2020 HONOREES & FINALISTS · 32 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL – CUSTOM CONTENT SEPTEMBER 28, 2020...

32 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL – CUSTOM CONTENT SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

2020 HONOREES & FINALISTS

PUBLIC COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR WINNER

STEVE BINDER MANNKIND

Steve Binder joined MannKind as its CFO three years ago when the company was on the brink of bankruptcy and its stock price had plummeted below $1, with over $200 million in debt due in 24-36 months from that time. Binder stepped in as a true financial expert can and over the past three years has worked hard to

help recapitalize the company and restructure the debt. Today, in large part thanks to Binder’s fiscal stewardship, MannKind is now

thriving with a market cap of almost $400 million in revenue, is growing more than 50% per year and is in its best cash position in the past four years. He has done a remarkable job while also moving finance from MannKind’s offices in Connecticut to here in California, while rebuilding the team.

Binder brings more than 25 years of healthcare experience to MannKind, including leading financial operations at biopharmaceutical and medical technology companies. He guides MannKind’s financial strategy, setting the organization up for financial success so that it can help others truly thrive. Binder also happens to be great community steward and influence on his co-workers as well. He and his wife Shawn are generous philanthropists. In fact, Shawn she has her own non-profit advisory service to help clients in Asia and the United States. He and his wife also serve a number of additional nonprofits as board members, with Shawn serving on the board of Foodshare and Steve serving on the board of an academic institution.

PUBLIC COMPANY CFO FINALIST

JOHN FLEMINGUNIBAIL-RODAMCO-WESTFIELD

John Fleming is the chief financial officer for Unibail-Rodamco-

Westfield (URW), responsible for developing the financial strategy for the company’s U.S. operations as well as providing oversight of its controller, treasury, accounting, and tax functions. During the course of his 20-year career trajectory with the company, Fleming has also served as SVP Finance for OneMarket; CFO of Westfield Almeida Junior; as well as holding numerous leadership roles. Fleming is known as an executive who exemplifies tenure, humility, and longevity with Westfield, working diligently with various stakeholders while demonstrating teamwork, boldness, and passion under his daily responsibilities and leadership. These traits align with the company’s values and have propelled Fleming to implement these values as part of his daily mindset and routine. As such, Fleming has been chosen to lead cross-functional group workshops prompting colleagues to assess their value, the importance of teambuilding, as well as personal aspirations.

PUBLIC COMPANY CFO FINALIST

PHILLIP AHNB. RILEY FINANCIAL INC.

As part of B. Riley’s executive management team, Phil Ahn not

only plays a critical role in the firm’s acquisition,

investment, and financial management activities but also in the seamless integration of these companies and employees onto the B. Riley platform. The firm is able to operate as effectively as it largely thanks to Ahn’s strategic vision, tireless diligence, and complete dedication to B. Riley and its employees. Ahn has also dedicated his time to serving as a youth mentor – both on and off the field. He has served as a role model to his teams and the budding financial superstars at B. Riley in leading by example. No matter how stressful or time-sensitive a project or task at hand may be, everyone at B. Riley can always count on Ahn to have the most pleasant and affable demeanor.

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 33

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PRIVATE COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR (LARGE COMPANY) WINNER

LILIT DAVTYANPHONEXA

Lilit Davtyan is the CFO and executive vice president of Phonexa, a web and call lead tracking and distribution software, specializing in the financial, health, home services, and insurance verticals. In that role, Davtyan oversees the company’s business development, supervises on questions of compliance and

internal finances, and maintains relationships with key clients. She works closely with company leadership on long-term strategy execution, while also overseeing all financial aspects of the company and acting as a liaison between the firm and outside legal counsel.

Davtyan has over eight years of experience in business and tax planning, has collaborated with numerous Fortune 500 companies in her career and has extensive familiarity within the financial industry. Her experience has also exposed her to various regulatory environments where she had to help provide internal and external guidance to maintain compliance with agencies such as the FCC, CFPB, SEC, ICO and FCA. Her wealth of business knowledge allows her to provide critical oversight to every department and maintain a welcoming open door policy to all personnel.

