8 CFOs Honored at the Annual San Fernando Valley Awards

Members of the San Fernando Valley finance community gathered to celebrate the annual CFO of the Year Awards on Wednesday, June 15. Century Group was proud to partner with the San Fernando Valley Business Journal as a presenting sponsor at this year’s event, honoring the important work of CFOs as financial stewards in public, private, nonprofit, government and public sector companies and organizations throughout the San Fernando Valley.

The 2016 awards went to Lawrence Balingit, CFO of Aware Products, LLC; Lori Cardle, CFO of Valley Presbyterian Hospital; Karen Davis, Vice President of Administration and Finance at California Lutheran University; Tom Emery, CFO of DineEquity, Inc.; Gary Johnson, CFO of BNK Petroleum Inc.; Mitula Patel, CFO of Momentous Insurance Brokerage Inc.; Gerry Schauer, CFO of Hydra Electric Company; and Jerome Taieb, CFO of MS Aerospace.

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016

The awards committee chose to honor eight finance executives this year, rather than selecting one from each of the six categories. “The CFO Awards once again highlighted the amazing talent in finance and accounting throughout the San Fernando Valley,” said Phil Bruno, Managing Director of Century Group’s San Fernando Valley offices and a member of the awards committee.

“The selection process was an indication of the high number of deserving finance leaders who have led their organizations through a variety of challenges presented by the economic environment in the Valley over the past year. As a result, we wanted to present awards to the most deserving professionals, regardless of category. We were thrilled to honor the eight winners this year, as well as all the nominees.”

Each winner said they were honored to be recognized for their work, and they shared the awards with those who supported them, as well as their fellow nominees. Karen Davis of California Lutheran University said, “It’s easy to do a great job when you have a great team behind you,” while Tom Emery of Dine Equity said, “I am grateful to my team – they’re the ones who deserve this.”

The awards committee selected this year’s winners from 33 finalists, all nominated by colleagues in the profession. The committee looked at a number of criteria for each person who was nominated, including the length of time they had been with their organization, the overall body of work in their career, the impact they made within their organization; the impact they made compared to their peer group, the financial success and stability of their company, and their involvement in both industry groups and the community. More details and photos from the event, as well as a profile on each honoree, can be found in the June 27 issue of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Members of the Century Group team

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Steven Raby and Brad Horton with honoree Gary Johnson

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Phil Bruno with honoree Karen Davis and the Business Journal’s Eric Brunelli

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Phil Bruno presented the award to Karen Davis

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Anna Coumans, Jake Barbee and Kwasi Dwomoh with an event guest

San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016
Phil Bruno with event guests
San Fernando Valley CFO Awards 2016

CFOs Honored at Annual Awards in Orange County

Financial professionals and guests gathered at the Orange County Business Journal’s annual CFO of the Year Awards on Thursday, January 21 to honor this year’s nominees and recipients. Century Group proudly sponsors the event each year to honor area financial professionals who have shown the highest level of talent and commitment as corporate stewards for their respective companies in the preceding fiscal year.

This year’s awards went to Liz Williams of Taco Bell Corp. (Outstanding CFO of a Public Company), Kent R. Crandall of MBK Real Estate Co. (Outstanding CFO of a Private Company), Laurie Peterson of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire (Outstanding CFO of a Not-for-Profit Organization), Madhu Vijay of Aviation Capital Group Corp. (Lifetime Achievement Award), and Gina Mastantuono of Ingram Micro Inc. (Rising Star).

“Each honoree took the time to mention how the award was a testament to the hard work and success of the members of their team,” said Ron Proul, Century Group’s CEO. “This truly resonates with what we do at Century Group, working with CFOs throughout the Southern California area to build teams and support the success of both the CFOs and the companies themselves.”

Winners Madhu Vijay, Laurie Peterson, Gina Mastantuono, Liz Williams and Kent R. Crandall
Winners Madhu Vijay, Laurie Peterson, Gina Mastantuono, Liz Williams and Kent R. Crandall (Photo by Laurel Hungerford Photography)

In addition to thanking their teams, both Liz Williams and Laurie Peterson spoke about their pride for their companies. Williams considers herself very lucky to be part of such an amazing brand, which makes being passionate about work easy, while Peterson remarked that she truly has her dream job.

