Erik Whiteside

About Erik Whiteside

17 years of professional analytical experience covering different business areas from marketing to sales planning to finance • Analytical and strategic thinker with excellent work ethic, business knowledge, and dedication. • Proven track record of successfully implementing strategies and increasing companies’ return on their financial investment. • Business intelligence contact for companies in the retail, pharmaceutical, healthcare, financial, and hospitality industries. • Built strategies which helped clients gain millions of dollars in incremental sales. • Extensive understanding of marketing and data needs with experience in numerous fields from web to direct mail. • Great leadership skills with the ability to lead, develop, train, and hire teams. • Possess unique combination of both analytical mind and charismatic personality, which is valuable with clients and executives • Analytical experience in several different company channels including marketing, statistics, sales, finance, and logistics. • MBA and BS with dual degrees in Marketing and Logistics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where I graduated with honors.

Experience

1. Finance Lead - IT

   Norfolk Southern

   Mar 2020 — Present · Atlanta, GA, US

   Finance Lead managing end to end financial activity for the IT Department• Responsible for financial management of $440MM expense and $225MM capital budgets• Provide analysis and documentation while coordinating the development and monitoring of the IT annual Capital and Operating Expense budgets and forecasts• Subject matter expert on financial data to guide IT leadership in support of key business decisions.• Facilitate production of weekly, monthly, year-to-date and year-end financial reporting, including variance and trend analysis of results to budget, prior period and developing rolling forecasts• Compiled and prepare budget analysis and comparisons and provides insightful analysis with risk-mitigation recommendations• Validate, process, and document financial transactions for IT department• Ensure that software, hardware and professional service vendors meet their contractual obligations and to take the lead in resolving issues as they occur• Foster & maintain a spirit of teamwork with IT leadership, Financial, Planning, Budget, Accounting, Sourcing and Vendors

Education

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  MBA, Marketing and Logistics & Transportation

  2002 — 2003

• University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Marketing / Logistics and Transportation

  2002 — 2003