Neil Stajkowski
Vancouver,BC
Summary
Dedicated multi-industry professional with a history of meeting company goals utilizing consistent and organized practices. Skilled in working under pressure and adapting to new situations and challenges to best enhance the organizational brand.
Forward-thinking team leader skilled at operating departments efficiently to meet goals. Successful background matching employees with roles for maximum performance. Proactive and hardworking individual focused on continuous operational improvement.
Overview
39
39
years of professional experience
Work History
Accounting/Operations Manager
Cargill Limited
Vancouver, BC
05.1984 - 12.1987
- Cargill is a multi-national corporation operating in numerous industries (primarily agriculture related) throughout the world
- Reduced budgetary expenditures by effectively negotiating contracts for more advantageous terms.
- Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
- It has over 60,000 employees internationally (over 2,000 in Canada)
- Its Canadian operations traded both nationally and internationally.
- Developed and maintained relationships with external vendors and suppliers.
Secretary-Treasurer
HBPA Of BC, HBPA Of Canada
Vancouver, BC
06.2019 - Current
- Oversight of daily activities and Board organization for all Thoroughbred horseracing activities, related to horse training and ownership, at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver
- Offered technical support and troubleshot issues to enhance office productivity.
- Volunteered to help with special projects of varying degrees of complexity.
Strata Council Member
The Oscar
Vancouver, BC
04.2022 - Current
- Review requirements, negotiate contracts, work with external property management for our 15 townhomes, 128 condominium unit property in Yaletown
- Used strong analytical and problem-solving skills to develop effective solutions for challenging situations.
- I use my operational experience to add to the existing Council team and create effective policies and negotiate fair operational contracts for the benefit of all owners.
Contract Financial Consultant
Self Employed Services
Vancouver, BC
09.2016 - Current
- 16 month term contract working with the College of Veterinarians in review of financial systems and database program as to its effectiveness and its followup replacement feasibility and implementation
- Coaching new Non-Profit Finance professionals on regulatory regime operations for three regulatory organizations
- Interim Controller for a west coast aviation company for a year.
- added a few start up organizations in structuring operations and preliminary reporting plans for in-house use and by stakeholders
- Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills while managing multiple projects.
Controller
Wilbur, Company of Canada Limited
Vancouver, BC
01.1988 - 02.1990
- Wilbur-Ellis is a commodity trading and agricultural chemical company
- This was the start of its Canadian operations with offices in Alberta and British Columbia
- It had 20 employees with an annual net income of approximately $1.5 million.
- Mitigated risk by implementing internal controls and safeguards for revenues and expenditures.
- Directed corporate decision-making and planning by monitoring and setting policies and procedures to optimize fiscal performance.
- Supervised accurate, efficient, and compliant completion of monthly financial reporting packages.
Director Finance and Operations
West Point Grey Academy
Vancouver, BC
08.2014 - 09.2016
- Oversaw Finance, IT, Property, Records Management and Human Resources reporting to the Head of School and working with the Board, Audit and Finance Committee, Risk Management Committee and Governance Committee as well as a Director of the Foundation Society with assets more than $7M
- Recommended a full update to the schools information system with a partnership with BlackBaud K-12 suite and their accounting software allowing for seamless communication through various platforms
- Provided active Risk Management oversight from a enterprise perspective and was instrumental in recommending the $55M excess of $35M aggregate layer to protect the 10 schools in the insurance group should a 1 in a 100 year disaster occur
- Constantly reviewing facilities to ensure they worked for school programs with 60-year-old buildings located on 38 acres of land leased from the provincial government and worked with the local First Nations in the process of purchasing the lands
- Reviewed the treasury function resulting in revised processes that improved efficiency, controls and returns in managing reserve funds considering annual tuition revenue of $20M.
- Proved successful working within tight deadlines and a fast-paced environment.
