We are thrilled to congratulate Michael Paull, CFO for being selected into Crain's Cleveland Business 2022 Class of Notables in Finance! The 2022 list of Notables in Finance includes founders, principals, presidents, CFOs, CEOs, and board members of a variety of entities in Northeast Ohio. The honorees selected are based in Northeast Ohio, and are currently employed full-time in a senior-level role at an investment bank, institutional money manager, exchange, trading firm, institutional asset owner, or corporate finance department. They must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the financial industry and are active in the community and/or philanthropic activities, mentoring programs, and/or diversity and inclusion initiatives.
View Michael's feature in Crain's Cleveland Business here.
As Chief Financial Officer, Michael Paull has led our organization to tremendous financial results across multiple sectors, not only using his expertise to find efficiencies in our day-to-day business but challenging our leaders to think creatively to grow revenues and create profitability.
Michael's expertise ranges from accounting, financial modeling, capital raising, mergers and acquisitions, working capital management, and financial strategy.
In his 5 year tenure as CFO, he has led Ahola to record profitability and sales. His skills in tracking and reviewing thousands of data points across our business lines are impressive, but what sets him apart is his ability to distill this information into actionable recommendations to implement for our Executive Team and Senior Leadership Team. His recommendations have been varied, and have spanned our entire business model, from changes in banking and insurance, to price modeling and revenue forecasting. The amount of information he examines and reviews is astounding. As Michael always says, "Know the Score. Report the Score. The Score Will Improve."
Michael’s management style is open and approachable. He has a great passion for people, not just numbers. Mike can look at both the financial impact of a decision and the impact on the people, whether it is his direct reports or Ahola employees as a whole. He invests in enhancing the culture at Ahola as much as he focuses on profitability. He has prioritized keeping benefits costs stable, freezing benefits deductions for employees between 2018 and 2020 despite rising costs, and reducing payroll deductions for employees both in 2021 and 2022. He has also given a budget to the internal Engagement Committee for the first time in 2021, and, after measuring its success after a year, increased that budget for 2022.
As a manager of people, he removes roadblocks, offers consultative guidance, and allows his managers to have autonomy in how they lead their divisions without micromanaging. He will ask the right questions, he will dive into the numbers, and he will help find ways to allow his managers to be successful in leading their teams. He also comes to work every day with a very even, stable disposition and a positive attitude. When there is a crisis, he will be the first to remind his team that no issue is life and death, and any problem can be solved.
Congratulations, Michael!