Accomplishments &
Accolades
By: James E. Thies

Appendix:
Section Name: Slides:
A. Formal Education 3
B. Corporate Awards 4-5
C. Toastmasters International 6-9
D. Professional Training 10-15
E. Systems Used In Career 16
F. Excel Projects Personally Created 17-19
G. U.S. Army Training 20-22
H. U.S. Army Experience & Training 23-27
I. Community Involvement 28-30
J. Contact Information 31

Formal Education

Corporate Awards:
Corporate Express
ASSOCIATE OF THE MONTH:
• TWICE EARNED VIA PEER NOMINATION - IN
1999 & 2000
• AWARDED FOR EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION – INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL
• CORPORATE EXPRESS LATER WAS TAKEN
OVER BY STAPLES, INC.

Corporate Awards:
Zurich North America
This was awarded for work done on the F&I (Finance and Insurance)
project, of bringing legacy information into the SAP platform.

Toastmasters International
▪ Joined Career Communicators Toastmasters Club in June 2013.
▪ Why Did I Join?
1. To improve public speaking and presentation skills – many employers find that verbal and written
communication is important.
2. I have found that often analysts are not able to share their insight very well with management. I know
that I can use my extensive Toastmasters skills to more effectively communicate with management on
financial projects here at your company.
3. Leadership skills and abilities are also enhanced post-military, in how it can be effective in a corporate
setting.
▪ Awards Recognition:
I. Competent Communicator – November 2014
II. Competent Leader – April 2016
III. Advanced Communicator Bronze – July 2016
IV. Advanced Leader Bronze – February 2018
V. Advanced Communicator Silver – December 2018
VI. Advanced Communicator Gold – June 2020

Toastmasters International
▪ Currently the Club Treasurer of the Career Communicators Club for the
Toastmasters year of July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2021.
▪ The Club Treasurer handles the funds of the club and reports on the financial
activity.
1. Creates budget for the club, and forecasts possible spend based on
membership numbers.
2. Collects membership renewal dues from the members on a semi-annual
basis in March and September.
3. Inputs new member information and collects funds, inputting the
information to the Toastmasters International website.
4. Pays the bills of the club, including the District Conference registrations
and other expenses of the club’s operation.

Toastmasters International
Basic Awards of Competency

Toastmasters International
Advanced Awards - Bronze

Toastmasters International
Advanced Award - Silver

Toastmasters International
Advanced Award - Gold

Professional Training:
Advanced Computer Training
SAP – Financial Accounting and Controlling (FICO) SAP – Business Intelligence (BI)

Professional Training:
Advanced Computer Training
ERP and Business Intelligence Advanced

Professional Training:
New Horizons
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

Professional Training:
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Professional Training:
New Horizons
MS Project 2010 – Level 2

Professional Training:
New Horizons
Crystal Reports 2008 – Part 2 PowerPoint 2010 – Part 2

Professional Training:
New Horizons
Excel 2010 – Level 4 PowerPoint 2010 – Part 2

Systems Used in Career:
A. Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook
B. Lotus Notes
C. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Systems:
1) SAP
2) Oracle
3) Hyperion Essbase
4) Crystal Reports
5) Cognos
D. Trained in Microsoft SQL Server 2012 with 5 classes completed.
E. Military Systems Used: AKO (Army Knowledge Online), DJMS, DMO, DFAS DDS

Excel Projects Personally Created
• This was a project started by the
need to track payments within SAP.
• The initial steps taken to find it
were cumbersome, by creating this
spreadsheet it was more efficient to
research.
• If further investigation was
needed, then it would go from this
basis point.

Excel Projects Personally Created

Excel Projects Personally Created
• This personal project was created
due to intrigue in how the World
Cup Schedule operates.
• It was a challenge at first, in
understanding the group setup and
then how the winning teams would
move forward.
• I had been afforded the chance to
visit Germany in June 2006, when
the FIFA tournament was on,
sparking this interest.

