Concrete Results: Financial Leadership for Infrastructure Services

The Client

Our client is a national, technology-enabled provider of testing, inspection, and certification services for the construction, infrastructure, and environmental markets. With a presence across the U.S., the company supports innovation in new product development, quality assurance for large-scale project delivery, and engineered solutions for asset management. Their mission is grounded in advancing sustainable development and delivering critical technical services that support safety, compliance, and performance in the built environment.

Through a network of accredited laboratories and expert field teams, they provide services including geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, non-destructive testing, subsurface imaging, construction inspection, and materials certification. With backing from a leading private equity sponsor, the company has scaled rapidly via acquisition and continues to grow organically and inorganically.

The Challenge

To support continued national expansion and improve the scalability of its finance infrastructure, the company sought a Corporate Controller with both technical depth and operational agility. As the organization transitioned from a regional to a national player, financial complexity increased across multiple entities, locations, and systems.

The Controller would be tasked with:

• Leading all corporate accounting and reporting functions in compliance with GAAP and regulatory standards
• Driving process improvements, internal controls, and cost-saving initiatives
• Standardizing accounting practices across acquired entities and supporting post-merger integration
• Providing timely, accurate, and strategic financial reporting to executive leadership and private equity sponsors
• Managing the annual audit process and producing reports for investors, lenders, and tax authorities
• Supporting budgeting, forecasting, working capital optimization, and cash flow analysis
• Contributing to due diligence, acquisition planning, and integration efforts for ongoing M&A activity

The ideal candidate would be a CPA or similarly credentialed professional with strong experience in multi-entity environments, excellent communication skills, and a hands-on leadership style. This role was a key building block for the company’s ability to scale efficiently and meet the expectations of its investors and audit committees.

Our Approach

We executed a focused search targeting senior finance leaders with experience in construction, shared services, or facilities industries—especially those with exposure to private equity and multi-entity corporate environments. We prioritized candidates with:

• CPA designation and 10–20+ years of progressively senior finance roles
• Experience implementing or optimizing ERP systems across complex organizations
• Comfort operating in fast-paced, high-growth, and acquisitive businesses
• Deep familiarity with internal controls, GAAP, SOX compliance, and financial reporting
• Strong business partnering skills, with the ability to support decision-making across functions

Candidates with a Big 4 background, experience leading financial transformation, and strong change management capabilities were given particular consideration.

The Placement

We placed a high-energy CPA with more than 20 years of domestic and international finance experience. He had served in senior finance roles across asset-intensive, fast-growing environments and brought deep expertise in:

• Financial planning & analysis, budgeting, and forecasting
• GAAP/IFRS compliance and SOX/internal audit programs
• ERP implementations and financial systems design
• Managing AR, AP, cost accounting, and general ledger operations
• Business development support and M&A integration
  

Known for his hands-on style, analytical rigor, and clear communication, he was well-positioned to bring order, insight, and structure to a fast-evolving finance function.

The Outcome

The new Corporate Controller quickly established consistency across financial reporting and improved the accuracy and transparency of internal statements. He introduced scalable systems for multi-entity consolidation, supported the audit and compliance functions, and began refining the company’s working capital strategy.

In partnership with the CEO, CFO, and private equity sponsor, he also helped lay the financial foundation for the company’s continued M&A strategy—playing a critical role in due diligence, integration, and post-close alignment efforts.

His leadership brought clarity, credibility, and operational rigor to a finance function at the center of a rapidly expanding, national field services platform.