DONALD B. SANDERS
Accountant & Businessman
'Chronological' Work Page
B - Chronological:
Introduction: I have a history of 'friendly-success' and 'problem solving' in all positions that I have ever held. I am not saying that I have always been right, but: that I have succeeded, even though I was often 'stretching myself' and often 'thinking outside of the box'. Wherever possible, I worked in harmony with the synergy of all other relevant persons. And - I believe that this is quite relevant - I have never 'squashed' anyone else in my own quest for success; in fact - at times I have been 'the champion of the under-dog'.
But - it is also possible that a few egos may have been 'bent out of shape' as I over-achieved, against the odds, or against what was 'politically correct'. Let me also say that: I work best, and achieve the best results, when I am not 'put on too tight of a leash'; also, I do no believe that 'the army geneal' ot the 'tin-pot dictator' has any place in a modern productive business atmosphere.
B. Major Work Achievements - Chronological, from today backwards to my youth:
** Contract Accountant/ Public Accountant self-employed; (1989-present)
-:- serving Individuals & their Small Businesses with complete accounting and income tax consulting/ filings;
-:- clients have included $$multi-million in revenues, and
-:- multi-company organizations, where I reported to their outside accountant;
-:- working with several different accounting systems; doing complex reconciliations; special reports; complete year-ends and consolidations; etc.
-:- sometimes I worked full-time as 'in-house contract accountant';
-:- for some years I had my own independent office;
-:- at the present time, I am working from my home-office.
** Accountant for a Church/ Bible School/ Private School -(1987-1988) - a registered charitable organization in Calgary; with total budgets of about $2 million;
My responsibilities included:
-:- general accounting, monthly financial statements, banking; handling public enquiries; and
-:- assisting with Board & Congregational Meetings. (References #E1 & E2 on Reference Page) .
** Accountant + Assistant Property Manager (1984-1985) for Edmonton/Calgary Property Management Firm;
-:- Started in Edmonton, where I was primarily assisting with client accounting; then was transferred to Calgary; where
My responsibilities included:
-:- all banking, daily office work, preparing monthly financial reports, by property, for the owners; and
-:- Assistant Branch Manager in his absence. (Reference #E3 on References Page).
** Controller & Computerization Consultant (1978-1979) for Edmonton-based, multi-branch, multi-company;
wholesaler/ manufacturer of heating & air-conditioning equipment; 1980 sales in the $10 million range.
Major personal challenges included:
-:- Up-grading the accounting system, which was partly manual and partly computer-service-bureau;
-:- Lobbying for full computerization with an in-house mini-computer;
-:- Initiated regular "Department Managers' meetings", in order to improve working relationships between departments. (I was one of about 6 department managers in the Edmonton Head Office, and there had been no 'Assistant General Manager').
** Licensed Alberta Realtor, (1977-1982) based in Edmonton, and working with Canadian investors,
My major accomplishments included:
-:- I worked primarily in the U.S.A. Investment Real Estate markets of Dallas/FtWorth, Texas & Memphis, Tennessee.
-:- Working exclusively on income-producing & development properties - from small to $20 million range - apartment complexes, motels, shopping centres, land for development, etc;
-:- Inspecting & comparing numerous properties, in conjunction with owners and brokers in each city;
-:- developing the marketing prospectuses, utilizing input from available sources;
-:- Negotiating with owners, brokers, bankers, lawyers, appraisers, corporate executives;
-:- Some of the firms I negotiated with included The Hunt Brothers, in Dallas, and Holiday Inns International, in their Memphis Head Office;
-:- Initiating/ Negotiating/ and Revising/ many & varied complex legal agreements;
-:- Also passed the Alberta Provincial exam & qualified as a Broker-Owner.
** Chief Accountant & Controller (1975-1977) for Land & Real Estate Development Group, based in Edmonton, and with operations in Edmonton, Alberta & Dallas, Texas;
-:- with operations including: Land Development, Joint Ventures, Building Construction, Civil Engineering & Property Management - with assets of over $40 million in 1977 dollars.
My major accomplishments included:
-:- Design & implementation of new computerized accounting & job-costing system, utilizing a local computer-service-bureau;
-:- training & supervision of office staff; I trained the person who succeeded me;
-:- supervision of Dallas properties, by phone + with trips to Dallas (3 large apartment projects = 800 units).
(Reference #E4 on Reference Page);
** At the Regional College in Kamloops, B.C., (1974-1975) -:- held simultaneous positions of ** Senior Accountant & ** Part-time Night School Instructor - typically working 50 - 60 hours per week; As
* Senior Accountant: - MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:
-:- Along with the computer programmer at a 'computer service bureau' - and with only limited input from the College Bursar - on my own initiative, I developed & implemented a new 'computerized costing, accounting & reporting system' (to replace an antiquated & very cumbersome manual system); this task included: (a.) designing a completely new 'general ledger and financial statement format'; (b.) developing a completely new chart of accounts, with detailed costing by course, for each department (4), of about 3,000 items in total; (c.) coding cheques and all other financial input, back 6 months; and (d.) running & editing the computer reports for 6 months, back-to-back, - with no manual back-up!