Senior Supervisor
Financial Institutions Commission Of BC
Vancouver, BC
05.2012 - 08.2014
- The Financial Institutions Commission (FICOM) is a department of the BC Ministry of Finance charged with the oversight and supervision of provincially regulated financial institutions
- Supervised provincially regulated financial institutions to determine whether they are in sound financial condition and complying with their governing law and supervisory requirements
- First Nations Trust was one of my files that I reviewed and was exposed to effective assistance to grown FN businesses
- Monitored and evaluated system-wide or sector issues impacting BC institutions and reported to the Superintendent, including the writing and presentation of detailed reports and development of the risk-based framework for regulating provincially regulated financial institutions.
Financial Advisor and Benefits Consultant
Self Employed Services Via SunLife Financial
BC
04.2006 - 05.2012
- As a licensed financial, insurance and health benefits advisor, I provided consulting advice to entrepreneurial organizations, small businesses, families, and individuals requiring support and guidance
- Managed over $15M in client assets and provided specific financial plans and insurance options
- Advised clients so that they could meet their goals in a way that made sense for them
- Analyzed financial needs of clients and developed tailored strategies to meet goals.
- Researched current economic trends and investment opportunities to stay abreast of financial markets.
Chief Financial Officer
Law Society of British Columbia, LSBC Captive Insurance Company of BC
Vancouver, BC
02.1990 - 04.2006
- The Law Society is an organization created through a BC provincial statute – the Legal Profession Act
- With an elected and appointed Board of Directors (Benchers) and its mandate to protect the public interest in the delivery of legal services
- Overall financial management of an over $40m annual budget and $200m+ balance sheet including $50m of Real Property assets and $150m of invested assets using fund accounting within their non-profit and IFSR compliant accounting for their for-profit businesses
- Created a multi-fund accounting system in a UNIX environment to provide a complete set of organizational financial reports to support expanded operational demands and needs of program managers
- Prepared financial models to assess the effectiveness of various strategic initiatives and organizational objectives including modeling tax effective use of the Captive and Law Society structures to reduce tax owing organizationally and keeping insurance assessments minimized
- Developed operational plans and internal management systems for all building operation aspects of 2 commercial properties of over 200,000 sq
- Ft
- Including design, operations and financial management
- Created a Human Resources department and developed leading edge policies that reflected the local labour environment and policy directions of the organization
- Lead high performance work teams in both project situations and daily work functions using tools such as 360 degree feedback to allow for personal improvement for all managers and team leaders.
- Assessed company resources to keep business funded and nurture relationships with investors, lenders and key partners.
- Conducted detailed analysis of company financial information and oversaw preparation of related reports.
- Developed future financial plans to inform critical decision-making related to spending cuts, rightsizing labor force and timing planned business investments.
- Directed budget development, creation of budgetary controls and recordkeeping systems and investment management.
Education
Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA,CMA - Accounting
10.1988
- Continuing education in many areas of an overage of 20 hours per year
Bachelors - Bachelor of Commerce
04.1984
BComm majoring in Finance and Accounting.
Skills
- Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access
- Project Development
- Systems Implementations
- Cost Containment
- Staff Training
- Payroll software including custom design management and implementation – Ceridian, PayWorks
- Internal Control Management
- Financial Management
- Adaptable and Flexible
- Public Address Presentation
- Budgeting and Cost Control
- Continuous Improvements
Timeline
Strata Council Member - The Oscar
04.2022 - Current
Secretary-Treasurer - HBPA Of BC, HBPA Of Canada
06.2019 - Current
Contract Financial Consultant - Self Employed Services
09.2016 - Current
Director Finance and Operations - West Point Grey Academy
08.2014 - 09.2016
Senior Supervisor - Financial Institutions Commission Of BC
05.2012 - 08.2014
Financial Advisor and Benefits Consultant - Self Employed Services Via SunLife Financial
04.2006 - 05.2012
Chief Financial Officer - Law Society of British Columbia, LSBC Captive Insurance Company of BC
02.1990 - 04.2006
Controller - Wilbur, Company of Canada Limited
01.1988 - 02.1990
Accounting/Operations Manager - Cargill Limited
05.1984 - 12.1987
CPABC - Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA,CMA, Accounting
University of Alberta - Bachelors, Bachelor of Commerce