The Leading Edge - Fall 2010 - PKF - 9

VOLUME 11 • ISSUE 1 FALL 2010

PANNELL KERR FORSTER OF TEXAS, P.C.

Brenda Perry: Bray Executive is one of Houston’s Best CFOs
Brenda Perry is vice president, principal financial officer and controller for Bray International Inc., a Houston-based company with an international scope. Bray and its subsidiaries manufacture various types of flow products, including valves, actuators and accessories. Perry was honored by the Houston Business Journal as one of its 2010 Best CFOs in the category of Midcap Private Company. PKF Texas recently sat down with Brenda to learn more about what she does and how Bray continues to grow. PKF Texas: Tell us about your focus and about Bray’s growth. Brenda Perry: For the last seven years, much of my time has been focused on building a strong core team on my financial staff, and improving and standardizing processes and controls. I am very proud of our team and their skills and abilities; we have maintained the same department headcounts since 2001, despite absorbing very significant revenue growth in the last five years. Today, I spend much of my time involved in opening new Bray offices around the world. We almost doubled our reporting offices in the last six years, expanding from 25 to 45 locations. We expect to open many more new international sites in 2010-11 throughout Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Each country brings new challenges in culture, local politics, business practices, tax requirements and employee development. I have become very sensitive to learning and understanding local requirements, rather than immediately forcing U.S. standards upon our new offices. As a result,
THE LEADING EDGE

my knowledge of business and international accounting has grown exponentially by listening first, and then establishing procedures second. PKF Texas: What does your CEO most value about your work? Brenda Perry: I believe he values my hard work ethic and Midwest values. I have always taken the position that I need to set the best example for my staff by never asking them to work longer hours or harder than I do. This not only builds teamwork, but also sets expectations and respect within our finance group and throughout the company. PKF Texas: What do you think of the effort to create a single set of global accounting standards and how will this affect Bray? Brenda Perry: With the global, flat economy becoming so integrated and Bray being so multinational in its locations and business activities, it is only natural for us to integrate to a single accounting standard. As our company grows, it becomes even more critical for all our locations to report financial data on a common basis. We don’t use LIFO inventory accounting, so I believe the transition from GAAP to IFRS will have a minimal effect on us. In fact, several of our locations are already using the IFRS standards of auditing and reporting. PKF Texas: Many accounting and finance graduates want to pursue a career inside an organization versus an accounting firm. What’s your advice to those who are still early in their careers?

Brenda Perry: I will give you the best MBA answer I learned: It depends! Accounting firms provide exposure to multiple companies and instill good accounting practices. Industry careers allow the opportunity to grow with a business and learn business from the inside. I think auditing experience can provide a strong solid basis for an industry career. My entire career has been spent in manufacturing companies where a strong understanding of operational accounting is key—knowing where the numbers come from and what operational activities create the numbers. Regardless of your career start, this operational understanding is key to a successful career. PKF Texas: How do you increase your own knowledge about all-things financial, and how do you share this knowledge with Bray?

Brenda Perry: By subscribing to The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and CFO magazine; studying for my CPA; taking continuing education courses; and upgrading my educational background and skills with an MBA. Along the way, Bray’s chairman and CEO have been incredible in their financial and personal support. Incidentally, we held our first Bray International Controllers’ Conference in June. Our focus was to educate and communicate not only Bray philosophies and accounting practices, but also allow an open communication platform for our 25 international controllers to meet face-to-face and develop a personal relationship with one another. E-mail can be so impersonal; I feel it is critical for relationships to develop, which then allows a deeper level of understanding among our worldwide organizational team. e

The Leading Edge - Fall 2010 - PKF

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