The team at Phonexa is proud to have Lilit Davtyan as its CFO. Not only did she bring extensive experience working with numerous Fortune 500 companies to this growing technology start-up, she is a Certified Public Accountant as well. She is known for being dynamic in her talent and always lends an extra hand when needed. From business development and compliance to human resources and talent acquisition, she has served many roles and maintained her steadfast commitment and leadership throughout.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (LARGE) FINALIST

CHRIS LYNCHLIVING SPACES FURNITURE LLC

Drawing from his experience as an auditor as well as a

seasoned CFO, Chris Lynch in his six-year tenure with LSF has developed the required infrastructure to ensure success. He has also worked tirelessly in attracting and retaining talent and implementing numerous systems upgrades to monitor financial performance and ensure timely reporting. Lynch’s tenacity for details as well as focus on the broader vision is impressive. He is a collaborative thinker who actively seeks advice from his colleagues both internally as well as externally and uses that guidance to formulate strategies to achieve success on behalf of the company. Lynch’s deep industry knowledge along with ability to adapt to changes, positions him well to proactively address business/industry driven challenges. He is also very passionate about the well-being of his staff. He views corporate culture and talent development as the driving forces of organizational success.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (LARGE) FINALIST

YUNAH LEEGOAT GROUP

Yunah Lee has been integral to the success of GOAT over the

last three years. She has spearheaded the company’s financing rounds as well as strategic acquisitions over the last couple of years. Lee now oversees all of the company’s corporate functions, including accounting, finance, legal, people, recruiting, facilities and security. She is truly an asset to GOAT Group and oversees the company’s day to day as well as its strategic growth plans. Also focused on giving back, Lee was a speaker at the 2019 Girlboss Rally at UCLA, an annual event that provides millennial women with the tools needed to enhance their professional, personal and financial lives. Lee participated on a panel titled “Money Matters: Yes, It’s (Deeply) Personal,” where she discussed the intimacy of money management on a panel with Arlan Hamilton, Ramona Ortega and Gabby Dunn.

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It has also taught us that technology for technology’s sake

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companies we work with. We’re committed to helping you

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reach the growth goals you’ve set for your company—at

the pace and scale you want.

© 2020 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the US member firm or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates, and may

sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure

for further details. This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for

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PRIVATE COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR (MEDIUM COMPANY) WINNER

ERIC CHANL.A. CLIPPERS

L.A. Clippers chief financial officer Eric Chan leads the organization’s financial operations, including establishing and implementing long-range financial strategy, policies and goals and leading financial project management for all Clippers operations. In just his second year in the role, Chan has already made a

tremendous impact, from creating better processes, to executing major initiatives and increasing profit.

The global pandemic has brought unforeseen challenges to businesses and the economy, and Chan has helped navigate the Clippers through it. With the NBA season on hiatus for four months, Chan led expense optimization and revenue maximization for the organization. Despite the challenging climate, the Clippers achieved record revenues. Additionally, Chan assisted in the business integration of the Clippers with the world class live entertainment venue the Forum, which was acquired by Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer. Other initiatives led by Chan at the Clippers include implementing KPI-tracking dashboards to create departmental transparency and accountability, creating better productivity management and conducting zero-based budgeting processes.

