Karen J. Garrison
(Address and phone numbers removed)
(To contact, please send e-mail)
garrisonkj@hotmail.com
 
Summary:
Senior finance professional with successful experience in full-scale financial management, including budgeting, forecasting and analysis.  Proven analytical, communication, organizational and planning skills enable me to make a valuable impact as a strong business advocate in a high-energy, high-growth corporate environment.
 
Skills and Experiences:
  • Increasingly responsible experience in expense management ($50M annual budget within 1% forecasting accuracy), as well as detailed revenue analysis.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with both internal and external customers.
  • Development and implementation of finance systems training program for new finance employees and corporate budget managers.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office 2000 and various financial management systems.

Work Experience
April 2002
to Present		   Independent Consultant
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Work with partners of merger and acquisition corporations to provide services to a broad range of closely held companies, including manufacturing, distribution, service, and technology companies.  Conduct target company searches for individual buyers and meet with selling company owner(s)/executive staff to prepare, write, edit and print confidential acquisition profiles for use in merger or acquisition transactions.
 
    Symantec Corporation
Beaverton, OR
 
January 1995
to April 2001		   Financial Specialist
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Full-scale financial management and business advocacy for global development and marketing organizations including, but not limited to, timely and accurate forecasting of operating expenses (within 1% accuracy); led the annual budgeting process in alignment with corporate strategies; and executed high-level P&L analysis involving new products and strategic initiatives.  Also developed and implemented financial systems training series for new finance employees and as part of corporate management training program.
 
August 1990
to January 1995		   Sr. Product Specialist/Public Relations Specialist (Previously Central Point Software - acquired by Symantec in June 1994)
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Managed a variety of PR activities to support strategic product launches and corporate announcements, including preparing product announcement plans, writing press releases, coordinating and hosting press tours, managing reviews, and negotiating coverage in key trade and business publications; managed editorial calendar contacts and analyzed clips of company, competitor and industry coverage; initiated product evaluation and user reference programs; promoted speaking opportunity proposals.  Directed sales collateral production/printing process; managed third-party literature fulfillment house.  Systemized and monitored marketing program expense tracking.
 
February 1989
to August 1990		   Bipolar Integrated Technology, Inc.
Beaverton, OR
Marketing Assistant
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Provided all aspects of administrative support for Vice President of Marketing (back-up for CEO and Vice President of Sales).  This position allowed for heavy interface with all personnel having direct relations with the Marketing, Sales, and Executive departments, including the Board of Directors, industry investors and key customers.  Cross-trained with Marketing Services to include Demand Forecast, Response-to-Forecast and Allocation reports, and basic Customer Service functions.
 
February 1988
to December 1988		   Asset Management Corporation
Seattle, WA
Executive Assistant/Bookkeeper
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Provided all aspects of administrative support for President and professional property management staff; bookkeeping for 18 apartment and condominium complexes, including all A/P, maintenance fee ledgers, check registers, bank deposits and reconciliation, manual and computerized collection sheets, financial statements; development of annual condo budgets; research and documentation of condo sales.
 
January 1987
to February 1988		   Plush Pippin Corporation
Tacoma, WA
Management Team and Head Lead Server
 
  Responsibilities and Accomplishments: Food service personnel administration (hiring, training, scheduling, supervising and motivating); pie and menu item preparation and baker.  Position utilized basic accounting, banking, public relations, food ordering and inventory control.

 

Education
December 1987   Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Magna Cum Laude

 
References furnished upon request