Our People

Michael Burns is both the founder and president of 180 Systems. Prior to 180 Systems, Michael was the partner in charge of the IT practice of a mid sized accounting firm in Toronto and was also the director of the Canadian mid-market consulting practice of a big four accounting firm.

Michael has provided consulting services to a wide variety of industries including financial, manufacturing, distribution, retail, professional services, real estate, health care, financial services and not-for-profit organizations. Michael has also developed software for many companies including Minicom Data Corporation (Financial and Real Estate), Eminex Corporation (Working Paper and Fixed Assets), and The Faculty of Management Studies at UofT (Student Administration).

Michael is a Chartered Accountant, a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, and is certified as a PMP (Project Manager Professional). Michael is a regular contributor to CAmagazine on IT related subjects, chaired the CICA's Technology conference, and has spoken at various IT conferences including the Financial Technology Show, BI / ERP Conference, CICA Computer Conference and Project World. He is also a part-time professor at Ryerson University and University of Toronto, providing instruction in Business Process Design, ERP Solutions, Configuring and Implementing ERP Apps, and Management Information Systems.

Fred Blauer is an associate of 180 Systems providing information systems consulting services, information systems auditing, and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance services. Fred's career also includes Director of Information systems at a mid sized CA firm in Montreal, where he was responsible for overseeing all of the internal information systems (such as practice management, time and billing, working paper preparation, tax preparation), as well as independent consulting and systems audit for clients of the accounting and audit practice. Fred was also a manager in the information systems audit division of Ernst & Young, as well as a senior consultant in the microcomputer consulting practice for small and mid sized clients. Fred has also worked at Price Waterhouse and Syntax systems where he developed software.

Fred has worked on numerous information systems related assignments including:

• Information systems audits
• Sarbanes Oxley compliance using methodologies such as COBIT
• Security audits
• Substantive testing using tools such as IDEA and Monarch
• Needs analysis
• System selection and evaluation
• Project Management
• Implementation of various accounting and ERP systems

Fred Blauer has a BComm from McGill University, a Certified Information Systems Auditor from the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, and a CA*IT from the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, and the Ordre des Comptables Agree Du Quebec.

Graeme has 30 years of professional experience across a variety of industries including financial services, technology, manufacturing, and professional services. His experience includes partnership at both KPMG LLP and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, as well as Chief Executive Officer experience in two technology companies. He has hands-on management experience in systems selection, IT strategy and governance, internal and systems audit, and information systems management and controls.

Graeme has a high level of energy and leverages his exceptional blend of business and leadership acumen to advise companies on how to build business units which become high-value contributors to corporate goals and priorities. His areas of specialty are strategic and tactical planning, technology governance, systems strategy and operations, operational implementation, and risk management and corporate governance. Additionally, he mentors and coaches executives and business leaders in a variety of situations. Graeme is currently a Corporate Director for two companies and is on the Advisory Board for a publically traded technology company. He is a graduate of McMaster University, fulfilled the requirements to become a Certified Management Accountant in 1984, and completed the Graduate Management Programme at Ashridge Business School in the UK.

Cleo Chmielinski is Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of financial, management and consulting experience. Consulting experience includes performing business process and financial systems reviews, requirements analysis, system selection and contract CFO engagements for a wide variety of companies. Cleo obtained her CA in 1988 with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

After five years in public practice, she assumed progressively responsible financial management roles with mid-sized companies in the manufacturing, service and health care industries. Cleo was CFO for Canada's largest national home care service provider, with 35 locations and 6,000 employees from coast to coast. In this role, she was responsible for the financial and information technology aspects of the business. Cleo has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto.

Cleo is available on a part-time, contract basis as a CFO for organizations that require the skills of a seasoned financial leader without the commitment and expense of a full-time CFO.

Esther is an is an associate of 180 Systems providing small business consulting services including management consulting, software training, documentation, technical writing, and testing. She is a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor in both Canada and the U.S., and has extensive experience with Simply Accounting. Esther has helped hundreds of companies in a wide variety of industries to streamline their administrative functions and lower their overall accounting and administrative costs. Esther offers online courses and is a regular contributing author to several publications on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.

Esther earned her B.Sc. in Actuarial Science and Mathematics with High Distinction from the University of Toronto, and her M.B.A. in Marketing and Finance from York University.

Robert Horowitz is an associate of 180 Systems with 15 years of experience as an ERP Systems Consultant/Project Manger and as a Senior Finance and Technology Manager in Industry. Robert has worked extensively with midsized Manufacturing, Distribution and Not-for-Profit firms. Areas of focus include Business Process Design, System Selection, Financial Reporting, and Accounting Compliance.

Robert has worked on numerous information systems related assignments including:

• Conducted client needs analysis and business process interviews; proposing workflow improvements and custom solutions
• Designed and communicating custom programming requirements to development staff in detailed documents; testing and debugging the resulting custom code
• Advised client stakeholders on process improvements and internal controls, resulting in better quality financial data
• Collaborated with Senior Accounting personnel in post-production phase to audit and analyze financial results
• Implemented 30 complete enterprise systems (G/L, A/P, A/R, Job Cost, Manufacturing, and Payroll Modules) in both for-profit and non-profit environments

Robert received his MBA from Purdue University.

Lawrence has been an information technologist and management consultant for over 30 years, and has helped hundreds of companies improve their bottom line by successfully deploying technology and embracing best-business practices.

Lawrence practices among a rare breed of professionals that are equally comfortable with business, human resource and technology issues and challenges. He has always understood the connection between tools, processes and people, and that bottom line improvement can only be maximized by addressing these three components concurrently.

Over the past three decades, Lawrence successfully developed a comprehensive and proven approach to identifying a company's true needs across multiple disciplines, including strategy, operations, human resources, technology and business processes. By performing a thorough Corporate Diagnostic, Lawrence is able to ensure that all key problems in a company are identified, analyzed, prioritized and solved in a lasting and cost-effective manner.

In 1975 Lawrence received his Bachelor of Computer Science degree cum laude, with a joint major in Business, from the Faculty of Engineering of Concordia University.

He also holds the international designations of Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and Chartered Administrator (C.Adm), and is recognized as an Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) by the Canadian Information Processing Society.

From 1980 to 2003, Lawrence taught numerous courses at McGill University and Concordia University such as Information Systems Design, Systems Analysis & Modeling, and Information Systems Management.

From 1992 to 2004, Lawrence was co-founder and President of PYA Solutions Inc., a software and consulting firm that grew to four offices with more than 70 employees under his direction.

From 1987 to 1992, Lawrence was Senior Vice-President of the Consulting and Software division of an international firm of Chartered Accountants, and held responsibilities for both its Canadian and U.S. operations.

From 1975 to 1987, Lawrence was Vice-President and General Manager of Tyme Systems Ltd. /Varnet Corporation, with responsibilities for both the hardware and software divisions.