Before joining the Clippers, Chan served as CFO for The Bouqs Company (2017-18) and Loot Crate (2015-17). At Loot Crate, Chan received the Los Angeles Business Journal CFO Rising Star Award and the company was named the Fastest Growing Company in the Unites States by Inc Magazine. Chan also previously served as the Senior Vice President of Finance at Mattel Inc., where he oversaw financial and operational matters across brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher Price and American Girl.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (MEDIUM) FINALIST

MICHAEL MARCHETTIAGE OF LEARNING

Marchetti has been at the forefront of bringing interactive

entertainment to the masses in both early stage start-ups and multinational public companies. He has held senior executive positions in finance, operations and development and has led teams from five to over 1000. He currently serves as CFO and executive committee member of Age of Learning, creators of ABC Mouse.com — the leading and most comprehensive early learning resource for children age 2-7. Marchetti has been a leading player in the growth of interactive entertainment for more than 15 years. He was most recently CEO of Buffalo Studios, which was sold to Caesars Interactive in 2012. In 2000, he was a founding executive and CFO of JAMDAT Mobile, leading JAMDAT’s highly successful IPO in 2005 and its acquisition by Electronic Arts in 2006.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (MEDIUM) FINALIST

ELLEN LEHTOPLATINUM ENERGY

Ellen Lehto has more than 28 years of experience in the

finance industry, with more than 19 years dedicated to franchise lending for quick service restaurants, convenience stores, and petroleum sites. Having worked within both lending institutions and on behalf of clients in the downstream energy segment of the oil industry, Lehto is a skilled financial analyst and negotiator successful in evaluating a company’s financial condition, raising capital, restructuring debt, and facilitating mergers and acquisitions. Lehto joined Platinum Energy and its affiliates to provide interface with the banks, assuring covenant compliance, and to provide analysis of the companies’ portfolios.

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PRIVATE COMPANY CFO OF THE YEAR (SMALL COMPANY) WINNER

BRETT ABBEYMOB SCENE

Brett Abbey has worked in every area of operations and finance throughout his 20 year career. Since 2018, he has worked at Mob Scene as its CFO, where he manages and executes all aspects of corporate operations including finance and accounting, human resources, information technology, security, legal, and

strategy for the world’s largest content creation marketing agency focused on film, television, sports, and brands.

Abbey is known for meeting all business challenges head on. He thrives on fixing broken processes. Before he joined Mob Scene, the company had experienced its worst financial year ever, in 2017. Abbey built a multi-dimensional tech stack integrating accounting, payroll, expense management, and project costing. He has restructured by adding three new revenue streams, replaced two division heads, refinanced both senior and subordinated debt resulting in record quarter over quarter growth and record setting 2019 financial performance. He improved monthly close schedule from 22 days to six, resulting in faster reporting to divisions, management, and external parties. He streamlined the overhead structure by reducing five positions and by implementing processes ranging from onboarding, offboarding, performance management, insurance compliance, and contract management.

The COVID-19 crisis impacted the demand and supply sides. He secured a PPP loan quickly resulting in the organization retaining the entire staff with no lay-offs or furloughs. Because of Abbey, Mob Scene is financially sound coming out of the pandemic and positioned to take advantage of all the opportunities that will present themselves.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (SMALL) FINALIST

JANE EAGLEBEL AIRE INVESTMENT ADVISORS

Jane Eagle is a highly effective leader of financial, accounting

and business operations who joined Bel Air

Investment Advisors in 2013. As CFO, she is responsible for financial strategy and operations including directing all finance and accounting functions for the registered investment advisor and affiliated broker-dealer, as well as financial reporting as a subsidiary of a public Canadian company. With more than 20 years building and leading strong finance and accounting teams, she is also responsible for compensation plan management, strategic planning and operational budgeting, development and reporting of KPIs, and employee benefits and HR policies. Eagle implemented new financial systems, automated outdated processes, critical management reports and implemented internal controls. Her abilities to contribute beyond the bounds of finance were recognized, and she was selected to join the firm’s Management Committee. In 2020, she has also assumed primary responsibility for maintaining safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PRIVATE COMPANY CFO (SMALL) FINALIST

CAROLYN CONTRERASFIEDLER GROUP

Carolyn Contreras has worked through many adversities,

including completing law school as single mother, then acquiring new skills outside of her legal expertise amid poor economic conditions, to successfully navigate roles in finance, operations, and management. Contreras joined Fiedler Group in 2014. Initially hired in an operations role, she was promoted to CFO in 2017 with responsibility for all finance, accounting, legal and administration. In 2017, she negotiated the largest contract in company history. Recognizing the opportunity to diversify and increase revenue, Contreras established FG Synergy Construction in 2019 to insource the construction of hydrogen fueling stations. This resulted in a 200% increase in revenue. Additionally, she guided the company through significant growth by driving operational transformation. Contreras also developed and implemented a business continuity plan to support a seamless migration to remote operations, which were successfully deployed during the pandemic shut down.

