Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

62 MILLENNIUM-SECOND EDITION A senior-level finance manager with more than 20 years of experience in various industries, Michael Blakney is well- known for his expertise in operations and accounting. He currently heads the operations finance division of KaVo North America, where he is responsible for handling all financial analysis for North American business, as well as profit planning and financial reporting for compliance. KaVo Kerr, the parent company of KaVo North America, has developed an enduring reputation as a global leader in the manufacture and provision of dental products and services. Mr. Blakney began his life in Ontario, Canada, ultimately receiving a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Windsor in 1995. Guided by an early affinity for numbers, he chose to pursue a career in finance. Mr. Blakney has been recognized as a certified management accountant since the turn of the century, having also gained significant experience in the automotive, plastic manufacturing and food service industries. Named Outstanding Professional of the Year, he has been continually praised as an effective and proactive business partner by his peers. In addition to maintaining the highest ethical standards, Mr. Blakney is said to have an uncanny eye for detail. Among his most notable achievements was remediating material weakness at the MCON technologies plant in South Carolina. Most recently, Mr. Blakney was selected to receive the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, which was subsequently announced in The Wall Street Journal and commemorated on a billboard in Times Square in New York City. For Mr. Blakney, the sky is the limit. Taking great pride in his mindset for continuous improvement, as well as his eagerness to learn, he hopes to become more of a contributor to organizational strategy in the coming years. In pursuit of this goal, he maintains involvement with several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ideally, he would like to take on more of a leadership position in the business world. MICHAEL BLAKNEY, CPA, CMA SENIOR MANAGER OF OPERATIONS FINANCE KaVo North America Charlotte, NC