HAROLD SALAS
LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
To the Hiring Representative,
Special Message To You
There is a time to boast and a time to be humble.
There is a time to speak and there is a time to listen.
This site is a time to speak and boast.
When I work for you...
It will be a time to be humble.
A time to listen and learn.
I believe that my over 15 years of experience using various cross platform applications and operating systems, coupled with my extensive customer service skills can help to meet the challenges of your operation. Doing needs assessment and utilizing various communication techniques (i.e. Active listening, Feel, Felt, Found and other neuro-linguistic methods ) can help to expedite and resolve many issues. As you will see, I am constantly learning and adapting to exceed the needs of my clients.
I have a bachelor’s degree in communication (with emphasis in public relations and a minor in advertising) and a data science certification from the University of California Irvine. I am currently brushing up on my knowledge of website design by taking a program to get certified in Web Design at Los Angeles Pacific College. I have over 15 years of experience working with Windows, Linux and MacO’s (Apple) systems, networks, databases, and a variety of office applications, a wide variety of other software and now artificial intelligence (via prompt engineering methods). As a member of the NCMA (National Contract Management Association), I am familiar with FAR (Federal Aquisition Regulations) and DFAR ((Defense Federal Aquisition Regulations) expectations and requirements.
The Kaizen principle of Continuous Improvement is my central philosophy. As you may notice from my personal website (http://www.haroldsalasit.com) and the resume attached, I have developed various skills, including the development of a webpage for the National Contract Management Association Los Angeles South Bay chapter. One of eighty chapters nationwide that provide professional certifications for the defense, aerospace and commercial industry of which I am a member since 2019. (see https://www.ncma-lasb.org). Both sites mentioned, incorporate the latest in graphics and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies demonstrating a rapid ability for me to learn and implement the most current resources.
While I was challenged before and after COVID-19 with the care of my teen and parent (who until recently, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease), I managed to balance my personal and professional responsibilities in a high pace (high pressure) environment. As of now my teen is older and my parent has passed. Neither of these roles require my full attention any longer, although I am proud to have served them throughout this time. My current roles are voluntary and/or supportive, allowing me to provide my flexible problem-solving abilities to produce creative results for your company and client base.
I am excited about the opportunity to bring my skills in support of your operation. I’m confident that my qualifications and experience will make me a strong candidate for a role that will address the challenges faced, and I look forward to discussing my service with you further.
Thank you for your consideration and have a wonderful day And...Let's Talk
Harold Salas
[email protected]
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HAROLD SALAS
Resume
[email protected]
Finance Data Analyst
Data Analyst | Contract Analyst | Customer Service
A Jack Of All Trades AND a master of some to meet the organizational needs for Fortune 500, multi-billion-dollar corporations like Toyota Motor Credit Corporation (clients such as Lockheed, Home Depot, Lowes, Orange County Containers, etc.,) and ready to serve your company. Excellent bilingual and technical support skills. A constant desire to maintain industry knowledge. I believe in the Toyota Kaizen principle of continuous improvement.
AFFILIATION
NCMA (National Contract Management Association)- Website and SEO Specialist, Board Member since 2019.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Created a state of the art website for the (NCMA-LASB) National Contract Management Association, Los
Angeles South Bay within budget and ahead of schedule. One of eighty chapters nationwide. This site
promotes the educational services provided to the aerospace, defense and commercial industry providing
certifications such as Certified Federal Contract Manager (which is heavily focused on Federal Acquisition
Regulation-FAR, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplements-DFARS and Cost Account Standards-CAS).
Certified Commercial Contract Manager (CCCM) with training and knowledge of the Universal
Commercial Code and other certification programs. https://www.ncma-lasb.org
• Aggressive analytics and project management took Toyota from a 25% delinquency down to a record
low of 1.5% due to my In-depth knowledge of business processes and corporate priorities. Used Excel to
capture data from the SAP ERP system to deliver weekly and monthly reports and training that served to
impact all division personnel. Incorporated pivot tables, macros, XLOOKUP, VLOOKUP, LAMBDA, dynamic
links and other functions. To align with my philosophy of continuous improvement, I try to stay current in
the use of other functions like SCAN, BYCOL, BYROW, SCAN, and others.
• $3M in past due balances recovered for Toyota. Through analytics research and innovation, I designed
a workbook to extract master data, transform, consolidate, and load data into customized invoices for a
major client (normally one customized invoice equals 2 hours, became 100 invoices in one hour using Excel).
Over 200 invoices were generated within a few hours with this method. The client was not ready and negotiations were done.
The system was deployed for use to resolve past due balances with other major clients, resulting in many
more millions recovered. Per management I recruited and trained other personnel to advance further past due
recovery operations using this as one of the methods available.
• $50M plus in charged off balances resolved when I became responsible for implementing business
process flow improvement in the operation of the Loss Recovery department for charged off accounts at Toyota.
