All Stars 2019

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECTOR
Alex McCaslin
Controller
ProCircular
Coralville, Iowa
Watch Alex’s story
youtu.be/e9fxofYNcmE
What do you do as a controller?
The primary functions of the job are to oversee the day-today
accounting functions, month-end reporting, delivery of
accurate financial information to the appropriate parties,
budgeting, maintaining the 260e/260f programs and the
research and preparation of requests for proposals (RFPs). As
a small and growing business, we wear many hats and much
of my job can also fall under the “other duties as assigned.”
I have the opportunity to have my hand in sales, operations,
project management and facilities management.
What gets you excited to head to work each day?
With the variety of the work that needs to be done, no day
is ever the same. Accounting often gets stereotyped as
uneventful or boring, and this led me to look at how I could
help other areas of the business, which has enabled me to
streamline processes and contribute in several different areas.
How did you choose your line of work?
I love working with numbers. I have an analytical personality
and thought process. I took accounting classes starting
in high school when I was trying to figure out what I
wanted to do with my life. I loved the ability to see how the
information came together to tell the story of a business.
Accounting isn’t just crunching numbers – it’s telling a story
of a business.
Where did you go to college?
I have an A.A. from Kirkwood and a bachelor’s in accounting
from Kaplan University.
Is there a challenge you’ve overcome at work that you’re
especially proud of?
The biggest challenge has been starting many things from
scratch. ProCircular was a new company when I joined in
2016, and we’ve had to continuously make improvements.
Everyone’s ability to “learn on the fly” is something I’m
proud of, and we have the growth results to show for it.
Is there something in your work that has surprised you?
A controller or accountant is not always associated with
helping generate revenue for a company. ProCircular knew
that government contracting was an area that could be
crucial for the success of the business. I had never worked
on government contracting and bids/RFPs, and it’s not
generally something you’d find a controller doing. I love
the ability to contribute to the growth of the company, and
this is a way to do so. There’s no greater feeling than when
you win a government bid.
What does it take to be successful in your role?
A person can be successful if they come in with subjectmatter
expertise or industry knowledge. However, what truly
stands out is the ability to adapt to change, foster new experiences
and expand their horizons professionally. I feel that
I’ve succeeded because I’ve worked hard and always sought
out new opportunities to learn all aspects of whatever position
I was in. It was more than just coming in and crunching
numbers; it was a hunger that I wanted to learn more so I
could help the business succeed.
If someone isn’t sure if a finance-related career is right for
them, what should they do to check it out?
The first step is determining if you’re passionate about this
area. If you’re not passionate about it, it becomes much harder
to succeed and stand out. If you’re truly interested in the
field, there are a number of college/university organizations
or clubs that you can get involved in. It also helps to talk to
an adviser who can offer guidance and to speak with several
people within the field about what they enjoy and what they
don’t. Keep in mind that you don’t have to rush and make a
decision. Take your time to think things through.
26 2019 ALL STARS of ICR