Brian Birdsall

Firm Principal - CPA

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Over 40 years of Senior Agricultural Management experience, including CEO, CRO, President and CFO responsibilities, company turnaround, domestic and international business development, with a proven record of utilizing innovation to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing and changing business environment. This time has been spent providing professional services to assist lenders, creditors, debtors, buyers and owners of businesses in change. Additionally, maintains senior level contact with a vast network of regional and local banks, finance companies, and equity funds.  Has assisted in structuring and negotiating take-out financing. Finacial advisor to multiple business sales to outside parties.   Experienced with troubled debt restructures, financially and operationally. Instrumental in reorganizing and streamlining the operations, financial, and marketing departments of agricultural businesses. Has a proven record of utilizing innovation to meet the challenges of a rapidly growing and changing business environment. Continually assesses business conditions and variables for economic and legal ramifications, as well as financial impacts, to ensure that bottom-line operating, sales and finance performance objectives are achieved.

EXPERIENCE

Consulting – Critical Point Advisors, LLC - Company turnaround, receiverships, refinances, interim management and mergers/acquisitions (2004 – Present)

Providing professional services to assist owners of businesses in change, including experience as court-appointed receiver in Washington and Oregon and Chief Restructuring Officer in Wisconsin. Experienced with troubled debt restructures, financially and operationally. Expert Witness testimony- experience in court matters in both Washington and Oregon. Heavy emphasis in business law and real estate property transactions. Recently completed acting as financial consultant to Frosty Packing in its sale to private equity firm, Plan Agent in two (2) Eastern Washington Chapter 11 Bankruptcies, past President of Pride Packing, LLC, Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Fruit Company in Wapato, consultant to Valley Fruit during a restructuring and sale of business and General Manager of a cherry packing operation in Yakima Valley(Pacific Coast Cherry Packers, LLC), including management of packing operations, budgeting, export sales and oversight of grower accounting. 

Types of Businesses Served by Brian Birdsall/Critical Point Advisors, LLC

• Orchard farms- tree fruit - emphasis on apple, pear and cherry orchards and operations 
• Hop growers, picking, drying and baling
• Hay growers
• Dairy farms
• Tree Fruit packing and handling operations
• Row crop farms – (corn, wheat, potatoes, etc.)
• Wine and Concord grape vineyards
• Domestic and International Fruit and Produce sales marketing organizations
• Agricultural Supply Cooperatives
• Agricultural Crop Protection, Fertilizer and Chemical Suppliers
• Agricultural Marketing Cooperatives
• Agricultural Processing Cooperatives
• Ornamental Plant Nurseries

Receiver, President, COO and Responsible Officer (2002 to 2003)  Brewster Heights Packing and Orchards, LP

Hired to direct and turnaround $50MM fruit industry company (packing, storing, marketing and orchards) in financial stress, as court-appointed receiver and then as President.  Designated as the Responsible Officer as required in loan documents.  Helped negotiate a major restructuring of loans payable to banks, trade creditors and others.  Instrumental in reorganizing and streamlining the operations, financial, and marketing departments.  Oversaw the implementation of new consolidated accounting system and computer hardware and software. 

President and CEO (1992 to 2002) Chief Wenatchee, Inc. (Agricultural Cooperative)

• Promoted to direct turnaround operations, provide overall management responsibilities,  (company had complex legal and regulatory issues that presented a severe and immediate threat to the survival of the company), joint venture relations, strategic business and finance planning, sales, marketing and grower relations including grower contracts for this $40MM fruit industry company. Packing, growing and marketing responsibilities for apples, pears and cherries. Negotiated over $48MM in property and equipment transactions, mainly orchard properties and fruit packing equipment and facilities.

Prior Positions and Responsibilities - (1979 -1992)

• Vice President - Finance & Administration - Responsible for all business administration, including legal, corporate accounting and finance, grower accounting and pooling, preparing/monitoring operating budgets. 
• CFO -   Ag Supply Company -Responsible for all accounting and finance, A/R collections, budgeting, inventory control and risk management for this agricultural wholesale and Distribution Company. 
• Senior Accountant - Pannell Kerr Forester, CPAs -Recruited to provide accounting and tax advice, heavy emphasis on fruit industry audits and reviewing and testing warehouse pooling practices, as well as general consultations to businesses on such issues as joint ventures, mergers, strategic planning and major fixed asset acquisitions.

 

Education / Certification / Affiliations

Washington State University - BA Business Administration (Accounting Emphasis)

Certified Public Accountant - Licensed in Washington State

Member - American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Member - Washington State Society of Certified Public Accountants

Past Board Member/Past President - Northwest Wholesale, Inc.

Board Member/Past President - Northwest Fruit Exporters Association

Past President - Pacific Northwest Chapter Accountants for Cooperatives

Member - Turnaround Management Association, American Bankruptcy Institute