“Century Group is proud to be part of the biggest celebration of the year for the Orange County finance community,” said Tim Calley, Managing Director of Century Group’s Orange County Office. “From Liz Williams, who Century Group nominated for this year’s award based on her phenomenal track record at Taco Bell, to Lifetime Achievement honoree Madhu Vijay, who helped reshape an entire industry as a part of Aviation Capital Group’s executive team, to Rising Star honoree Gina Mastantuono of Ingram Micro, who spoke of her pride in joining the Orange County community when she took on this role, this year’s winners represent some of the most iconic companies in today’s business world. It is definitely a testament to the strength of finance leaders and businesses in Orange County.”

The awards committee selected the winners from 37 finalists, all of whom were nominated by colleagues in the profession. Each nominee was said to have certain attributes, including the ability to successfully promote and support excellence as a CFO; establish procedures; set an example of ethical behavior; act as a team-builder, mentor and innovator; and contribute to the advancement of the industry and community. More details and photos from the event can be found online. Profiles on each honoree were published in the February 1 issue of the Orange County Business Journal.

Barnaby Wang, CFO of the Year winner Liz Williams and an event guest
Barnaby Wang, CFO of the Year winner Liz Williams and an event guest

Tim Calley, past CFO of the Year winner David Justus, CFO of the Year Nominee Chris Martin and his fiance
Tim Calley, past CFO of the Year winner David Justus, CFO of the Year Nominee Chris Martin and his fiance

CFO of the Year Nominee Mark Sweetman and Nathalie Hollants
CFO of the Year Nominee Mark Sweetman and Nathalie Hollants

Barnaby Wang and CFO of the Year Nominee Kimberly S. Boren
Barnaby Wang and CFO of the Year Nominee Kimberly S. Boren

Tom Erwin, Lisa Chang, Dave Dutt and Daniel Van Hill
Tom Erwin, Lisa Chang, Dave Dutt and Daniel Van Hill (Photo by Laurel Hungerford Photography)

Nathalie Hollants and Tim Calley
Nathalie Hollants and Tim Calley
2016 OC CFO of the Year Awards

Making a Difference in the Lives of Animals and People

Many members of the Century Group team spent their off hours helping causes that are important to them. Two such team members are actively involved in causes with similar missions – animal welfare.

Arielle LeBoulch Share, Director of Client Services on the Project and Interim Services team in the El Segundo Office, volunteers with Peace 4 Animals, an organization committed to improving the state of animal welfare on a global scale through education and awareness campaigns.

Founded by model/actress, philanthropist and filmmaker Katie Cleary, Peace 4 Animals produces the World Animal News to educate the public on the latest in breaking animal news, as well as educating its viewers about current legislation, fundraising campaigns, innovative pet products and celebrity-related animal news. The organization also released an award-winning documentary, “Give Me Shelter,” on Netflix to expand the reach of their message.

Most non-profit organizations find their strongest voice on social media, and that’s exactly how Arielle came across this organization. “Social media is a powerful tool,” she said. “As a huge animal lover, I was immediately drawn to their efforts, so I reached out to them and started to volunteer to help make a difference.” Learn more about the organization, how to support the cause and how to find them on social media at peace4animals.net.

Peace 4 Animals
The Gentle Barn Liz Reinhardt, Century Group’s Director of Marketing, is also an animal lover who spends time during the weekend volunteering at The Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita. Like Arielle, she too was drawn to the organization based on their active social media presence. “There are many animal sanctuaries in California, but none is like the Gentle Barn,” she shared.

Founded by Ellie Laks, the Gentle Barn rescues and rehabilitates abused animals. They also host inner city and special needs children during the week, who learn kindness, compassion and confidence from the rescued animals. “The gentle approach they promote exudes in everything they do,” Liz said. “People are often astounded by the peaceful and friendly nature of the animals, especially once they hear the rescue stories. It’s a true testament to the environment Ellie has nurtured.”

