Best CFOs of the year - Houston Business Journal:

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In 2008, Macias guided and directec the integration of a new solution software for the companyy to ensure productive and efficient communication throughourthe company. Without a dedicated team of individualw ather side, she says it woulcd have been impossible for her to have accomplishe d such goals. Decision Strategies Inc. Michele Merz servesd as chief financial officer ofDecisionb Strategies, a Houston-based strategy consulting firm. With nearlty 20 years of financial experience with energy andservice companies, she has developed a diverser background that includes financial management and operations, strategi c planning, information technology, taxation and consulting.
This broard leadership experience has helped her to presentg solutions aligning financial andstrategic goals. She offersx a blend of entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrate dfinancial leadership. Prior to joining Decision Merz established her ownconsultingb firm, providing financial management and CFO servicesa for mid-sized, privately held companies. As a demonstrated she has assisted clients with implementing a myriad of proces improvements andoperational efficiencies, resulting in significangt improvements in bottom-line performance and productivity. she led the technolog y services group for FerrellNorthg America, one of the nation’s premier propanew companies.
She was responsible for the overall operations and execution of technicalo supportfor company-wide user community. Beforew joining Ferrell North America, Merz served as a divisiom controller forTenneco Energy, responsible for accountinb operations and financial reporting. Merz holds a BBA in accountin from the Universityof Houston, a MBA from Rice University and is a Certified Public As chief operating officer and chiefd financial officer, Stephen Odom is responsiblw for the day-to-day operations and financiak performance of the company. Odom has been a member of the SolArc board of directors sincee 2004 and isa 20-year veteran of the softwarew industry.
He has provided executive leadership as well as mergetr and acquisition guidance to a number of public andprivat high-tech companies. Before joining Odom was COO and CFOof , a provide of on-demand information security solutions, from 2004 until its acquisitionj by Blue Coat Systems in 2006. Previously, Odom was COO and CEO of MissiobCritical Software, a leader in systems management softwaree for the Microsoft Windows until its merger with in 2000. He also held executives positions as CEO of Neon Systems and CFO of untip it was acquired byin 1998. In Odom advised numerous high-tech companies as a partner at Redstone Cos.
Hospitality Al Gallol joined Redstone in 1999 and has more than 25 years of experiencer in thehospitality industry. His responsibilitiesd include the direct supervision of accounting and financrfor $117 million in hospitality-relatedf sales, which encompasses The Houstonian Hotel Club & Spa, Houstonian Lite and Redstone’sd golf properties. Prior to joining Redstone, Gallo held variouds positions with RosewoodHotels (Houston St. & Spa and the San Luis Resort andCondominiun project.
Gallo was an adjuncgt assistant professor for four years at the Universityyof Houston’s graduate schoo of hotel and restaurant management where he taught hospitality financial and continues to guest-lecture on a variety of hospitality financial-relatee subjects. He is an active member and former chairman of the Housto n Chapter of the Hospitality Financial TechnologyProfessional Association. Gallok graduated from the University of Houston with a bachelord of science degree in hote l and restaurant management from theConrad N. Hilton Collegre and became a Certified Hospitality Accountant Executive 1988. Luke M. Saban Falcojn Gas Storage Co. Inc.
Luke Saban has more than 20 experience in finance and general management including tenures at Price Waterhouse andAlliedSignapl Inc. Most recently, Saban was chief financial officer of aprivate equity-backed healthy care technology company that achiever a successful exit. Othefr recent experiences include financial leadership for two of the four operatin divisionsof JohnsManville, a Berkshire Hathawayt company, and chief operating office r for eBreviate Inc., an application software subsidiarh of Electronic Data Systems. His careedr has included leading acquisition and merger Saban graduated from Pepperdine Universityt and is a CertifiedPublic Accountant.
Harvey Schnitzer is a senior financial executive with more than 27 yearwof financial, operations and management experience. He has been the chief financiap officer and treasurer of EMS Group I and EMS USA sincesDecember 2003. Before joining EMS Group, Schnitzerr served as the chief operating officer and CFO of To Mara Investmentz LLC from 2001 to 2003 and as CFO of Clearr BlueMedia Inc. from 2000 to 2001. Schnitzer has provided key financial information and analysiz required for the initial public offering of a major financialkservices firm. He was a memberr of the global strategic planningv committee for a majorinternationa manufacturer.
Schnitzer holds an executive MBA from Loyolaz College and a BS in accounting from FairleigDickenson University.