reconciliations and gathered necessary documentation to support potential legal actions.
- Tracked and maintained precise individual performance metrics to assess productivity and effectiveness.
Credit and Collections Specialist
Phonak Hearing Systems
Warrenville, IL
01.2000 - 01.2009
- Departmental lead, advisor, and trainer for the SAP template development and system migration for Credit & Cash Application.
- Executed timely follow-up and conducted tactful calls on delinquent accounts to facilitate prompt payment.
- Developed and monitored collection risk and recovery strategies to enhance collection effectiveness.
- Assessed customer profiles to identify potential credit risks.
- Prepare and organize collection accounts and ensure all measures are being taken to recover all losses with collection agencies.
- Manage customer disputes and issue credits and adjustments.
- Supported dedicated collection team performing month end close, fast, and accurate cash application.
- Review credit application and make financial analysis of current and potential customers.
- Assessed financial data to establish credit limits.
- Prepared and updated customer statements.
- Analyzing incoming orders as they relate to established credit lines & notify customers & Sales Representatives of CIA and credit hold.
- Analyzed and prioritized information to recommend actions that improved cash flow and managed credit line withdrawals.
Accounts Receivable Assistant Supervisor
Distribution 2000
Bolingbrook, IL
01.1998 - 01.2000
Credit & Collections/Computer Operator
A.L.P. Lighting & Ceiling Products, Inc.
Niles, IL
01.1990 - 01.1995
Skills
- Accounts receivable management
- Accounts Reconciliation
- Financial Reporting Tools
- Proficient in Dun & Bradstreet analysis
- SAP expertise
- Experience with Workday
- Advanced Excel functions
- Salesforce
- Customer Management
- Microsoft Word
- AS/400
Power BI
Certification
- Duns & Bradstreet Certifications
Timeline
Manager, Accounts Receivable
KeHE Distributors, LLC
09.2024 - Current
Accounts Receivable Credit Manager, Finance
Hearthside Food Solutions
01.2011 - 09.2024
National Key Account Credit Executive
Phonak Hearing Systems
01.2009 - 01.2011
Credit and Collections Specialist
Phonak Hearing Systems
01.2000 - 01.2009
Accounts Receivable Assistant Supervisor
Distribution 2000
01.1998 - 01.2000
Credit & Collections/Computer Operator
A.L.P. Lighting & Ceiling Products, Inc.
01.1990 - 01.1995