Praise for Fast Close: A Guide to Closing the Books Quickly "Steve captures the essence of the problems affecting the financial close process within corporations of all sizes; from the period close of subledgers and general ledger through financial reporting, and the relationship and interdependencies of governance, people and technology. A must-read for the corporate controller." —David Taylor, ACMA, MBA, VP Strategy, Trintech Inc. "Fast Close: A Guide to Closing the Books Quickly, Second Edition is a must-read for today's busy controllers. Steven Bragg points out everything that can be done outside the close that you just never realized didn't actually have to be part of the month-end close process! Very commonsensical approach!" —Kathleen Schneibel, mba, cpa, Controller/CFO for Hire, KMAS Consulting LLC "A well-executed 'fast close' can bring many valuable benefits to any company, from improving organizational performance to transforming accounting executives from financial historians to trusted advisors. In Fast Close, Second Edition, Steve systematically breaks down the steps required to achieve a fast close in both public and private companies, providing financial executives with tips, checklists, and a cost-effective road map to implement fast close procedures in virtually any company." —Matthew Posta, Esq., CPA, Vice President of Finance, Key Air, LLC FROM THE FIRST EDITION "This is an outstanding book in which Steve reveals his secrets to a fast close. Having personally experienced his (one-day) fast close for years and enjoyed the beneficial impact on my company, I highly recommend this book for all financial officers who desire to have a large, favorable impact on their company." —Richard V. Souders, President and CEO, Kaba Workforce Solutions

This publication focuses on the critical methods that can be used to dramatically improve the fiscal closing process. The Record to Report (R2R) or Fiscal Closing Process is at the core of the controllership function. The process includes transaction processing, internal and external reporting, and the internal controls—the people, processes, and technology—that constitute the corporate organizational hierarchy. CFOs, controllers, and corporate finance departments require timely, accurate, and consistent data to make appropriate operational and strategic decisions and fulfill statutory, regulatory, and compliance requirements with accurate and timely data. The Fast Close Toolkit offers both strategic and tactical suggestions that can significantly improve the fiscal closing process and provides guidance on new legislation requirements, systems and best practice processes. Checklists, templates, process narratives, and sample policies are provided for every component of the fiscal close. Investors and shareholders expect fast and easy access to the data created by current business activities in the information-driven digital age. The Fast Close Toolkit provides the necessary tools and expert advice to improve the fiscal closing process. Authoritative and up to date, this book: Identifies the bottlenecks that can impact the and improvethe fiscal close process and provides best practices to help alleviate these challenges Defines the Record to Report (R2R) and recommends the roles and responsibilities for fiscal close processes flow Offers the internal controls to use for the end-to-end fiscal close process Describes approaches for risk management, R2R, and fiscal close benchmarking Identifies KPIs for all aspects of the R2R process Provides the mechanism for developing a financial close scorecard Recommends leading practices for both external and internal reporting Provides guidance on how strategic planning, the budget and forecast processes can be streamlined to enhance the fiscal close and internal reporting results Written by a respected expert on internal controls and the fiscal closing process, The Fast Close Toolkit is a valuable source of information for professionals involved in controllership and have responsibility for the fiscal close.

No aircraft ever captured the curiosity & fascination of the public like the SR-71 Blackbird. Nicknamed "The Sled" by those few who flew it, the aircraft was shrouded in secrecy from its inception. Entering the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1966, the SR-71 was the fastest, highest flying jet aircraft in the world. Now for the first time, a Blackbird pilot shares his unique experience of what it was like to fly this legend of aviation history. Through the words & photographs of retired Major Brian Shul, we enter the world of the "Sled Driver." Major Shul gives us insight on all phases of flying, including the humbling experience of simulator training, the physiological stresses of wearing a space suit for long hours, & the intensity & magic of flying 80,000 feet above the Earth's surface at 2000 miles per hour. SLED DRIVER takes the reader through riveting accounts of the rigors of initial training, the gamut of emotions experienced while flying over hostile territory, & the sheer joy of displaying the jet at some of the world's largest airshows. Illustrated with rare photographs, seen here for the first time, SLED DRIVER captures the mystique & magnificence of this most unique of all aircraft.

A book to challenge the status quo, spark a debate, and get people talking about the issues and questions we face as a country!

A Study Guide and a Teacher’s Manual Gospel Principles was written both as a personal study guide and as a teacher’s manual. As you study it, seeking the Spirit of the Lord, you can grow in your understanding and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christand His Atonement, and the Restoration of the gospel. You can find answers to life’s questions, gain an assurance of your purpose and self-worth, and face personal and family challenges with faith.

Beautifully illuminated by a color insert and with black-and-white illustrations throughout, this compelling narrative of night is panoramic in scope yet fashioned on an intimate scale and enriched by personal stories.