Clearpoint Voices: Matthew Cousar, Controller

Get to know Clearpoint and staff through our Clearpoint Voices Q&A Interview sessions.

Matthew Cousar, Controller

Matthew has been with Clearpoint for over 10 years and currently serves as the Controller. Matthew manages employee benefits (including the company 401(k) and health insurance plans), accounts payable, accounts receivable, and many key reporting functions.

Q: Tell us about your experience working at Clearpoint over the past 10 years.

A: When I started at Clearpoint, I was a full-time student and worked in a part-time role. From the beginning, my role has allowed me to gain valuable experience, learn practical business skills and understand business processes. At the same time I was also able to finish my degrees and transition into working full time at Clearpoint. The role initially was very transaction intensive. Over the years, my role has evolved to focus more on reporting and analysis, as well as being more involved with and supporting strategic decision making.

Q: What changes at Clearpoint have you observed over the last 10 years?

A: We've changed from a purely IT staffing company to incorporate marketing, as well as professional staffing solutions. We've also continually refined and polished our internal processes and procedures. One of the biggest advances since my start has been incorporating an online timecard tracking tool. This has been very well received by our clients and has greatly changed my role. Also, I've also realized that even considering the changes and growth we've had, Clearpoint has always remained true to its core values of being a high-end boutique agency, offering benefits to contract employees, and providing a high-service focus for our constituents.

Q: Do you have any New Year's resolutions or professional goals for 2014?

A: Well, the Back Office team's goals are always the same:  to look at improving our processes and how we can better serve our clients. Our clients are both internal and external.  Additionally, one of my personal goals is staying current on the Affordable Care Act. Fortunately, Clearpoint was already very well situated last year and therefore we did not have to scramble to react. I believe that the ACA will have a long term impact on our industry as a whole. The tricky parts are understanding which parts go live, when, and the regulatory components.

Q:  You've seen a lot of back office colleagues move into other roles here at Clearpoint. What are your thoughts on those transitions?

A: True, our receptionist role especially has been somewhat of a launch pad into other roles. I think it's been somewhat pre-planned. People have preconceived concepts about staffing and what it is we do, but it really takes a while to "get" what it is. Starting in an administrative role, you can observe the daily grind of what our Account Managers and Recruiters really go through, and the tenacity and resolve it takes to get their jobs done.

Q:  What is something surprising that your clients and/or coworkers may not know about you?

A:  I consider myself a geek! I love to read, I enjoy playing video games, and I am an avid comic book collector. If I had to pick, I'd say that my favorite comic book is Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, one of the first comic books to really push the medium to show what could be done. I also have a furry friend, Leda (named after the character from Greek Mythology). She's a mutt I adopted about 4 years ago.

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