Designed processes to escalate accounts to outside legal counsel using Access, Excel, SAP, and Adobe
Acrobat. Negotiated payoffs (where possible) and unit recoveries (where necessary). Reviewed terms and
conditions, client histories and ensured the legal accuracy of all client documentation.
• $500,000 in past due balances recovered and forklift units that were pending delivery or awaiting production instructions
were processed as a result of my collaboration with the clients assigned accountant to identify and properly apply monies
to various accounts. To close the matter I had to go onsite and meet the controller and her accountant along with the associated
Toyota Dealer Manager, and two of our Regional Sales Managers. I took the lead and shared my conclusions pointing to the issues
addressed. This met the clients expectations and that of the other parties involved. Millions in forklift purchase and leases along
with servicing resulted as our relationship moved forward.
SKILLS
• Proficient in both written and spoken English and Spanish (bilingual Spanish) customer service skills
• Excel, Google Sheets & LibreOffice Calc (XLOOKUPS, VLOOKUPS, macros, functions, pivot tables, etc.)
• Network (VPN, TCPIP, DHCP, DNS WINS). Used Getscreen.me (similar to AnyDesk, RealVNC or TeamViewer)
• Data Mapping, , Data dumps (data backup), data ETL (Extract, Transform
and Load). Export, Import different database formats
• MS Office (365) Suite, LibreOffice, G-Suite, iWork and other productivity software suites online
• Extensive knowledge of multi-platform applications (AV video & image graphics, sound & PDF Editors)
• Mac OS, Windows 10 and Linux (Tuxedo Linux), iOS and Android installation, configuration, and
• MS Outlook, Thunderbird, Gmail and Mail.com, Chat. Import, export, backup, addons and configuration
• Terminal based IT functions using Linux terminal, Windows terminal, Terminal App (MacOS. etc.) and
other 3rd party resources (Konsole, XFCE Terminal and other terminal emulators)
• Desktop hardware and network hardware configuration (multi-platform) remote and on site
• BIOS editing (both open source (Coreboot) and closed source (AMI and Phoenix Technologies)) and
Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) firmware on the Macbook Air M1.
• VirtualBox, QEMU/KVM, VMware Fusion used to install other operating systems
• IT security across all platforms (linux Iptables, Debian Nftables), network address translation (NAT)
against malware, antivirus, phishing used for data collection, system corruption, and system
resource slaving prevention
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EDUCATION
Los Angeles Pacific College, Los Angeles, Ca.
Certificate of Completion: Web Design-Pending
University of California Irvine, Division of Continuing Education, Irvine, Ca.
Data Science Certification
California State University Dominguez Hills, Dominguez Hills, CA
Bachelor of Arts: Communication
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
National Contract Management Association, Los Angeles South Bay, Ca. 01/2019 to Present
Website Developer and Administrator
• In the aerospace and defense industries, I developed and maintain a professional website that provides the latest news and
insights on DFAR and FAR. This website, created for the National Contract Management Association Los Angeles
Chapter, supports contract managers and other professionals in navigating the complexities of these regulations, helping
them stay compliant and succeed in these industries. It is one of 80 chapters nationwide, this website serves as a valuable
resource for professionals across the country, showcasing my understanding of DFAR and FAR regulations
to support the needs of the industry. I have just published two recent articles at…
https://www.ncma-lasb.org/news--resources.html
Torrance Adult School (in the Torrance Unified School District), Torrance, Ca. 04/2020 to Present
Adult School Night Instructor
• One of my skills is teaching individuals and groups on any topic I have become proficient in knowing. Example: A course
introducing the benefits of Linux OS.
• As a Financial Analyst at your company, I can leverage this skill to provide training on various topics related to
finance, such as financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting. Additionally, I can
provide training on the use of financial software and tools. This can help your companies employees to become proficient in
using the tools and systems required for their job, which can improve their productivity and efficiency. Furthermore, I can
design and deliver training programs that address high-priority security problems, such as SEC401: Network, Endpoint, &
Cloud Course, which can help the company to improve its cybersecurity posture.
Experience Unlimited (South Bay Professionals Association), Torrance, Ca. 09/2019 to Present
Trainer, Coach and Consultant
• Coaching and Training are provided.
• I can provide individualized coaching and engagement to employees at your company based on experience or passing on what I
have learned while at your company to help them improve their financial skills. This can improve their productivity and
efficiency, which can benefit the company's bottom line.
(PBRC) Portuguese Bend Riding Club, Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. 01/2022 to 3/2023
Information Technology Administrator Consultant
• Office Application Trainer, system and network installation and maintenance.
• My technical knowledge allows me to work well with IT personnel to address software or hardware issues that may
interrupt my financial analytics workflow in your company . Reducing down time to provide results.