-:- My position was also, effectively, a liaison between 'the Administration' and 'the Academics'; and I therefore held regular meetings with 'Academic' department heads on budget & financial matters;
-:- Supervised the payroll department of 2, with their computerized payroll, with multi-unions and college staff of well over 100; & As
* Part-time Night School Instructor: - MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:
-:- Taught classes 3 hrs/night; 3 nights/week, to class of about 35 adult students;
-:- When some of my top students asked if they could get credits towards an accounting degree - I went to the department heads, we discussed the situation, and they gave me carte blanche approval, and the authority, for me personally to upgrade the course content, upgrade the lesson plans, and also for me to re-design and grade the final exam, including setting the final grades for my students. We agreed that: Students receiving a grade of 80% or more would get 'credit towards an accounting degree program'; and students with grades of 60-79% would get their 'bookkeeping diploma'. The students were happy, so was the department superviser, and I was elated.
-:- My teaching success was, in a large measure, the result of 'endeavoring to help the students' and this was achieved by 'co-ordinating the teaching assignment with 2 different department heads' ('Academic' and 'Continuing Education').
-:- *** (I have no degree at all, and yet I was personally responsible for upgrading a College-level course to 'credit' level! This was doubtless because the College recognized my solid understanding of 'accounting theory and practice'.)
-:- I had very good success as a College Instructor, but I declined an invitation to do it again the following semester, due to changes in management of the Accounting Department.
** Controller & Business Manager (1971-1973) in a Mercury Marine authorized Boat & Snowmobile Sales & Service Dealership, Edmonton.
-:- I was instrumental in spear-heading the expansion of a very small 'back alley repair shop' into becoming a 'major urban Sales & Service Dealership';
-:- Our major promotions included: - boat & snowmobile racing - water-ski school - jet-boat racing (we brought in several 'big jet racing boats' from California, for a week-end of racing on a near-by lake) - and we had major displays at the 'Edmonton Boat Show';
-:- My responsibilities included: Accounting, Banking, Finance, Purchasing & New Products;
-:- Training: Attended Manager Training schools in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
-:- Major award: I won a trip to Nassau, Bahamas, as 'one of 175 Top Mercury Marine Dealers, world-wide';
-:- NOTE: My personal success in the Retail Marine Business led to an invitation for me to move to Beaumont, Texas to become manager of a new Mercury Marine dealership there; but the world-wide 'fuel crisis of late 1973' made this move un-feasible, and resulted in the cancellation of our plans. When our plans to move to Texas fell through, we moved to Kamloops, B.C. instead (not quite as exciting).
** Alberta Accountant (1970-1971) for Land Division of Public Company,
with major subdivisions in (1.) Edmonton, St Albert & Sherwood Park plus (2.) several areas in Calgary;
History:
-:- Until 1970, the average annual sales volume, in Alberta, had been about $3 million per year, with all of the accounting & legal work being done in the Winnipeg regional office, and with local Alberta realtors doing most of the lot-sales; BUT
-:- Alberta sales in 1970 was $4.5 million, and 1971 was over $10 million, when the average price of a fully-serviced, single family lot was $4,500 - $6,000! - This volume would be well over $100 million in today's dollars! AND
My 3 Major Areas of Responsibility - as 'Alberta Acccountant', a new position - included:
-:- 1. Manual costing & accounting for all subdivisions in Calgary & Edmonton areas; writing all cheques for payment of bills; and regular monthly financial reporting to head office in Vancouver;
-:- 2. Initiating or reviewing all agreements for the sale of lots, & other legal agreements; plus in-house conveyancing/ transfers of lot titles (we rarely used lawyers); in 1971, we processed land transfers for over 1,000 building lots; &
-:- 3. Builder relations & lot sales in the Edmonton area; including developing new clients (instead of using realtors).
Note: I had lobbied for computerization, but management refused to budge from their 'cumbersome manual system'.
** Accountant (1967-1970) for a small Edmonton Custom Home Builder, and several of their sub-trades;
My responsibilities included:
-:- Computerized job-costing, accounting & financial statements;
-:- regular financial meetings with owner/financier; &
-:- part-time New Home Sales.
** Accountant (1966-1967) for Rocky Mountain House Co-operative Association; multi-department; multi-branch;
My responsibilities included:
-:- weekly sales reporting & management meetings;
-:- Complete accounting (manual systems), including A/R, A/P & monthly financial statements; and
-:- Assisting the General Manager, as well as attending management meetings on his behalf.
* While at the Co-op, I also attended 'Co-op College' in Saskatoon, Sask. for a week.
** Student & Staff Accountant (1963-1966) while working for Edmonton C.A. Firm & taking accounting-related courses -
-:- gained extensive experience in Accounting, Auditing & Income Tax;
-:- while working for a very diverse clientele - including individuals, professionals, public institutions, large construction companies & commercial businesses; and
-:- including extensive travel in Northern Alberta & Northern B.C.
** Farming -:- As a youth, grew up on a mixed farm in eastern Alberta;
-:- Over 10 years experience, including: working with livestock, machinery, harvesting, blacksmithing, carpentry & construction;
-:- Learned strong work ethic, working in harmony with others, and taking responsibility from a young age.
** Volunteer - Political Campaigns:
-:- In the 1985 Provincial Leadership Campaign (Alberta P.C's):
-- progressed from new volunteer - to managing the over-all literature campaign - to becoming 'assistant - computer detail' to Campaign Manager; &
-- attended the 'Leadership Convention' in Edmonton as a 'Candidate's Agent'.
-:- Since 1985:
-- worked extensively on several election campaigns; also
-- served as Member & Adviser on both Provincial & Federal constituency boards. (References # E5-E7 on Reference Page).
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B - Chronological. Latest revision to this website: 2004-12-30.
