Exploring the traditional controller role and stepping out of the box to identify areas where the controller can continue to add strategic value to their organizations.

This course corresponds to our Controllership series. This series of course is dedicated to exploring the traditional controller role and stepping out of the box to identify areas where the controller can continue to add strategic value to their organizations. Within this segment of our controllership series, we will discuss the area of cash and investments and explore how the controller can move these responsibilities into more of a strategic role.
In today’s world the role of cash management is often a pivotal role in the organization .In economic difficult times, controllers may find that they spend a great deal of their time on understanding and managing the organizations cash position. This is certainly important and in some arenas can be seen as a staple of the lifeblood of the organization’s ongoing viability. This course will take a look at some of the typical objectives involved in Cash management and then evaluate how those objectives can be further stretched in strategic pillars of the organization
Controllers are essential to the day-to-day accounting for organizations. Yet, the role is not often readily understood. In today’s world of acronyms such as CFO, CEO, COO, CAO etc., the controller function may get lost in the shuffle. However, they are a critical group of professionals that will ensure the adequacy and transparency of accounting and financial reporting information.
Other courses in this series will include: • The controller’s evolving role • The controller’s role in strategic and annual planning • The controller’s role in cash and investing • The controller’s role in inventory part 1 – inventory basics and the controller’s role • The controller’s role in inventory part 2 – inventory valuation, physical inventory methods, inventory fraud • The controller’s role in property plan and equipment • The controller’s role in the sales process • Understanding overhead, distribution and direct and indirect expenses • The controller’s role in operational accounting • The close the books process • The controller’s role in performance measurement, KPI’s and trends
Field of Study: Accounting

Lynn Fountain has over 45 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate accounting and consulting. 24 years of her experience has been working in the areas of internal and external auditing. She is a subject matter expert in multiple fields including internal audit, ethics, fraud evaluations, Sarbanes-Oxley, enterprise risk management, governance, financial management and compliance. Ms. Fountain has held two Chief Audit Executive positions for international companies. In 2011, as the Chief Audit Executive for an international construction/ engineering firm, she was involved in the active investigation of a joint venture fraud. The investigation included work with the FBI and ultimately led to indictment of the perpetrators and recovery of $13M. Ms. Fountain is currently engaged in her own training and consulting business and is a regular trainer for the AICPA. Ms. Fountain is the author of three separate technical books. “Raise the Red Flag – The Internal Auditors Guide to Fraud Evaluations” was published by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation. -“Leading The Internal Audit Function” and -“Ethics and The Internal Auditor Political Dilemma” were published by Taylor & Francis In addition Ms. Fountain was a contributing author to the certification program exam for the National Association of Accountants. She also has certificate programs on various on-line platforms. Ms. Fountain has performed as an adjunct instructor for the School of Business for Grantham University and developed the first internal audit curriculum for the School of Business at the University of Kansas. Ms. Fountain obtained her BSBA from Pittsburg State University and her MBA from Washburn University in Kansas. She has her CGMA, CRMA credentials and CPA certificate (non-active).
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