For the past six years, the organization has hosted a holiday event in South Central Los Angeles, complete with a bounce house, face painting, gifts and clothing for the kids. For some of the families, these are the only gifts they will get for the holidays, so it has become another way The Gentle Barn gives back to inner city kids who participate in their programs. Each year, they strive to make the holiday event bigger and better, and they’ve set a lofty goal for 2017. They are looking for anything from shoes and clothes for the kids to toasters and coffeemakers for the adults. Learn more about this past year’s event here; if you or your organization would like to make a donation for next year’s holiday event, contact them at [email protected]. You can learn more about The Gentle Barn and how you can visit, as well as links to find them on social media, at www.gentlebarn.org.

Orange County CFOs Honored at Annual Awards

Financial professionals and guests gathered at the Orange County Business Journal’s annual CFO of the Year Awards on Wednesday, January 25 to honor this year’s nominees and recipients. Century Group proudly sponsors the event each year to honor area financial professionals who have shown the highest level of talent and commitment as corporate stewards for their respective companies in the preceding fiscal year.

This year’s awards went to Colin Severn of William Lyon Homes Inc. (Outstanding CFO of a Public Company), James Molloy of Alorica Inc. (Outstanding CFO of a Private Company), Jo Ann Escasa-Haigh of Providence St. Joseph Health (Outstanding CFO of a Not-for-Profit Organization), Dessi Sarabosing of Real Mex Restaurants Inc. (Rising Star), and Joe McCarthy of Sunrise Growers Inc. (Lifetime Achievement Award).

“This event is the biggest annual celebration for Orange County’s finance community, and I couldn’t think of a more deserving group of individuals to honor this year,” said Tim Calley, Managing Director of Century Group’s Orange County Office. “The industries represented by the honorees and winners truly speaks to the diversity and strength of the economy in Orange County.”

Through the highs and lows of the past decade, the honorees shared that they came out stronger in the end. And, as with past years, each honoree credited their strong support systems – both at work and at home – for their ability to succeed.

OC CFO Awards Winners
Winners Joe McCarthy, Jo Ann Escasa-Haigh, James Molloy, Dessi Sarabosing and Colin Severn (Photo by Laurel Hungerford Photography)

Public company CFO winner Colin Severn became CFO in 2009 after a change in leadership and was extremely grateful for the opportunity he was given. He credited his award to his team. “Without you, I wouldn’t be here. You do all the heavy lifting!”

Following a merger in July of 2016, non-profit CFO winner Jo Ann Escasa-Haigh credited the hard work and commitment of her team for a smooth transition. “There is no way it would have come together so well without the people on my team.”

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Joe McCarthy remarked that at meetings he is now “the oldest guy in the room.” He shared how he feels an obligation to both teach and learn from the younger generation – acting as a mentor and advisor, but also learning new ways of doing things. “If we change too, we will be heard more, and [the younger generation] will do great as they follow in our footsteps.”

“We hear it year after year – the winners credit their success to the team working behind them,” said Ron Blair, Century Group’s COO. “It’s one of the many reasons we’re proud to support this event and nominate such deserving finance leaders with whom we’ve worked to build those teams. I couldn’t think of a better way to acknowledge the success of the CFOs, their teams and the companies themselves.”

The awards committee selected the winners from 32 finalists, all of whom were nominated by colleagues in the profession. Each nominee was said to have certain attributes, including the ability to successfully promote and support excellence as a CFO; establish procedures; set an example of ethical behavior; act as a team-builder, mentor and innovator; and contribute to the advancement of the industry and community. More details and photos from the event can be found online. Profiles on each honoree will be published in the February 6 issue of the Orange County Business Journal.

OC CFO Awards FY2016
Daniel Van Hill, Tim Calley, Jordan Wood, Barnaby Wang and event guests

OC CFO Awards FY2016
Matthew Dyer and event guest

OC CFO Awards FY2016
Tim Calley and Master of Ceremonies Murray Rudin
OC CFO Awards FY2016

Los Angeles CFOs Honored At Annual Awards

Members of the Los Angeles finance community gathered on Tuesday, September 20 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown LA to recognize the top CFOs in the region at the 10th Annual Los Angeles CFO of the Year Awards. Century Group is a proud founding sponsor of the event, presented by the Los Angeles Business Journal to honor the important work of CFOs as financial stewards in companies and organizations throughout various industries.