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At MannKind, we believe that meal times should be some of the best times of the day. Carefree, worry-free moments enjoyed with loved ones. That’s why we’re bringing cutting-edge glucose management to the table, with novel therapeutic products and technologies for people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Empowering them to take control of their health, so they can do more than simply manage their condition—they can get the most out of life. This is what it means to be humann.

mannkindcorp.com

Congratulations Steve Binder!

CFO of the Year

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RSM MIDDLE MARKET WINNER

SEAN BRECKERHEADSPACE INC.

After joining Headspace in early 2014 with a strong economic and business background, Sean Brecker’s initial months at the company were pivotal in raising its first round of funding in 2015, led by investor The Chernin Group. In 2017, Headspace raised an additional $37 million in a Series B round led by

Spectrum Equity, bringing its total funding to $75 million. Other Headspace investors include Advancit Capital, Allen & Company, Breyer Capital, Jessica Alba, Jared Leto, Ryan Seacrest, Jeff Weiner, and more. This year, with Brecker’s financial stewardship, Headspace has raised a total of $140.7 million in its Series C funding round.

Brecker is the driving force behind all financial and commercial matters, overseeing the growth of the company as it continues to expand and develop its content. In 2019, Headspace expanded its global footprint by launching in multiple markets internationally, expanded its B2B business which now offers Headspace as a health benefit to employees of more than 1,000 companies, and drove additional strategic partnerships such as the NBA, Nike, Amazon, and Apple. In addition, Brecker serves as a board member at Headspace.

Prior to joining Headspace, Brecker enjoyed a 15-year career as a trader and originator at large investment banks such as JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers, and Citigroup – spanning numerous locations including New York, London and Singapore. He has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Mathematics and Economics from Wesleyan University.

Congratulations, Sean Brecker, CFO of Headspace and recipient of the RSM Middle Market Award. We are inspired by Sean’s achievements and his leadership of a unique company that is part of the middle market engine in Los Angeles.

rsmus.com

Inspiring. Hardworking. Committed.

RSM US LLP is the U.S. member firm of RSM International, a global network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms. Visit rsmus.com/aboutus for more information regarding RSM US LLP and RSM International.

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 CUSTOM CONTENT – LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 41


GOVERNMENT CFO OF THE YEAR WINNER

ANN SANTILLILOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER & POWER

Ann Santilli is the CFO at LADWP, the nation’s largest municipal utility with an annual budget of over $6 billion. Santilli has worked in the Los Angeles government utility sector for over 30 years and has helped the utility overcome many challenging issues.

Santilli has helped ensure financial statement audits have run smoothly, bond sales have been successfully completed, changes to accounting principles have been successfully adopted and budgets have continued to call for cost controls while meeting operational needs. During the month of June, for example, LADWP had two very successful bond sales where the power side of the business sold $433 million of bonds and the water side sold $204 million. The transactions were highly successful based on being 3- to 5-times oversubscribed respectively, which allowed LADWP to lock in lower than expected interest rates. The Department’s transactions were some of the strongest non-COVID credit deals in the market since the pandemic started. Further, this transaction has one of the lowest yields and tightest credit spreads achieved by the Department and is particularly impressive coming after the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, which produced much uncertainty and volatility in the tax-exempt municipal market space.

