Awards and Recipients

Financial Executives International (FEI) is the premier association for CFO’s and other

senior financial executives in the United States and Canada.

Lisa Janek

Cast Products, Inc.

Lisa is a strategic and operationally focused CFO. She has a proven track record of quickly learning her industry and implementing change & best practices.  During her short time at Cast Products, Inc., she has implemented numerous improvements to the areas that she oversees.  In Finance, she created more robust financial analysis, brought the accounting to the most recent US GAAP codification including implementing the new revenue recognition guidance and shortened the month-end close cycle.  She also negotiated the Company’s credit facility to take advantage of lower interest rates, provide additional liquidity and improve various loan covenant requirements.

In Information Technology, Lisa was responsible for the implementation of a new ERP system, which included conducting a cross-functional needs assessment, running the RFP process, and ultimately negotiated the technology provider contract and terms.  Lisa also served as the project implementation manager and navigated the resolution of a significant software shortcoming resulting from a misrepresentation by the vendor during the sales process.  Lisa then pivoted with her team to bring Cast’s internally-developed software to a more current platform.  She and her team have also been responsible for upgrading the Company’s cyber security protection, including hardware upgrades, installing monitoring software and performing periodic penetration testing to identify potential weaknesses in Cast’s technology environment. 

In Human Resources, Lisa and her team implemented several employee-focused initiatives to attract and retain talent ranging from creative ways to recruit to ensuring that compensation was in line with the market and the employees’ responsibilities/skills.  She believes strongly in bringing out the potential in people by giving them the tools to be successful.  When she became aware of new leaders struggling to be effective in their new roles, Lisa rolled out leadership skills training to multiple levels in the company.  Lisa worked with her team to update the employee handbook to the latest legal requirements and best practices including code of conduct.  Furthermore, Lisa revised the employee 401k plan to safe harbor to maximize the deferrals for all employees, added employee loans to bridge employees through difficult times and ensure compliance with all ERISA & DOL guidelines.

Prior to joining Cast, Lisa had an extensive career in public accounting spanning almost 30 years.  She retired as an Assurance Partner at BDO USA LLP in late 2017.  She was the first female assurance partner in BDO’s Chicago office. Her strong technical skills made her one of the Chicago office’s most valuable public company space partners, including leading an IPO and serving as Engagement Quality Reviewer Partner on multiple assurance engagements throughout the Midwest region.  She was also active in the private equity and venture capital space focusing on developing technology companies and mergers/acquisitions. 

Lisa’s professional and leadership skills at BDO extended far beyond the core technical accounting skills. She was instrumental in leading/driving many initiatives at BDO, including, creating the Chicago and National Alumni network & portal, leading on-campus recruiting, developing flexible work solutions, career development and directing several the firm’s women’s professional, networking, and mentoring initiatives.   

Lisa’s personal brand is to lead by example, with the utmost of integrity, and engage people to work as a team to deliver high quality and performance.  She is adamant that people don’t work for her, rather they work with her.  She looks to bring out the best in people, especially those who may not have been justly recognized and developed. She is proud of her accomplishments, but the most rewarding aspect of her career has been the positive impact that she has had working with and developing her teams over the years.

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from University of Illinois at Urbana -Champaign and is a CPA.  She is a member of Irish Angels and an active advisor to one of their portfolio companies, The Mom Project.

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