PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Ali was promoted to his current position in May, from director of capital markets. In three years at the engine maker, he led the drive to upgrade ratings–to "BBB+" from "below investment grade." He also introduced an annual capital structure strategy, Cummins' first, and helped reduce the debt-to-capitalization ratio to less than 20% from more than 60%. He previously was senior treasury manager at Genentech, international treasury manager at Hewlett-Packard and foreign exchange manager at Compaq.

EDUCATION

B.S., mechanical engineering, University of California, Berkeley; M.S., mechanical engineering, Stanford University; M.B.A., University of Michigan

Anthony Avitabile, 34

Major League Baseball

Director, risk management, financial reporting

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since 2003, Avitable has saved the league $88 million as head of the insurance program for all 30 clubs and MLB's Internet production, ticketing and television network businesses. Part of the savings comes from innovative risk management efforts, including new educational programs, and part from aggressive renewal negotiations and close relations with key insurance carriers and vendors. He also is responsible for the league's captive insurance company. Avitable has held risk management positions at Ingersoll Rand and Metropolitan Life.

EDUCATION

B.A. in finance, Iona College, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Matt Beckler, 35

eTelecare Global Solutions

Treasurer, VP of treasury and tax

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Beckler, who was hired by eTelecare in 2006, helped lead the small but fast-growing, Philippines-based call-center services provider through a March 2007 IPO on Nasdaq– and a subsequent listing on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Arizona-based Beckler also has implemented cash flow forecasts and strategies, a foreign currency hedging program and global transfer pricing methodology. Beckler earned his tax credentials at Amkor Technology, where he was director of corporate tax; Amgen, where he was senior manager of tax services; and PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a senior tax manager.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in business administration, Grand Canyon University; M.B.A., Arizona State University

Nancy Benson, 36

Pier 1 Imports Inc.

Assistant treasurer, director investor relations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

As the furniture and decorative accessories company faced multiple challenges in a weak market, Benson succeeded in renegotiating a $325 million secured credit facility that increased borrowing capacity and extended maturity. And she accomplished these feats during a trying period at Pier 1 and at a time when credit was tight. She also negotiated the profitable sale and leaseback of corporate headquarters in a dismal real estate market. Previously, Benson was assistant treasurer for Crescent Real Estate and, before that, relationship manager at Nations Bank.

EDUCATION

B.B.A. in finance, University of Texas, Arlington

Yvette K. Bettati, 39

Vulcan Inc.

Director of risk management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

As director of a growing risk management department, Bettati and her team measure the cost of risk associated with founder Paul Allen's portfolio of 200 companies–from sports and entertainment to cutting-edge technology, real estate and private equity capital. Key management duties include identifying strategic opportunities for improving the insurance portfolio, modeling risk-based decisions and building loss control programs. This is a repeat performance, having previously set up a risk management department at holding company Roll International, whose brands include Fiji Water, Teleflora and The Franklin Mint.

EDUCATION

B.S. in psychology, M.B.A., University of California, Davis

Kofi Bruce, 38

Ecolab Inc.

VP and treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

In just four years at the commercial cleaning and sanitizing business, Bruce has rapidly scaled the finance ladder. He was promoted from director of corporate finance to assistant treasurer in 2006. Later that year, to vice president of shared financial services. Earlier this year, he moved up again, to VP and treasurer. Previously, Kofi spent six years in various treasury, corporate development and controller roles at Ford and, before that, he held finance positions in banking in South Africa and in mortgage banking.

EDUCATION

A.B. in international relations, Stanford University; M.B.A., the University of Michigan Ross School of Business

Jason Burke, 36

Cognos, an IBM Co. unit

CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

In the seven years since he moved to the Canadian-based software company from Deloitte & Touche–where he was manager of assurance and advisory services–Burke has held several important positions, including director of global consolidations, vice president of finance and controller. He has been a key member of the finance leadership team that secured Cognos' continuing position on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. And, following IBM's acquisition of Cognos in January, Burke became a key player on the corporation's leadership and integration teams.

EDUCATION

B.B.A. St. Francis Xavier University

Robert K. Chan, 38

Sara Lee Corp.

Senior manager, global treasury

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since joining Sara Lee in July 2007, Chan has been responsible for treasury operations, investments, commercial paper programs and bank relationships. His biggest accomplishment: implementing a cash flow forecasting process for the international beverage and food company. Previously, Chan was responsible for treasury operations, receivable securitization program and travel management at Reyes Holdings and, before that, he was an associate at Scotia Capital, senior international auditor at Abbott Laboratories and senior auditor at Grant Thornton in Hong Kong.

