Meet finalists for Financial Services and Reporting leader

The Central Michigan University community is invited to meet the two finalists for the position of associate vice president for financial services and reporting and controller.

This position serves as the administrator for matters pertaining to financial activities for the university, including administrative oversight and leadership of an executive team of professionals that together lead the operation and strategic direction of the university’s finance-related service units.

The associate vice president exercises authority to plan, develop, implement and enforce policies and objectives of the financial and accounting functions of the university, including investments. Additional responsibilities include providing administration, operation and direction for university contracts, purchasing, logistics operations, risk management, insurance programs, and environmental health and safety operations.

The search committee, assisted by CMU’s human resources team and the Office of Civil Rights and Institutional Equity, has invited two candidates to attend open forums on campus next week. 

Members of the CMU community are encouraged to attend the following sessions:

Thompson currently serves as finance director for a governmental agency in Grand Rapids. In this position, Thompson provides technical expertise and leadership for the financial operations of the organization, including accounting, claims and reimbursement, general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable, purchasing, treasury functions, financial reporting, compliance and more. Thompson’s prior roles include accounting manager at her current employer, regional controller for Gill Industries, Inc., controller at American Seating Co., two senior roles at Dow Chemical Co., and assurance senior associate at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Thompson is a certified public accountant and earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration and an MBA at CMU. 

Montross currently serves as interim associate vice president for financial services and reporting at CMU, and previously was associate controller for financial services and reporting. In these roles, Montross supervised staff responsible for the university’s accounting activity, including SAP financial structure master data management, financial transaction entry and annual upgrade testing to maintain the financial integrity of the ERP system. Montross oversees the university’s annual financial audit, including coordination with external auditors, and successfully implemented new Governmental Accounting Standards Board pronouncements. Montross’ prior roles include manager of business operations in CMU’s College of Science and Engineering, SAP financial systems analyst and accountant for CMU accounting services, business services manager and grants coordinator for White Hat Management, contract analyst for The Center for Charter Schools, a principal financial analyst for Exelon Corporation, and senior sales consultant for Oracle Corporation. 

Montross earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from Kalamazoo College and an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.