Mastering Business Finances Series – Part I: Bookkeeper vs. Controller vs. CFO: A Review of the Accounting Spectrum

Every thriving business needs the right financial leadership at the right time. This session will help family-owned and closely held businesses gain clarity on the key financial roles that keep companies running smoothly—Bookkeeper, Controller, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Each level on the spectrum builds on the last. You can’t develop strong financial strategy without clean books, and you can’t scale without strong systems and controls. Understanding this progression helps business owners know when to elevate roles, outsource strategically, or bring in new expertise as the company grows.

Our specialists will break down what each role entails, when to hire or outsource these functions, and how they work together to strengthen financial stability and fuel growth. Whether you’re wearing multiple hats yourself or ready to build out a team, this session will give you the insight and structure to take your financial strategy from running a business and knowing your check book to stepping up to the next level.

What You’ll Learn:

• The core responsibilities of a Bookkeeper, Controller, and CFO—and where they overlap or differ.
• When growing businesses should add or elevate financial leadership roles.
• How strategic financial planning supports scaling and long-term sustainability.
• Practical steps to assess your current financial structure and plan for what’s next.
• How to align financial roles with your business goals, cash flow, and growth stage.

Speakers:

Jacques Santucci, President, Opus Consulting

Jacques Santucci is the President and Founder of Opus Consulting. With a decades-long career across Europe and North America, he brings deep expertise in corporate strategy, financial management, and organizational transformation. He began his career at Ernst & Young and later held leadership roles at multinational firms, including Universal Pictures in Paris. Since moving to the U.S. in 1999, Jacques has led consulting engagements and served in executive positions across diverse industries.

A seasoned turnaround and restructuring specialist, Jacques has over 20 years of experience guiding businesses through complex transitions. His work spans court-appointed receiverships, bankruptcies, and financial restructurings. Under his leadership, Opus became one of the nation’s first full-service consulting firms for the cannabis industry, advising on licensing, operations, strategy, and pioneering receivership processes in multiple states.

As a fractional CFO, Jacques helps companies strengthen fiscal controls, manage cash flow, and align financial operations with long-term goals. He serves on the board of the Northeast Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association and is Treasurer of the Institute for Family-Owned Businesses.

Jacques holds an MBA from EDHEC Business School in France. Outside of work, he enjoys motorcycling, skiing, traveling, and time with his wife and two daughters.

Nick Sampson, BNN’s Client Accounting & Advisory Services Practice Lead, Baker Newman Noyes

Nick serves as BNN’s Client Accounting & Advisory Services Practice Lead, bringing more than 12 years of experience to his role. He and his team work with businesses of all sizes, from start-ups and emerging growth companies, to established enterprises. Nick provides strategic financial guidance, manages comprehensive accounting solutions, and delivers tailored advisory services to help clients achieve their financial goals. He utilizes the latest advances in financial software to efficiently organize financial operations while offering a comprehensive range of services from transactional management to controllership and CFO services.

Nick also has extensive experience providing tax and consulting services to closely held businesses with a focus on state and local tax compliance issues. Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in accounting from Worcester State University.