Finance and Budgeting Experience

In the early days of computers, accounting software was not very good. To me, to sell a computer it had do be useful, so I developed my own software. It included accounts receivable, payable, general ledger, and inventory. The following year I developed a point-of-sale system and general ledger with budgeting. Over time, I sold and installed about 60 systems

Later, Peachtree and Armor Systems gained brand recognition, so I sold, installed, and supported those systems as well.

Woody Bilton Ford, St George SC, wanted an F&I system that would calculate car loans with credit life insurance, accident & health insurance, and extended warranty. Previously, Bilton used a rate chart that said “between 5000 and 6000, your payment is “X”. The new F&I system calculated payments accurately for any amount. ALSO, “Reg Z” allowed for interest calculations to round up to specific decimal points. This resulted in increased commissions on bank loans. Finally, insurance could be accurately calculated on the future value of the initial loan, with the future value of insurance + interest added. These too greatly increased profits from finance and insurance. Later I mated the F&I system with the other accounting products resulting in a complete solution for automobile dealers, marine, and RV dealers.

However, once I met Jeff Anderson and began consulting for Williams Technologies, I was hooked on manufacturing.

My primary responsibility was IT system and ERP implementation, plant-wide, including accounting, general ledger, and budgeting. But Jeff allowed my to get deeply involved in every department and every process.

I worked with the Controller on GL ad budgeting, engineering, scheduling, and I became a QS9000 auditor. I modified the shop-floor system that I developed to facilitate process change approvals from GM and Ford. I was even allowed to become certified to build two ford front-wheel-drive transmissions.

During that time Jeff introduced me to Robert W. "Doc" Hall -of the Compression Institute Dr. Hall is Professor Emeritus, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University (USA)., and was very involved with Association for Manufacturing Excellence. Doc Hall designed a manufacturing process whereby a “ProSumer” (proactive consumer) would design what they wanted, the internet would provide bids from sub-assembly company, and the finished product would be delivered to the ProSumer on-time and in-spec. Doc Hall asked me to design the software and hardware necessary to build products using this method, and something that could be easily transported to training seminars held all over the country. We used Lego swamp-boat kits as the product. I traveled with Doc and Ralph for nearly a year putting on these seminars The participants could order their swamp boats in any color, any size, number of seats, engines, front drive, rear drive. It was so funny to see heads of the top manufacturing companies building Lego swamp boats, and being so serious about it What I learned from the experience was priceless.

At Cablecraft I was deeply involve with all facets of manufacturing, accounting, and budgeting.

At Goer I acted as controller for 3 months until a replacement could be found. I also ran accounts receivable and payable between hires.