Cargomatic, Long Beach, Ca. 10/2021 to 11/2021
Financial Analyst- Temp Assignment
· One hundred thousand dollars in invoicing recovered using Excel (macros, VLOOKUP and Pivot
tables, concatenation, dynamic links and other functions) for process improvement
· Smartsheet (a business intelligence system similar to the Oracle Hyperion Financial Management system)
which was referenced to obtain data for financial analysis and consolidation into customized invoices with
appropriate item pricing
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· Adobe used to finalize custom invoices with corrected formatting and field mapping results
· G-Suite used to perform other functions
· Developed process improvement recommendations for management
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University of California Irvine, Division of Continuing Education, Irvine, Ca. 09/2018 to 09/2019
Graduate with a Data Science Certification
Subject Matter covered:
• Effective Data Preparation using different analytic resources, theories, and practices
• Tableau used to analyze data and create visualizations
• Tableau Prep Builder to combine, shape and clean data for analytics
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• PowerBI used to perform ETL (Extract, Transform and Load) data and data visuals
• Large data sets used to review and identify patterns and trends
Quinn Emanuel Law Firm, Los Angeles, Ca. 04/2018 to 07/2018
Finance Analyst Temp Assignment
• MS Excel used to analyze data to identify KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and implement changes
• Analyzed clients’ financial status to determine challenges and areas of improvement
• Referenced Yardi information system data (a popular financial management software in the realty sector
similar to the Oracle Hyperion Financial Management system) for data analysis
• Client portfolio included Microsoft, Apple, Google, Boeing and others
Digital Realty, Los Angeles, CA. 01/2018 to 03/2018
Financial Analyst Temp Assignment
• Utilized advanced Excel skills and accessed Yardi Property Management Software & Asset
Management Solutions database and other resources to perform forensic account analysis
• Tableau used to edit dashboard and storyboard metrics to monitor and summarize department
resulting in improvements in internal reporting
• Assigned to the largest network server company with locations worldwide
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• Accessed WMS (Warehouse Management System) inventory and analyze data to assist in resolving past
due balances
• Communicate effectively with property managers representing database server facilities coast to coast,
Europe & Asia with sales and marketing trends in a fast-paced environment
• Visualized results in graphs, charts, and tables
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TransAmerica, Los Angeles, CA. 11/2016 to 12/2018
Licensed Financial Consultant
• Compelling forecasts with reduced cost and risk management that produced financial results
• Introduce FP&A (Financial Planning and Analysis) investment strategies
• Perform 1035 exchange to roll over 401K’s, IRA’s, Roth IRA’s, and other investments
• Professional in-house training and development for business development
Toyota Financial Services (Commercial Finance), Torrance, CA. 10/2007 to 01/2016
Financial Analyst * Litigation Administrator * Customer Service/Collections
• Used Excel extensively to resolve major multi-million-dollar issues implementing macros, pivot
tables, graphs, dynamic links, and various functions
• Master data extracted, Transformed, and analyzed for charged off accounts using MS Access & MS Excel.
This increased performance by 50% for the Loss Recovery department, resulting in a huge savings and
ensured that recurring and nonrecurring metrics were delivered on time
• I worked in collaboration with BI (Business Intelligence), vendors, IT (Information Technology),
Management and department staff. Recovered millions in past due balances and streamlined business
practices for major accounts like Lockheed Martin, Saint Gobain, Home Depot & Arnold Logistics
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• Assisted IT (Information Technology Departments) to conduct unit test (desktops and laptops) for
hardware, software architecture and network functionality to meet business requirements
• Discovered and interpreted trends, patterns, and relationships for Toyota Financial Service
(Commercial Finance) operation to produce concise information into predictive models and reports for
division staff and management
• Reference SAP ERP data using SQL to synthesize new data studies and summarize KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
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• Conducted business analysis of multiple confidential customer accounts using internal WMS
(Warehouse Management System) data and external data sources to interpret the data and identify
misapplied funds to reconcile transactions and produced custom financial statements that resulted in
a large reduction in delinquency
• Coordinate closely with controllers, internal accounting team and vendor controllers to conduct financial
analysis to identify WMS (Warehouse Management System) data variances and develop innovative
solutions to reconcile and process millions in past due balances
• Served as key technical subject matter expert in MS Excel to apply Pivot Tables, Macros, VBA editing and
VLOOKUPS for financial analysis, financial modeling and forecasting to meet ad hoc requests
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• Worked with BI department and consulted with other departments in SAP system analysis. conducted
UAT (user acceptance testing) for all departments
• Conducted system test for BI department to confirm data integrity as reports were generated.
• Accountable for financial analysis of the Toyota Commercial Finance portfolio for management reporting
to the North American Headquarters and Japan
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• Invent new ad hoc reports, documentation, and projects consistent with Kaizen principles to address
major interdepartmental issues
• Prepared and implement strategic plans to train and instruct in the enforcement of governance, policies,
business process, technical procedures, statistical methods, and business administration. Developed
comprehensive training for new hires to help develop sensitive methods of communication such as feel,
felt, found and other practices
Let's Talk
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