EDUCATION

B.S. in accounting and economics, West Chester University; master's in international management, Thunderbird

Jairaj Chetnani, 37

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc.

Treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

In three years as treasurer of the semiconductor and solar wafer maker, Chetnani has managed global treasury operations while the company's revenues soared 50% a year to $2 billion and cash grew to more than $1.4 billion. Previously, as assistant treasurer at transportation services provider YCR Worldwide for four years, he helped steer the company through multiple acquisitions, which ultimately boosted revenues to $10 billion from $3 billion.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's of commerce, University of Mumbai, India; M.B.A., Indiana University

Christa Davies, 37

Aon Corp.

CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

In her first 90 days at the risk brokerage and consulting company, Davies played a major role in the firm's exit from the underwriting business by finalizing the sale of two long-held business units for $2.75 billion. She continues to be responsible for implementing simplification strategies and a global reporting system for an organization built on more than 400 acquisitions in 20 years. Previously, she was CFO of Microsoft's largest and most profitable unit, the platform and systems division.

EDUCATION

B.S. in aerospace engineering, University of Queensland, Australia; M.B.A., Harvard University

Derek Davis, 39

Zimmer Holdings Inc.

VP of finance, controller, chief accounting officer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since signing on at the manufacturer of reconstructive orthopedic implants in 2003, Davis has held positions of increasing responsibility, including director of operations finance, and director of financial planning and analysis and corporate accounting. In his current roles, assumed in May 2007, he is responsible for internal and external reporting, planning and analysis and corporate and business unit accounting. He had served as vice president and finance and controller for International Wire and senior financial analyst for Phelps Dodge.

EDUCATION

B.S. in accounting and M.B.A., Indiana University

Elizabeth A. Dolce, 39

The Black and Decker Corp.

Assistant treasurer, insurance risk manager

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Less than two years after Dolce joined the tools and hardware company in 2005, she added insurance risk manager responsibilities to her job. As assistant treasurer, she oversees corporate finance, global liquidity, treasury operations and risk management activities. Among other successes, she helped repatriate $900 million in offshore earnings and additional under the American Jobs Creation Act and negotiated a new bank revolver and additional liquidity facilities in advance of current financial market difficulties. Previously, she was VP and assistant treasurer of Cablevision and held several positions in General Motors' Treasury.

EDUCATION

B.S. in economics, University of Delaware; M.B.A., University of Michigan

Amar Duvvur, 39

Tyco International Ltd.

VP and assistant treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

When he first joined Tyco in 2003, Duvvur led the effort to develop a capital plan and re-establish a solid capital structure for the company. Subsequently, as director of financial planning and analysis, he helped steer Tyco through its breakup into three companies. In his current role, he leads a team responsible for developing the capital plan for the company, developing and executing the finance and risk management strategy and managing pension plan assets. Before joining Tyco, Duvvur worked at Lucent Technologies, GM and Hewlett-Packard.

EDUCATION

B.S. in mechanical engineering, California State University; M.S. in mechanical engineering, University of California, Irvine; Master of Management, Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management

Alan T. Ennis, 38

Revlon Inc.

Executive VP and CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

In his three years at the cosmetics maker, Ennis has leapfrogged from senior vice president of internal audit to controller and chief accounting officer to his current position as executive VP and CFO. Before that, he held several senior financial positions in the U.S. and England for Ingersoll-Rand where his duties included regional responsibility for internal audit in Europe and worldwide responsibility for financial planning and analysis. He began his career in 1991 at Arthur Andersen in Ireland.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's of commerce, University College, Dublin, Ireland; M.B.A., New York University Stern School of Business

Eric S. Fishman, 39

Hess Corp.

Assistant treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

An Alexander Hamilton Award winner last year while assistant treasurer of Avis Budget and Cendant (which won him a place on last year's list), Fishman now oversees capital markets and financial strategy groups at Hess, an independent global energy company. In the year since he joined, his team has rolled out new FX risk management techniques, a new short-term investment policy and expanded the role of alternative investment strategies in the company's pension plans.

EDUCATION

B.S. in business economics, Lehigh University; M.B.A. Seton Hall University

Robert G. Fox III, 34

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Professional accounting fellow, Office of the Chief Accountant

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Fox, an SEC fellow since September 2007, has worked closely with the Advisory Committee on Improvements in Financial Reporting and was instrumental in assisting the panel in publishing its groundbreaking final report in August. He has also immersed himself in critical policy issues and helped develop some of the SEC's rule proposals. Before joining the SEC, Fox spent five years at Grant Thornton, leaving as senior manager in the firm's national professional standards group.

