CFOs On Juggling The Multifaceted C-Suite Role

The role of CFOs is said to be one of the most multifaceted in the C-suite, earning them the alternative title of “chief jack of all trades.” As right-hand men and women to companies’ CEOs, chief financial officers must keep an open line of dialogue with members of all departments in order to maintain clear sight of the opportunities and challenges that might lie ahead for a company. Sometimes, in the case of mergers and acquisitions which introduce new faces to the boardroom, CFOs must even help navigate a future that may not include them.

On May 11, the South Florida Business Journal (SFBJ) gathered 10 CFOs from South Florida-based companies across various industries, to exchange insights on how they maneuver the complex role of chief financial officer. Tania Garces, OBM International’s CFO, was recognized during the roundtable series for her insights.

Being a South Florida-based CFO comes with a unique set of demands and opportunities

Ask any executive of a South Florida-based company what it’s like to run a business in the tri-county region, and you’re bound to get a variety of responses. Most can agree the region, for one, is known for its hospitality sector. Likewise, it’s a tourism hot spot, drawing plenty of visitors from the Northeastern U.S. and Canada each winter, giving the hospitality brands visibility to thousands of out-of-towners.

For companies, especially international ones, the region can prove to be the perfect place for setting up shop, said Tania Garces, CFO of luxury architecture firm OBM International. South Florida served as the perfect stepping stone when OBMI, originally based in the Caribbean, sought to expand its wings in the continental U.S. “Miami was and is an international hub and having headquarters there made it a lot easier to initiate new business and meet new clients,” she said. “It also gives more credibility to our brand.”