Why Accounting is Important E8
In this Financial Footsteps episode, Chad Dean introduces Paul Bigbee, Chief Accounting Officer of Cavco Industries, sharing insights from his 14.5-year finance career. Bigbee discusses his transition from engineering to accounting, emphasizing the impact of regulatory changes and providing perspectives on the financial leadership landscape. He reflects on his journey from public accounting to industry, highlighting the challenges of becoming a manager and the significance of seizing opportunities to learn new skill sets for career growth.
Bigbee delves into his experiences at Starwood, underscoring the importance of difficult conversations and showcasing people skills. He shares how a focus on understanding various facets of the business, coupled with embracing challenges, led to his promotion to global internal audit leader. Throughout, Bigbee encourages the audience to ask questions, seek diverse experiences, and prepare for leadership roles in the finance industry.
Cavco is a leading designer and builder of systems-built structures including manufactured homes, modular homes, commercial buildings, park model RV’s, and vacation cabins. We operate 19 manufacturing facilities across the nation, which build the most widely recognized brand names in the industry: Cavco Homes, Fleetwood Homes, Palm Harbor Homes, Nationwide Homes, Fairmont Homes, Friendship Homes, Chariot Eagle and Destiny Homes.
The company’s insurance group, Standard Casualty, offers a wide range of insurance products for manufactured home owners and its finance subsidiary, CountryPlace Mortgage, offers a variety of homebuyer financing options. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, the company has built a reputation for quality, value and service since its founding in 1965.
Paul Bigbee has served as Cavco’s Chief Accounting Officer (“CAO”) since June 2020.
Prior to joining the Company, he was Vice President, Financial Audit, for Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CZR), Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2018 to 2019. From 2006 to 2018, he held various positions of increasing responsibility at Starwood Hotels & Resorts (Nasdaq:MAR), Scottsdale, Arizona, including Controller, Global Sales & Marketing, from 2017 to 2018; Global Internal Audit Leader and Corporate Audit/Timeshare, from 2014 to 2017; and Senior Director, Financial Reporting and Development Support, from 2006 to 2014.
Prior to that, he was in the Assurance Practice at pwc for over 14 years. Mr. Bigbee is a Certified Public Accountant.
About Financial Footsteps
Financial Footsteps is dedicated to providing insider access to successful accounting and finance leaders thereby providing ideas, insights, and ‘secrets to success’ to those aspiring to be leaders themselves.
Interactive conversations with guests will reveal the genesis for a career in accounting and finance, the great (and not so great) decisions that were made along the way, and the advice that these leaders would give to their younger selves.
About Your Host
Chad Dean has been an executive recruiter since 1996. He currently is owner and CEO of a top-ranked national recruiting firm with a 33 year history servicing the Finance disciplines.
Chad Dean’s relaxed and authentic recruiting style combined with a relentless work ethic and dedication to ethical recruiting has propelled him to the highest levels of success in recruitment and career counseling. He has been sought after by CNBC, the Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications for his expertise.
Chad Dean is a proud Arizona native, married for 21 years, with two second-generation native teenage sons. He has an MBA from Arizona State University and a BS in Biology from FHSU.
About Our Sponsor
Integrated Management Resources was founded in 1990 in Tempe Arizona. Starting with clients like Goldman Sachs (first client and still a client today) and top Wall Street hedge funds, IMR built a robust recruiting process that digs out the most desirable ‘passive’ candidates from our client’s competitors.
IMR’s Phoenix Accounting and Finance practice services large and medium sized organizations for mid-senior level full-time placement and interim staffing.