EDUCATION

B.S. in business administration, M.A. in accounting, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Navneet Govil, 36

Sun Microsystems Inc.

Controller, microelectronics group

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Winner of three Alexander Hamilton Awards while Sun's assistant treasurer, Govil was promoted to group financial controller in 2007. Since then, he has assumed oversight of the finance organization that supports inbound OEM royalties and outbound technology licensing. His experience encompasses business partnering, fiduciary compliance, operational efficiency, systems implementation and financial management at Pfizer, Hewlett-Packard and, now, Sun.

EDUCATION

B.S. in electrical engineering, University of Rochester; M.B.A., master's in engineering, Cornell University

Suzie Grafton, 33

Kansas City Southern

AVP of financial reporting

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

One year after the railway company doubled its size by acquiring a Mexican Railroad subsidiary, Kansas City Southern brought in a new chief accounting officer, whose first priority was hiring Grafton as an external reporting director. She has built a team that significantly enhanced SOX controls, enabled reductions in external auditor fees and drove other savings through improvements in financial reporting and related underpinning processes. She is responsible for significant gains in the accounting group's execution, morale and performance. Grafton was previously an audit senior manager at Deloitte & Touche.

EDUCATION

B.S., Creighton University College of Business Administration

Murray Grainger, 35

VP of investor relations

Honeywell International Inc.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Named a vice president at 34, Grainger joined Honeywell in 2004 as director of mergers and acquisitions. He became investor relations VP last year, building on acumen gained earlier at ITT, where he held leadership roles in investor relations, corporate development, marketing and R&D. Grainger began his journey to finance as an ITT engineer in Sweden, and gained product, manufacturing and marketing experience there and in Australia before settling in the U.S.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in mechanical engineering, The University of Sydney; M.B.A., Columbia University

Jean-Marc Huet, 38

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Senior VP and CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Huet stepped in as finance chief in late March after the company was hit by auction rate securities (ARS) losses–fallout from the subprime fiasco. Previously, he was CFO of Royal Numico NV, where he spearheaded the Dutch-based infant formula and nutrition products maker's financial restructuring and acquisitions strategy. Before Numico, he was director of investment banking services at Goldman Sachs International in London and a commercial manager at Clement Trading in Milan.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's, Dartmouth College; M.B.A., INSEAD in Fountainbleau, France

Elizabeth A. Keys, 39

Syncora Holdings Ltd.

Senior VP and CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Keys joined XL Capital Assurance, later renamed Syncora Guarantee Inc., in 2005 as CFO. She helped spin-off Security Capital Assurance (SCA), later renamed Syncora Holdings, through a successful 2006 IPO. Keys then moved to the new company as head of financial planning and analysis, and was promoted to CFO in 2008, where she has been helping navigate through the tumultuous credit markets. Previously, she worked for GM, where she held a number of positions including controller for GMAC Commercial Finance and CAO for GM Asia Pacific.

EDUCATION

B.S. in accounting, Boston College's Wallace E. Carroll School of Management; M.B.A., M.I.T. Alfred P. Sloan School of Management

Kirk T. Larsen, 37

Metavente Technologies Inc.

Treasurer and VP of investor relations

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Larsen joined the banking and payments technology company in August 2007, prior to its spinoff from Marshall & Isley. In his current positions, he is responsible for all aspects of treasury, including cash management, investments, interest rate management and capital structure. He also manages the internal and external investor relations activities. After the spinoff, he led the equity road show to introduce, position and market the company to investors and potential investors. From 1999 to 2007, Larsen held financial positions of increasing importance, most recently as director of investor relations and investments.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in business administration, University of Wisconsin

Pui Yee Lee, 38

Honeywell International Inc.

Director, international treasury

PROFESSONAL EXPERIENCE

Lee joined Honeywell in 2002 and was an Alexander Hamilton Award winner last year for leading a team that developed and implemented a treasury strategy specifically tailored to the complexities of the Asia-Pacific region. Her purview covers all treasury activities, including cash management, investments, and financing across 150 legal entities in 12 countries. The embodiment of the new global executive, Lee has accumulated working experience in Singapore, Shanghai, Brussels and London. Previously, she worked for the Government of Singapore Investment Corp. and the Development Bank of Singapore.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in Social Sciences, National University of Singapore; C.F.A., CFA Institute; M.B.A., INSEAD

Axel Martinez, 37

Google Inc.

