Inside The Mentoring Round, CFO Steve Vintz of Tenable shares key career insights, emphasizing his passion for growth companies and entrepreneurship. Early on, he realized the appeal of smaller, venture-backed companies over large corporations, leading him to a career focused on growth-oriented businesses. Vintz discusses a critical acquisition decision where he advocated against proceeding with […]
1,017: Two Hands, One Vision: A Balanced Approach to Finance | Eric Emans, CFO, Nintex
Eric Emans, CFO of Nintex, tells us that his career has been built upon learning from mistakes and driving an expectations-based culture in finance: "I see the fear of failure as being so detrimental to so many people early in their career. In their mind, failing is often outsized, but most of the time, the…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:42:18)
1,011: Balancing Agility and Structure for Strategic Growth | Carol Lee, CFO, LogicMonitor
Beginning her career as an analyst, Carol Lee honed her technical skills both in pre-revenue start-ups and a multinational corporation with over $10 billion in revenue. These contrasting environments, she tells us, equipped her with a unique perspective on what it takes to be both scrappy and scalable. CFOTL: Tell us about LogicMonitor … what…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:41:49)
# 2 Dave Conte
(Databricks) CFO Tenure: 5 yrs. CFO Appts.: 4 Career Span: 36 Yrs. C-Suite: 18 Yrs. BACK TO RANKINGS
999: A Bias for Action | Jason Godley, CFO, Xactly
On a remote Wyoming cattle ranch, young Jason Godley faced a dire situation: The baler attached to his tractor had suddenly caught fire. Alone, with no immediate help and devoid of modern conveniences like a cell phones 12-year-old Godley had to think quickly and act decisively. His decision to drive to a neighbor’s house to…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:51:40)
996: Cultivating a CFO’s Toolkit | Aaron Levine, CFO, Prophix
From his early days in auditing at PwC to his current role as CFO at Prophix, Aaron Levine has had a career that has closely tracked the evolving nature of the financial leadership role. His journey has been marked by a series of strategic transitions and expansions of his skill set that illustrate the broadening…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:36:10)
993: Building Resilient Careers: Lessons From an Expat CFO | Hilary Norris, CFO, GTreasury
A little more than 15 years ago, Hilary Norris had landed her "dream job" at a tech company in sunny California—a perfect alignment of her professional goals and personal life. However, the idyllic scenario was disrupted when the company was acquired, a common turning point that often spells uncertainty for existing executives. Facing a potential…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:56:36)
991: Transforming Investment Wisdom Into Management Strategy | Jeff Bray, CFO, Semperis
Long ago, the power of focus was a lesson that Jeff Bray learned early in his career while transitioning from the role of analyst to that of portfolio manager. He recalls a strategic moment when he realized that narrowing his investments from many down to just three to five key areas would greatly amplify his…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:45:41)
989: The Homecoming: A Tale of Growth, Leadership, and Return | Jeremy Johnson, CFO, Dayforce
Back in September 2021, Jeremy Johnson, senior vice president of finance at Ceridian (now Dayforce), decided that it was time to test his mettle—a step that would lead him to returning from a long personal journey with a leadership perspective somewhat different from what he had expected might be the case. Determined to challenge himself…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:52:54)
A CFO Helps Cardinal Health Find Its Value-Creation Groove
This story originally appeared on Forbes.com Back in August 2022, when Cardinal Health, Inc.’s finance chief, Jason Hollar, succeeded CEO Mike Kaufmann as the healthcare giant’s top executive, among the immediate challenges facing new CEO Hollar was filling the company’s CFO vacancy. At the time, an activist investor with an eye toward management change had […]
988: The Quest for Sustainable AgTech | Bob Houghton, CFO, Pivot Bio
In the heart of a bustling paper mill, where the scent of fresh pulp intermingled with the hum of machinery, Bob Houghton kicked off his finance career. Fresh out of college and a number of states removed from his Minnesota roots, Houghton understood the intricate dance of departments working in unison to produce everyday essentials.…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:35:38)
986: Blending Finance With Operational Ingenuity | Erin Sawyer, CFO, Certinia
Reflecting on her career choices, Erin Sawyer tells us that one pivotal point stands out—a decision that involved moving her family across the country. This step triggered not only a geographical shift but also a change in Sawyer's professional life, when her work alongside a CEO ultimately fueled her aspirations to become a chief financial…
Listen to the Episode Below (0:41:20)