U.S. Army Training
• Enlistment in March 2004
• Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC - July to September 2004
• Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Jackson, SC – October to December 2004
• This is the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) school training
Basic Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT)

U.S. Army Training
Advanced Individual Training (AIT) – U.S. Army
Finance School
Basic Combat Training (BCT) – Fort Jackson, SC

U.S. Army Training
AIT – Class Leader
(soldier-mentor for the training class)
AIT – Distinguished Honor Graduate
(highest scores on all class exams)
Advanced Individual Training (AIT) – U.S. Army Finance School

U.S. Army Experience & Training
• Received orders for mobilization to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
(OIF) in June 2005.
• Training included:
a) Finance systems training for DJMS, DMO
b) Combat Lifesaver Training
c) Field training for being a hard target.
d) “Fighting Finance” needed to be on the mind, for situational awareness beyond
regular duties.
• Returned from deployment in November 2006.
• Earned the rank of Sergeant (SGT) during deployment.

U.S. Army Experience & Training

U.S. Army Experience & Training

U.S. Army Training
• Received direct commission as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2007.
a) This is a rare occurrence of the four ways to earn a commission in the military.
b) The four ways to earn an officer’s commission in the Army:
1. Reserve Officer Training Course (ROTC)
2. Military Academy – West Point and Virginia Military Institute
3. Officer Candidate School (OCS)
4. Direct Commission (Least obtainable)– Mostly for Chaplaincy, Medical Corps, and Judge Advocate
General (JAG) officers, even more rare for other officer branches.
c) Direct Commission received was to enter the Engineer Branch (EN) of the Army Reserve Officer Corps.
d) Attended the 7-week officer field training of Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning, GA.
e) Attended the 14-week officer branch training of Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood,
MO.

U.S. Army Training
Officer Field Training Officer Branch Training
Basic Officer Leader Course (BOLC)

Community Involvement: Memorial Day 2015
James Thies of Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 fires during a 21-gun salute during a
Memorial Day observance at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Schaumburg Monday.
Rick West | Staff Photographer
From the Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150525/news/150529201/

Community Involvement: Memorial Day 2017
Members of the Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 fire a 21 gun salute during the Memorial Day
observance at St. Peter Lutheran Church on Monday in Schaumburg.
Jeff Knox | Staff Photographer
From the Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20170529/images-memorial-day-observances-in-the-suburbs

Community Involvement: VFW Post 2202
earned All-State honors for the 2018-2019 year.

Community Involvement:
VFW Post 2202 earned All-American honors for
the 2018-2019 year.

Community Involvement:
Appointed a National Aide-de-Camp for the
VFW for the 2020-2021 year.

Community Involvement: VFW Post 2202 earned All-State
honors for the 2020-2021 year but accepted the check option.

Community Involvement:
VFW Post 2202 earned All-American honors for
the 2020-2021 year.

Community Involvement:
Starteda donation box programwithlocal businessto supportveterans.

From the Daily Herald: https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20181111/schaumburg-community-gathers-to-honor-its-
veterans
Community Involvement: Veteran’s Day 2018
Army veteran James Thies of Schaumburg, who serves as post commander of VFW Post 2202,
address the crowd Sunday during the village's Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans Gateway
Park. Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Community Involvement: Veteran’s Day 2019
Schaumburg firefighter Mike Whelan, left, stands guard over the American Flag as VFW Post 2202
commander James Thies says a few words during Monday's Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans
Gateway Park in Schaumburg. Paul Valade| Staff Photographer
From the Daily Herald: https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20191111/news/191119883/

Community Involvement: Veteran’s Day 2019
Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 commander James Thies speaks as Veterans Day ceremony attendees
try and keep warm against the snow and wind Monday in Schaumburg.
Paul Valade| Staff Photographer
From the Daily Herald: https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20191111/news/191119883/

Community Involvement: Veteran’s Day 2021
Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 and Schaumburg American Legion Post 1983 members pose for a
group photo.

Community Involvement: 9/11 Remembrance
20th Anniversary in 2021
Schaumburg VFW Post 2202 participated with the Schaumburg Fire and Police Departments in a
20th Anniversary observance of 9/11 in September 2021.
From the Daily Herald: https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20210911/images-20th-anniversary-of-the-sept-11-national-memorials

Community Involvement: Toastmasters
Palatine Toastmasters Club celebrates five-year mark:
Career Communicators, a Toastmasters International club, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.
From the Daily Herald: http://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20170414/palatine-toastmasters-club-celebrates-five-year-mark

James E.
Thies –
Contact Info:
Email: james.e.thies@gmail.com
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesthies
Twitter: @jamesethies
Mobile: 630-697-7698