Assistant treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Martinez, who joined Google in 2003 as senior financial analyst, was promoted to assistant treasurer in June 2007 and, manages two winning Alexander Hamilton Awards teams. At Google, he worked on its 2004 IPO and was responsible for its 2005 secondary stock offering. Martinez is credited with building Google's foreign exchange risk management operations, for which he is now responsible. He is also in charge of corporate finance initiatives. Previously, he worked at Merrill Lynch and at Chase Manhattan Bank's investment banking organizations.

EDUCATION

B.A. in economics and political science, Columbia University; M.B.A., Harvard Business School

Richard McKenney, 39

Sun Life Financial

Executive VP and CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

McKenney's career has been on the ascendancy since he enrolled in GE's manufacturing management program in 1991. He shifted to finance in 1996, rising to CFO of GE Financial Assurance. He made this list in 2004 as the CFO spearheading the IPO of Genworth Financial after working on its spinoff from GE. Two years later, he joined Sun Life as CFO, becoming the youngest ever appointee to the company's global executive team. McKenney leads a finance team of 1,300 at operations from Toronto to Tianjin.

EDUCATION

Mechanical engineering degree, Tufts University

Jamie S. Miller, 39

General Electric Co.

VP and controller

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Miller, who joined GE in April 2008 as vice president and controller, is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting activities of GE's six large, diversified businesses.

Prior to being recruited at GE, Miller served as senior vice president, CAO and controller of WellPoint Inc.. Before that she was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she held various positions of increasing importance, most recently as the financial services leader for the Chicago practice. Earlier, she served as vice president, corporate controller and CAO of Genworth Financial, formerly GE Financial Assurance.

EDUCATION

B.S. in accountancy, Miami University

Kevin Molloy, 37

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co.

Senior VP, distribution and service finance

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Molloy acts as a liaison between the executive vice presidents in charge of AXA Equitable's retail and wholesale distribution organizations and service delivery operation and the CFO. He leads a team that works across business units to provide the critical financial information, metrics and advice required to meet corporate financial goals. Before assuming this role in April 2007, Malloy headed North American investor relations.

EDUCATION

B.S. in resource economics; M.S. in agricultural and resource economics, the University of Connecticut

Halet A. Murphy, 38

Novelis Inc.

Assistant treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

When Murphy was recruited by the aluminum giant in 2005, he became a key member of the corporate finance team that successfully defended the debt-laden company against bondholder efforts to trigger default. Moreover, he helped strengthen risk management policies, executed Novelis' first cash flow hedging program, united global treasury operations and refinanced debt to save $15 million a year. Previously, he was director of financial risk management, FX, interest rates and commodities, at Lear, and, before that, had similar responsibilities at Delphi.

EDUCATION

B.A. in history, Dartmouth College; M.B.A., Yale School of Management

Justin T. Parkerton, 38

Travelport Ltd.

Senior treasury director

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Following the breakup of Cendant, where Parkerton was international treasury manager, he became senior treasury director at spin-off Travelport, which was acquired by The Blackstone Group. Since then, he has helped take Travelport's Orbitz Worldwide public, manages a $3.6 billion debt portfolio and oversees interest rate and FX risk management strategies. Prior to that, he spent nine years at AT&T, working his way up the ladder to become financial director of the networking integration sales segment from a fixed asset analyst in the consumer controllers division.

EDUCATION

B.S. in business management, Rutgers University; M.B.A. in finance, Seton Hall University

Angelyn Pennington. 38

Guggenheim Partners LLC

Treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Guggenheim hired Pennington as assistant treasurer in 2006 to help build its first corporate treasury department. She was promoted to treasurer in March of this year. In that role, Pennington manages corporate treasury functions, including cash and bank relationships. She has been instrumental in implementing innovative treasury management structures, including purchasing card programs. Considered a go-getter, she has quickly moved up the finance ladder from a treasury analyst in 2000 to Guggenheim treasurer in March of this year.

EDUCATION

B.A. communications, Northeastern Illinois University

Vincent Pilette, 36

Hewlett-Packard Co.

Finance VP for software

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

During his three-years as head of finance for the software business, revenue has tripled to $3 billion from $1 billion, profit margins have risen to about 20% from -10% and seven software companies have been acquired for $7 billion. An 11-year HP veteran, Pilette joined the company directly after college. Since then, he has proved his mettle as head of IT finance as the technology company embarked on its turnaround strategy, and in finance leadership positions in global operations, controllership and HP Services.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in engineering and master's in engineering, University of Louvain, Belgium; MBA, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

Michael Rasmussen, 37

Corporate Integrity LLC

President

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

After earning a reputation as a leading government, risk and compliance expert at Forrester Research, Rasmussen last year founded his own strategic advisory firm dedicated to exploring best practices, trends, services and technologies to improve risk and compliance management oversight. The 15-year industry veteran, who earned accolades for his work, Governance and Compliance: Saving the Planet and the Corporation, brings more than business smarts to the table. A former theology student, Rasmussen is pursuing a law degree from the Oakbrook College of Law and Government Policy

EDUCATION

B.S. in business, University of Phoenix

David Rokos, 39

Rockwell Collins Inc.