Santilli is also highly regarded among her peers and coworkers and is known for her willingness to help others meet their goals. She does not turn away requests for help, or people raising issues that need attention. With many years of overcoming challenging issues, her knowledge of how to move tasks forward is a significant asset to her coworkers.

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NONPROFIT CFO OF THE YEAR WINNER

DAVID FELMANJEWISH FAMILY SERVICES LOS ANGELES

Felman has over 15 years of investment banking and financial services experience. He has an extensive background advising management teams, corporate directors, governments/non-profits, and entrepreneurs on critical strategic transactions, including mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, divestitures, joint ventures,

debt and equity financings, and recapitalizations & restructurings. He has advised on over $75 billion of transactions across a broad spectrum of industries, including the consumer, financial & business services, media & entertainment, and real estate sectors. In addition to serving as chief financial officer of Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles (JFS), the oldest charitable organization in southern California, he also serves as a Senior advisor at Greif & Co.

Two years ago, Felman decided to change hats with JFS and move from being a board member and chair of JFS’ Finance Committee to join the senior staff as the chief financial officer. This was at a time when the finances at JFS were challenged with a net loss from the prior year and was struggling with deficits and significant debt.

Felman’s dedication to the vital and important social services provided by JFS combined with exactly the right skill set to turn the organization around financially. Two years later, with Felman’s leadership, JFS’ finances have stabilized, with debt fully paid down, reserves doubled and the financing and construction of a spectacular new building for administration and social services underway. Felman has also carefully guided JFS through the challenges the organization has faced from the coronavirus to meeting the needs of the organization’s vulnerable clients.

NONPROFIT CFO FINALIST

MITCHELL THOMASMARTIN LUTHER KING COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Mitch Thomas is the chief financial officer at Martin

Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital and a prominent leader in the healthcare financial sector with over 40 years of experience working for Los Angeles area hospitals and healthcare organizations. Following the closure of the original MLKCH in 2007, Thomas was hired in 2014 to assist in creating a complex financial plan to support the hospital’s rebirth in May 2015. Starting from scratch, he built a financial team to lead this gleaming new privately-managed medical facility through licensure, JCAHO Accreditation, financial reporting, accounting, managed care contracting, insurance services, materials management, and fundraising foundation finance. Serving the largest indigent patient population in the country while working in a state with one of the lowest Medicare reimbursement rates, Thomas has worked with multiple government agencies to create an entirely new financial model that supports the hospital’s 800 employees and $330 million operating budget.

NONPROFIT CFO FINALIST

CYNTHIA PERLEYONELEGACY

As chief financial officer and member of the executive leadership

team at OneLegacy, Cynthia Perley oversees the financial operations of a nationally-known nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. During Perley’s 4+ years as CFO, OneLegacy has experienced year-over-year growth and in 2019 reported $140 million in total assets, $114 million in total revenue and $6.8 million in income from operations. This year, despite the upheaval that COVID-19 continues to cause to the nation’s healthcare system, OneLegacy is on pace for a 10% increase in organ donations over 2019’s record-setting numbers. Perley has met OneLegacy’s need to successfully re-engineer, re-imagine and fully-reorganize two major departments falling under her purview: finance & accounting and human resources. Through her blend of financial knowledge and experience, coupled with her ability to engender trust and support throughout the organization, Perley has successfully revitalized these departments.

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 CUSTOM CONTENT – LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 43


STARTUP CFO OF THE YEAR WINNER

SCOTT LAIBURST USA, INC.

Scott Lai has developed a notable track record helping venture/private equity backed start-up companies to grow, obtain financing, complete their first audit, implement systems and controls, all while wearing multiple operations hats. He’s been instrumental in helping Burst Oral Care raise $36 million during his

tenure with the company ($30 million of which was during the pandemic). Lai was the sixth senior management executive hired and got right to work on helping to grow the business and create a structure that investors would find appealing. In his first year, Burst’s revenues grew to $10 million, and by the end of the following year, the revenues grew to $20 million and the company now has 28 full-time employees and over 22,000 ambassadors nationwide promoting Burst’s dental products.