Although there are six categories, awards went to eight individuals this year – with such an impressive group of nominees and finalists, two winners were chosen for two of the categories: Private CFO of the Year and Nonprofit CFO of the Year.

This year’s winners were:

The winners and awards committee
  • Public Company CFO of the Year – Steve Presley, Nestle USA
  • Private Company CFOs of the Year –
    • Nigel Kershaw, Lucky Brand
    • Whit Richards, Fullscreen, Inc.
  • Government/Public Sector CFO of the Year – Ryan Yakubik, Los Angeles World Airports
  • Nonprofit CFOs of the Year –
    • James Dougherty, Glendale Chamber of Commerce/JLK Rosenberger, LLP
    • Stephen Kennedy, Los Angeles Mission
  • Rising Star of the Year – Eric Chan, LootCrate, Inc.
  • RSM Middle Market Award – Matthew Pakkala, World Oil Corp.

Nearly 500 guests attended this year’s event, celebrating the 66 outstanding nominees and 23 finalists (see finalists by category below). “There is always such an impressive list of nominees and this year was no exception,” said Century Group’s COO Ron Blair, a member of the awards committee. “Each of the nominees has contributed to their company’s growth and built great teams to ensure their company’s continued success. It is our honor to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of each and every honoree.”

Given the ever-changing economic climate, CFOs serve as essential members of a company’s core leadership team. Together with their CEOs, their decisions affect all aspects of the business. Each year, one facet is central among the sentiments of the CFOs honored – they couldn’t do any of it without the help of their teams. Many of the honorees also attributed their success to a strong partnership with their CEOs.

Eric Chan of LootCrate, the honoree for Rising Star of the Year, shared his gratitude for his company’s CEO, who he said has given him a lot of room to shape the company’s processes. “We are only as good as our CEO allows us to be,” he stated.

Nigel Kershaw of Lucky Brand, one of the two Private Company CFO of the Year honorees, credited the two-year transition of Lucky Brand’s Los Angeles finance department as a team effort. He shared his award with everyone at Lucky Brand who participated in the transition, including a great partnership with the company’s CEO.

The other Private Company CFO of the Year honoree, Whit Richards of Fullscreen, Inc., commented on how he feels lucky to work with his finance colleagues and partners in the human resources and legal departments. He continued to say that he felt a bit guilty since he loves what he does for Fullscreen; it’s very rewarding in itself.

Steve Kennedy of the Los Angeles Mission, one of the two honorees for Nonprofit CFO of the Year, thanked the Mission’s President and CEO, “a great leader and a strong manager.” He also shared his gratitude for the entire accounting department, as well as Nathalie Hollants, Century Group’s Director of Client Services, for nominating him. Finally, he shared his appreciation for the men, women and children the Mission serves. “That’s what keeps me coming back,” he said.

The awards committee looked at a number of criteria in selecting this year’s honorees, including the length of time they had been with their organization, the overall body of work in their career, the impact they made within their organization; the impact they made compared to their peer group, the financial success and stability of their company, and their involvement in both industry groups and the community.

More details and photos from the event, as well as a profile on each winner and nominee, can be found in the September 26 issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

LA CFO Awards 2016
David Liebman with Whit Richards, Private Company CFO of the Year

LA CFO Awards 2016
Nathalie Hollants with Stephen Kennedy of the Los Angeles Mission, Nonprofit CFO of the Year, and Mission President and CEO Herb Smith

LA CFO Awards 2016
Barnaby Wang with Sabrina Ayala, finalist for Nonprofit CFO of the Year, and her husband

LA CFO Awards 2016
David Liebman, nominee Stephen Howe, his colleague Jeremiah Kalan, and Nigel Kershaw, Private Company CFO of the Year

LA CFO Awards 2016
Erik Mosson, Chantel LeBoff Greene and Nominee Margarita Buitrago

LA CFO Awards 2016
Ron Blair, COO of Century Group and member of the awards committee

LA CFO Awards 2016
Members of the Century Group team

Los Angeles CFO of the Year Finalists

Public Company CFO of the Year:

