Bonnie Hirsch, C.P.A.
Vice President for Finance
Bonnie Hirsch was named vice president for Finance in November 2008. Her office oversees the university’s Controller’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office.
Prior to her appointment, Hirsch served as Controller since 2000. Under her leadership, the Controller's Office was restructured, policies were reviewed and expanded, revised procedures were documented, and basic analytical, compliance, processing and reporting functions were significantly improved. These efforts resulted in identification and elimination of various activities which had generated losses for the university; identification of cost-cutting and revenue enhancement opportunities; and improved accuracy, completeness and timeliness of financial data and reporting. Improvements were also made in cash flows through more timely drawdown of federal funds related to grants and financial aid. In addition, a comprehensive quarterly financial report of current and historical operational data was developed to assist executive management decision making.
Soon after Hirsch joined DePaul, the university's financial systems were converted to the PeopleSoft Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, integrating financial data with student and human resource information. In addition, DePaul was the first university in the nation to successfully implement PeopleSoft's grant management module. The system has been updated periodically since the initial implementation, including a major upgrade in fiscal year 2004. Hirsch oversees continuing efforts to revise procedures, systems and reporting to take full advantage of the new software.
Hirsch has provided support for various additional university initiatives. She served on the transition team for the alliance between DePaul and Barat College in 2001, incorporating Barat's finances with DePaul's, and oversaw the accounting and analytical support for the closure of the Barat Campus in June 2005. From 2002 to 2004, she began the transformation of the procurement function, hiring a new procurement director and expanding the breadth of purchasing support services to the university.
During her tenure, various improvements have been made related to the administration of grants, including adoption of a comprehensive grants administration policy, negotiation of a new federal indirect cost rate and adoption of improved procedures intended to enhance grants compliance efforts. The Controller's Office has been part of continuing efforts to meet the expanded regulations and laws related both to payments to foreign visitors and to the university's increasing international presence. Since 2004, Controller's Office personnel have designed and implemented expanded budget controls and reporting to support changes in budgeting for all the university's unrestricted funds and departments.
Hirsch came to DePaul from Strombecker Corp., where she was corporate controller for two years for the Chicago-based toy manufacturer, with $100 million in annual sales. Prior to that, she gained experience in all aspects of financial management during 19 years with Stepan Co., a chemical manufacturer in Northfield, Ill., which grew from $100 million to $600 million in sales during her tenure. Hired as a staff accountant in 1978, she was promoted numerous times, often to newly created positions, in finance and finally internal audit, which she directed from 1991 to 1998. She served on numerous project teams and assisted with several system conversions. She also was a staff auditor for Price Waterhouse in Chicago for two years.
Hirsch graduated with a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
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