API is pleased to be able to provide this executive profile about Christopher Hedblom, Controller of Oliver Companies. Chris implemented API’s Centreviews Business Intelligence Suite with Oliver Companies. He has demonstrated his ability to adopt technology to provide financial information to implement best practices to enhance profitability and solve financial challenges today.

Information has fueled Christopher Hedblom’s financial career for more than 25 years. Starting in the 1980’s with great career advice he received in school, to the sophisticated data solutions and services that help drive his corporate financial decisions today.

Christopher’s career choice was motivated in part by information from two important people in his life; an incredible high school accounting teacher who inspired him to pursue the field of finance, and a respected uncle who ran a business and imparted this sage advice: “If you want to be successful in business you need to understand accounting.”

Accounting came naturally to Christopher in high school and he went on to receive his B.S. degree in Business Management and Accounting from Utah State University.  Since college he has held a variety of senior financial positions in manufacturing, construction and health care organizations. In 2012 Christopher joined Oliver Companies, LLC a property development and management company where he leads a team of accounting professionals in financial reporting, revenue and cost management, and financial problem solving.

The Emergence of Data to Improve Performance

Christopher has seen a lot of changes in his 25+ year career; one of the most significant being the amount of financial information available at his fingertips using software solutions. For example, with relative ease he can now generate reports and analyze spend with vendors across all of the organization’s properties to negotiate the best prices. More information at his fingertips also means he is able to analyze and share best practices across all of Oliver Companies’ properties.

How Automating Accounts Payable (AP) Processes Improves Access to Information

Christopher is always on the lookout for affordable accounts payable technology solutions that can save his company time, effort and costs. If a process or method is more efficient and improves profitability, he will research and look into implementation.

For example Christopher assessed the Centreviews Business Intelligence Suite from API Outsourcing (API) because they offered both staff services and automated software solutions. This significantly freed up AP staff time and provided cloud-based solutions for quick and easy access to information anywhere and anytime.

Importance of Sharing Information

Family and friends are very important to Christopher; from the group of 12 college buddies who still get together every five years for a houseboat reunion, to his wife and four children. Christopher enjoys nature, fishing, camping and hiking and he has a deep passion for coaching youth hockey where he can share his knowledge and bring joy to the kids through the game he loves.

He also shares information that he has learned with aspiring accountants. His advice includes the necessity to understand T-Accounts because they are the basis of everything you do in accounting. He highly recommends accounting students go on to get their CPA, whether they think they need it or not, because it will follow them wherever they go in their career.

And finally, despite all of the changes in the field, one belief Christopher has that stays the same is the need to always be professional with everybody you meet because you do not know how, when or where you will cross paths with them again. Information well worth remembering.

Centreviews Powers Accounts Payable Information

The information captured and processed by API’s Centreviews Business Intelligence Suite continues to help Christopher Hedblom analyze company information and bring added dividends to Oliver Companies. API provides Processing Services to Oliver Companies with automated AP workflow, payment and digital Document Management services through Centreviews Business Intelligence Suite.

Check back soon for a new case study on how Centreviews assisted Oliver Companies LLC improve their productivity and operational efficiency, and moved from a manual paper-based process to an automated controlled solution.