Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) is a family-owned and operated company, focused on our family of exceptional employees. With this “people-first” approach, our employees have every chance to flourish and make their mark. Each month, we spotlight a different department within the company, from our manufacturing floor to our office buildings.
Accounting is the language of business, used to communicate the company’s financial and economic status. The accounting team at GFS is responsible for this communication — between customers, distributors, managers and almost every department within the company. So let’s learn a little more about the team behind accounting and finance at GFS:
Department name: Accounting
Number of employees: 13
Who they are: The accounting department at GFS is a group of dedicated and hardworking individuals who always manages to have fun in the process. The group has many long-term employees with a wealth of company knowledge. The average length of service in the accounting department at GFS is 15 years. This friendly group is always willing to help others, communicating and working well with each other and other departments.
What they are known for: This group is responsible for invoicing our customers, ensuring the correct amount of sales tax is applied, filing sales tax, collecting payments from customers, applying payments to customer’s accounts, paying vendors, processing expense reports and reviewing costs on projects.
How they make a difference: Accounting makes sure all of our numbers are balanced each month, with all customers invoiced and outstanding invoices paid. They’re also able to help analyze profit margins on product lines when necessary and make sure GFS complies with all federal, state and local tax laws.
Hidden Department Fact: The accounting group has more than 170 years of combined service with GFS. In fact, almost half of the accounting employees have been with the company since it was known as JBI Spray Booths.
With 34 years at GFS, Beth started as a receptionist for JBI in 1984. She advanced within the company multiple times — from receptionist to word processing, then a short time in sales, and ultimately to accounting, where she realized she wanted to stay. Now, as the accounting manager, Beth’s main focus is on reviewing her team’s and other departments’ work. In her free time, she loves to travel.
Pam started at JBI in 1989 and now works as the costing specialist at GFS. Her role encompasses many aspects of job costing and gross margin analysis. She enjoys tracking percentage of completion (POC) project costs the most. Outside of her role, it’s the people that she says really make the difference. “You don’t stay at a job for almost 30 years if you don’t like the people you work with — I love them like family!”
Family is a strong core value of GFS, and Pam sees this core value being carried out every day. She says, “One of the things I like most about GFS is my flexible schedule. It has allowed me to be there for my family when they’ve needed me.” She has also had the opportunity to work with her family, with both of her daughters working as interns in the accounting department during their senior years of high school. Her daughter, Megan, currently works in the marketing department at GFS as a graphic designer.
One of the newest members of the accounting department, Christy started at GFS in 2017 as the accounts receivable billing specialist. In this role, Christy is in charge of billing customers and ensuring correct sales tax is charged. Christy said she learns new things every day, and the people are what make the learning experiences enjoyable. Although she likes to sample the snacks that her coworkers bring in to share, GFS’ employee wellness program has kept her motivated to stay healthy. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, camping, hiking and kayaking.
Thank you for all of your hard work!
One of the best ways to highlight your business is through a story that you can share across your online platforms. It humanizes your business and shows that your business can make a meaningful impact. Your testimonial would be used as a project profile on the GFS Booth Blog and can be shared on your website and/or social media channels.
Complete this form and we’ll be in touch to showcase your company.
Shop a variety of GFS aftermarket products, including booth protection products and mobile accelerated curing units. And enjoy the convenience of fast and free ground shipping throughout the contiguous United States.
Located at GFS’ headquarters in Osseo, Wisconsin, the Center for Excellence is an innovative facility featuring an automotive refinish training center, as well as a separate space dedicated to technical product training.
GFS is continuously searching for talented, ambitious individuals to join our team. We aim to provide our employees with every opportunity to make an impact on the company and find their niche along the way — weather in a production, field services or an office position.