  • Douglas Benn, The Cheesecake Factory
  • Tom Emrey, DineEquity
  • Diane Holland, POSSIBLE
  • Steve Presley, Nestle USA

Private Company CFO of the Year:

  • Edgar Davtyan, Ayzenberg
  • Nigel Kershaw, Lucky Brand
  • Matthew Pakkala, World Oil Corp.
  • Whit Richards, Fullscreen
  • Phil Schraeder, GumGum
  • Neil Watt, UNICOM Systems

Government/Public Sector CFO of the Year:

  • Gene Straub, Granada Hills Charter High School
  • Ryan Yakubik, Los Angeles World Airports

Nonprofit CFO of the Year:

  • Sabrina Ayala, Green Dot Public Schools National
  • James Dougherty, Glendale Chamber of Commerce/JLK Rosenberger, LLP
  • Deborah Ives, Weingart Foundation
  • Stephen Kennedy, Los Angeles Mission
  • Elizabeth Turchan, The Buckley School
  • Paul Willett, Habitat for Humanity

Rising Star of the Year:

  • Karen LaVine Bond, Nestle USA
  • Eric Chan, LootCrate, Inc.
  • Peter Kim, Katzkin Leather, Inc.
  • Brian Sullivan, Regent Properties
  • Bryan Wolff, Thrive Market

Don Yaeger, Co-Founder of Century Group and Career Matchmaker, Announces His Retirement

After an impressive career spanning more than three decades, Don Yaeger is retiring from at Century Group, the company he co-founded 25 years ago. He will still remain involved on the Board of Directors.

Don’s background in placement had quite a fortuitous start. As a psycho-diagnostician in 1970’s New York, it was his work developing personality profiles that led him toward career placement – long before the standard use of these tests to evaluate a candidate’s fit for a role.

Don was approached to help a corporate advisory firm with their hiring needs. He spent weeks developing personalized profiles, but ultimately the company went with the recommendation of a headhunter, and Don discovered a new professional arena for his psychometric background.

The skills he brought to the table in trying to fit candidates with roles has served him well over the last 30-plus years. “Part of a psycho-diagnostician’s job is figuring out exactly what test to give,” Don shared. “You have to interview a person and learn more about them to get deeper insight into the whys and wherefores. Then you write up a prognosis, stating what might benefit the person the most. Moving from psych to placement seemed like a very simple transition, since I could use much of the same process.”

Don Yaeger - Photo by Adam Emperor Southard Photography

“Don has an incredible ability to understand each candidate’s motivations for a job change,” Century Group’s CEO Ron Proul shared. “He took tremendous time and care with each candidate to ensure he could help them in the selection of the right opportunity.”

There was always one main key to his success. “My initial strategy: get a phone number, so I could call them at home,” Don said. Psychologically, he knew if he could talk to the potential candidate in their home environment where they would be more relaxed, they in turn would spend more time giving him the information he needed – their background and goals – so he could present the perfect match.

Getting additional background information became easier as recruiting became more technologically-savvy, but even in the early years, Don simply wanted the details so he could select what to present to the client. “We’re in the business of disseminating information. Our job is to make the best match between a client and candidate – and then to show each side why the other fits their wants and needs.” He shared this approach with the many Century Group recruiters he trained over the past 25 years.

Don knows his approach is different from others in the profession. “Everyone wants to do it their way, and this business allows a highly-motivated recruiter to use their own strength even though we all want to end up in the same place.” His strength in utilizing his psycho-diagnostic training to find the best possible match, coupled with the time he puts in to discuss and evaluate each individual’s scenario, is what sets him apart as one of the original relationship-builders in the recruiting industry.

Click here to read more about Don Yaeger and his career and click here to learn more about Century Group.

Harry Boxer, Founder of Century Group, Celebrates 41 Years in the Recruiting Industry and Announces His Retirement

Today marks Harry Boxer’s anniversary in the recruiting industry. After 41 years in the business, he is retiring from his day-to-day role at Century Group, the company he founded, but will remain on the Board of Directors as Chairman Emeritus.

In the meantime, Harry still has a lot keeping him busy. He is the founder of a successful tech trading website, thetechtrader.com; author of the book “Profitable Day and Swing Trading;” has been a featured guest on many financial programs and sites; and is sought after to speak on the topic. Now he plans on writing a second book on trading.

