Meet the Team: Sue Pellegrino - Owner, President and CFO
Sue Pellegrino acquired Everest Discovery in January of 2017 and currently serves as the president and chief financial officer. But everyone who works with her quickly realizes that she wears many hats and is always quick to help wherever needed, especially when it comes to marketing and security.
ISO Certified
When Sue acquired Everest, one of her first initiatives was getting the company ISO certified. Anyone who has taken this on knows it is an ongoing but rewarding process. As a result of her work, the company achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification in July 2017. This certification, which entails constant testing of the company’s systems, policies and procedures, means that the company is committed to protecting its clients’ data.
Sue manages this process and works with the auditor every year to ensure the company maintains certification.
Background in Finance
Prior to joining Everest, Sue was the CFO of Copy Secure, a litigation support company in Philadelphia. When that company was bought out, Sue worked doing bookkeeping for a variety of businesses before acquiring Everest. Because she loves finance and all it entails, in her spare time she helps some family and friends with their home budgets. She has found that unless you write it all down on paper and actually look at it, you often don’t realize how much you are spending. She finds it’s similar in business – but there is an additional need to factor in potential revenue changes both good and bad. Presenting the information the right way to the executive team makes it easier for everyone to understand and see how one number affects another, leading to either profit or loss.
A Day in the Life
A normal day for Sue begins with connecting and interacting with people on LinkedIn and other social media outlets. She then reviews and responds to emails and does a quick check-in with the COO and CEO for items that need her attention. From that point, it’s a mixture of AP, AR, payroll, budgets and cost analyses.
Trick of the Trade – Be Direct!
Sue finds that she often shoots from the hip. She is not one to sugarcoat anything, personally or in business. She says, “To know me is to love me.” She also believes everything happens for a reason and that what you put out in the universe you will get in return. Negative thinking brings negative results; positive thinking brings positive results.
She May Surprise You . . .
Sue may be the CFO and president of a major litigation support company, but she also owns a 1966 Mustang Fastback that she restored with the help of some of her friends. When she isn’t working, she enjoys going to car shows to meet people and hear their stories about how they came to love the car they own. She also enjoys spending time at the racetrack helping friends who drag race. When it’s time to unwind, relax and recharge, she enjoys yoga. And of course, her dog Louie is never far from her side.