VP and treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Rokos joined the communications and electronic aviation systems in 2000 as assistant controller of external financial reporting, rising to controller of surface solutions and sensor systems at the company's government systems unit in 2001 and, in June of this year, moving up to vice president and treasurer. His responsibilities include capital structure, cash, foreign exchange, and risk and pension asset management. Prior to Joining Rockwell Collins, Rokos was director of financial planning reporting at Rockwell International.

EDUCATION

B.S. in accounting, Northern Illinois University

Elizabeth St-Onge, 36

Treasury Strategies Inc.

Managing director

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

St-Onge's in-depth understanding of treasury processes coupled with her experience working for a treasury technology provider enables her to understand how technology is applied to solve business problems. An expert in the increasingly important area of SWIFT reporting and payment formats, St-Onge provides clients with advice on domestic and international cash management and treasury technology implementation. She expanded Treasury Strategy's reach to incorporate work with vendors and large corporations. Previously, she was a consultant with Selkirk

Financial Technologies.

EDUCATION

University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Lori Seidenberg, 37

Centerline Capital Group

VP ERM

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

At the alternative asset manager specializing in real estate, Seidenberg helps the enterprise risk management director manage corporate insurance placements, provide ongoing education and resource support to all business units as well as manage third-party relationships. She participated in a $7.1 billion Fannie Mae transaction, the mortgage company's largest. She previously spent three years at Fannie Mae.

EDUCATION

B.S., business education, California State University, Northridge

D. Anthony Scaglione, 36

CA Inc.

VP, assistant Tteasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since joining the software company in 2005, Scaglione has implemented the company's first FX risk management program and installed a system to track and report daily cash worldwide for CFO and treasurer dashboards. For these and other successes, CA this year handed him worldwide responsibilities for treasury operations. Before CA, Scaglione was a manager at Ernst & Young's risk management and regulatory practice, part of the global treasury advisory group. He began his career in public accounting and was a senior auditor with KPMG.

EDUCATION

Degrees in accounting and finance, Rutgers

University; M.B.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University

Giulio Terzariol, 36

Allianz Life Insurance Co. of North America

CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Terzariol joined Allianz in May 2007 as business financial officer, and was promoted to CFO in July of this year. He leads all financial functions including financial planning, management, reporting and corporate risk management. In his short tenure, he has championed the company's financial excellence strategy and improved the quality of financial planning and analysis processes. Previously, he served as the regional CFO for Allianz Asia Pacific in Singapore. He started at the Munich headquarters of the giant insurer. Previously, he worked for the Generali Group.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's in finance and business administration, University L. Bocconi, Milan, Italy

Brad Williams, 35

Custom House Ltd.

VP of finance and administration

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Since being recruited by the fast-growing Canadian international global payments company as director of accounting in 2004, Williams has played an important role in building sales, which are growing at a compound annual growth rate of 25% a year. Meanwhile, operating profitability has increased to 32% of revenues from -10%. Along the way, he has implemented new processes, streamlined financial and operational reporting and contributed to a successful business model.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of commerce, University of Victoria,

British Columbia

Steven A. Willmann, 32

TPG Capital LP

Treasurer

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Building on skills he developed over eight years as a corporate banker at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Willmann is further developing treasury best practices at TPG, which he joined last year. As treasurer, he oversees and executes global cash disbursement, short-term cash investment, foreign exchange, interest rate hedging and custodial activities of the management company and its funds. He is also responsible for the origination and maintenance of several credit facilities and for bank relationship management, working with some of the same bankers that were once his competitors.

EDUCATION

B.B.A., Texas Tech University; M.B.A., Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business

David D. Wolf, 37

Berry Petroleum Co.

Executive VP and CFO

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Wolf, who recently joined Berry, will be responsible for leading the company's finance and accounting organization and will participate in representing the company to investors, lenders and credit rating agencies. He brings to Berry 13 years of experience as managing director of J.P. Morgan Securities' global oil and gas group–where he led many equity, debt and M&A transactions.

EDUCATION

B.S. in economics, Rollins College, Winter Park, Fla.; M.B.A., Rollins' Crummer Graduate School of Business