From Moving Stocks to Moving People

Following years as a Wall Street broker, it was the state of the market combined with his keen intellect, drive, experience in sales and finance, and a way with words that led Century Group’s founder down this career path in 1974.

Harry Boxer
At a time when resumes were drafted on typewriters and the telephone was a recruiter’s best friend, Harry’s career in recruiting soared. He took to the new role like a duck to water, and within 18 months, he was the top producer at his firm.

Between delivering resumes on his lunch hour to copying a fax before the ink faded, Harry has seen it all. Even with the onset of computers, internet and email, he says one thing has not changed – the phone is still a recruiter’s best ally.

“I have found that those who make verbal presentations over the phone do the best in this industry,” he shared. That ability to make the pitch and really sell the candidate with a personal touch is what has helped him – and Century Group – succeed.

Leadership in Action

“A career spanning four decades speaks to the success and adaptability of one of the true leaders of the industry,” said CEO Ron Proul, who has worked with Harry since Century Group’s early years. “His passion, business acumen and knack for making deals is an inspiration to anyone in the search and placement profession.”

There has been another constant throughout all the technological changes­: the people. It is quite possibly Harry’s greatest achievement that he has been able to bring together – and keep together – so many talented people for so many years. And he is proud of the intelligent and insightful individuals who make up the firm. Not to mention, they not only share the same goals – they also share deals.

The team approach is an important part of the culture Harry has fostered. He estimates that he has interviewed about 20,000 people in his career, and he has a gift for reading people. “I can usually tell within five minutes if someone will work out at the company,” he said. “But I would never hire anyone without allowing every person on my staff a chance to meet the candidate.” It’s this collaborative approach that has set him and the firm apart.

“The people I hire also get the best training, because they work under seasoned recruiters and are encouraged to ask questions,” he shared. Twenty-five years later, Century Group still embraces what they call the group concept. Through this support system, the team becomes more personal and so do the placements.

But the real testament is Boxer’s own dedication to his career, his profession and the company he founded. After so many years in the business, he remained actively involved in the inner workings of Century Group. It is that dedication to the people and environment he nurtured that continues to punctuate his monumental career, and it is what will live on as his legacy.

Click here to read more about Harry Boxer and his career and click here to learn more about Century Group.

Six San Fernando Valley CFOs Honored at Annual Awards

Financial professionals and guests gathered to celebrate the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s annual CFO of the Year Awards on Tuesday, June 23. Century Group was proud to serve as a presenting sponsor at this year’s event, which honors the important work of CFOs in the area as financial stewards in public, private, nonprofit and government/public sector companies and organizations throughout various industries.

The awards went to Steven Raft of Alfred Music, Outstanding CFO of a Private Company (small); Ron Ford of Silgan Containers, Outstanding CFO of a Private Company (large); Martin Louie of Marcus & Millichap, Outstanding CFO of a Public Company (small); Douglas Benn of the Cheesecake Factor, Outstanding CFO of a Public Company (large); John Fleck of Lycee International de Los Angeles (LILA), Outstanding CFO of a Nonprofit Organization; and Karen Velligan of Avjet Corporation, Publisher’s Award.

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Winners and CommitteeThe winners and the awards Committee

Each winner shared similar sentiments, among them how honored they were to be selected and their gratitude to those who support them. John Fleck of LILA said he shared the award with his entire team and that they were the key to his success. “You hire good people and give them room to grow.” Martin Louie of Marcus & Millichap shared a similar sentiment, noting that his award was “a great testament to my team.”

“The San Fernando Valley CFO Awards provided a tremendous opportunity for local accounting and finance leaders to demonstrate the pride they have in their work – especially those like me who have been connected to the valley their whole lives,” said Phil Bruno, managing director of Century Group’s San Fernando Valley offices and a member of the awards committee. “This event also emphasizes the strong economic role that the San Fernando Valley plays in the greater Los Angeles business community.”

