With over 25 years of experience in many types of industries and positions, I think of myself as a businessman first and an accountant second. It is imperative in today’s business environment to bring to the position of Chief Financial Officer, an understanding of all of the entrepreneurial, operational and marketing initiatives necessary to compete effectively and profitability. One must have the ability not just to produce the numbers, but also to interpret and utilize the important information they provide to formulate strategic directives for the organization. Without the capability to truly understand the numbers, they are merely data – not information.