Lai started out in public accounting and has since worked for publicly-held multi-national companies, private large companies as well as numerous start-ups. He’s developed skills that far exceed the typical expectations businesses assume from their CFOs. For example, he is extremely talented at uncovering fraud and recovering a significant amount of the money. At three different companies through his thorough investigations of the processes and financials, he has been able to uncover and recover over $4 million that had been were embezzled by previous executive team members.

Lai credits his abilities to communicate and negotiate to his diverse background and upbringing being a Taiwanese Canadian and multilingual. He speaks Chinese fluently (which has come in handy in negotiating and translating a contract for a manufacturer from China). His understanding of various cultures, and international business acumen, have been an asset to his employers when negotiating with their global suppliers and customers. Lai has also supported several philanthropic initiatives through each of his employers. Currently, he is organizing and administering a dental scholarship program for Burst Oral Care to support people of color with their dental education.

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RISING STAR CFO OF THE YEAR WINNER

AMER ALNAJAFIANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS

Director of financial planning and analysis for Anastasia Beverly Hills, a prestige beauty brand, where he reports directly to the CEO. His background in the health and beauty sector includes working for Moon Juice and Rocket Farms Herbs.

Alnajafi has a strong work ethic, which he attributes in part to his family. He grew up learning about the business world from his father, an economics professor and entrepreneur. As a young man, Alnajafi thought he wanted to take over the family business, but eventually learned that he had bigger plans. In his late 20s, he switched careers and dove headfirst into the world of finance. In his first four years, he rapidly advanced from an entry-level finance professional to the head of finance.

Alnajafi played a key role in a recent private equity transaction. He prepared valuable reports and presented strategic advice to the Board, executives, and partners. He also contributed to the subsequent syndication of a $650 million term loan. When his boss retired, he became the head of finance, yet again. He stepped up to lead the development of the private equity reporting packages, liaison with the new lender group, and build a best-in-class finance team. All this and he’s only 33! A rising star indeed! His colleagues report that he is always willing to go out of his way to help others be successful and to mentor others to grow and achieve their best potential. This fall, Alnajafi will be starting UCLA’s Executive MBA Program where he plans on expanding his business network and learnings.

RISING STAR CFO FINALIST

DAYSI WARRENREDCAR PROPERTIES, LTD.

Daysi Warren is CFO for Redcar Properties, a privately held real

estate company. She has earned a reputation for being a self-starter who does things the right way. With that acumen, Warren has thrived on creating, building and improving accounting departments with a personal touch. By implementing internal controls, various procedures and IT systems, she has been able to provide partners, principals and investors with consistent and reliable information while making accounting a valuable and useful function. Warren continually takes the appropriate accounting and tax approach while looking to do what is best for the company. Dedicated to the real estate industry, she has a keen eye on trends and regulations. With the recent COVID-19 crisis driving demand for light office, industrial and retail space in Redcar’s asset classes, Warren has managed day-to-day duties with an increased work load while capitalizing on new tax laws to benefit owners and investors.

RISING STAR CFO FINALIST

CHERYL COLLETTANIVIVE LIFESCIENCES

Cheryl Collett has worked tirelessly over the years to help

her executive team obtain enormous multiples for their businesses, managed all aspects of finance and operations and acted as a CFO, even before she was officially given the title. For the majority of her time at Anivive Lifesciences, she was the only employee in the department. Over the past several months, she’s built a finance and accounting team. She put in processes and procedures and went live June 1st with an ERP system. She’s been working with the executive team to raise Series A funding. Meanwhile, Anivive has grown to 25 full-time employees and an additional 10 outside contractors and consultants. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been able to secure a PPP loan to continue payroll, has been able to continue to raise money (about $4 million so far) as the company remains focused on bringing its therapeutics to market.

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2020 HONOREES & FINALISTS · 32 LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL – CUSTOM CONTENT SEPTEMBER 28, 2020...

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