The awards committee selected this year’s winners from 41 finalists, all nominated for the award by colleagues in the profession. The committee looked at a number of criteria for each person who was nominated, including the length of time they had been with their organization, the overall body of work in their career, the impact they made within their organization; the impact they made compared to their peer group, the financial success and stability of their company, and their involvement in both industry groups and the community.

More details and photos from the event, as well as a profile on each honoree, can be found in the June 29 issue of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal.

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Proul, Blair and Bruno
Ron Proul, CEO; Ron Blair, COO; and Phil Bruno, Managing Director of the San Fernando Valley offices

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Haddad, Horton and Moro
Members of the San Fernando Valley Interim Services Team, Odeh Haddad, Brad Horton and Mary Moro, with a guest at the event

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Gutman and Haddad
Deanna Gutman, Director of Executive Search and Odeh Hadded, Associate Director of Client Services

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Chang and Guest
Lisa Chang, Director of Talent Acquisition, with an event guest

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Moro, Johnson
Mary Moro, Associate Director of Client Services, with CFO Award Finalist Gary Johnson (BNK Petrolium) and his wife Kirsten

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Bruno
Phil Bruno presents the Publisher’s Award

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - Bruno, Louie, Haddad, Horton
Honoree Martin Louie with Phil Bruno, Odeh Haddad and Brad Horton

sfvbj_cfoawards15_8
Members of the Century Group team

SFV CFO Awards 2015 - luncheon
Over 250 attendees celebrated the honorees

Century Group Prepares Soon-to-be Graduates for their Job Search

A classroom of 80 UC Irvine students listened intently as Century Group’s Kori Chapman spoke about what to do – and not to do – when embarking on a career search.

The class, New Venture Management/Entrepreneurship through UCI’s Business School, was comprised of undergraduate students preparing to graduate in the next year. Adjunct Professor Bill Morris tries to infuse the class with real world experiences, which he takes from his former career as a Wall Street Executive and CFO of a publicly-traded company, as well as his current role as a consultant on business-related matters.

He also invites special guests to convey a variety of perspectives. Ms. Chapman told them to begin by thinking about their education, their goals and where they see themselves in the next five years. With a strong understanding of those things, they would be able to sell themselves to any potential employer and stand out from the crowd.

“The information that Kori gave the students was great,” Professor Morris said. “They don’t know what they need to focus on, so from cover letters to resumes – what to do, what not to do – they drank it all in.”

An Associate Director for Client Services on Century Group’s Interim and Projects Services team, Ms. Chapman said the students asked a lot of questions about LinkedIn and other online resources. She spoke about the importance of managing an online presence and stressed the need to be careful about what you put online while trying to maintain a professional identity.

“A lot of bright kids are coming out of school and looking at the same jobs,” Professor Morris shared. “We showed them how to stand out, and Kori also provided a hiring perspective – leaving them with a variety of ways to get a foot in the door as they look for that first job.”

Century Group Supports Local Seafaring Initiatives

Tom Erwin, an Executive Recruiter with Century Group, took to the beach recently on behalf of Century Group to help with a cause that has been at the fore-front for many ocean-loving locals – the surge of distressed sea lion pups washing up on Southern California shores.Erwin joined Girl Scout Troop 1453 as they gathered to clean up Bolsa Chica State Beach and raise money for the sick and injured pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) at the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro. Through the support of Century Group and nearly 50 participants, the troop was able to raise $600 for the worthy cause.

With warmer waters from an El Nino weather pattern, the mother seals at the Channel Islands – where the majority of sea lions in the local area give birth – have had to travel farther and longer to find food. By the time they return, the seal pups are extremely malnourished or have gone off on their own, unprepared and underweight, which has lead to the rise of seals in need of rescue.

The Marine Mammal Care Center is one of many treatment centers in the local area that is filled to capacity. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 2,000 undernourished sea lion pups have washed up on California beaches since January, and rescue centers have limited resources, so they are only able to treat a portion of those pinnipeds found and reported.

In addition to much-needed funds, many of these local rescues centers are looking for volunteers. The Marine Mammal Care Center also has a wish list of items that can be purchased to support their efforts. Click here for more information.

Tom Erwin at a philanthropic beach clean-up supporting local pinnipeds
(pictured above) Tom Erwin and his cousin, a Girl Scout with Troop 1453