Professional Profile
Why I Do This Work Now?
After spending decades in finance and leadership roles, I became increasingly interested in a simple question: Why do some organizations recognize problems early while others do not?
That question became deeply personal after witnessing the consequences of organizational collapse firsthand. It reinforced my belief that most institutional failures are preceded by warning signs that often go unnoticed, unchallenged, or misunderstood.
Today, my mission is to help boards and executive leaders discover those warning signs earlier, preserve valuable time and options, and make more informed governance decisions before small problems become major crises.
Richard M. Savona, CPA, MBA
Former CFO | Author | Governance Intelligence Advisor
Experience and Credentials
KPMG
My career began with KPMG, where I developed a strong foundation in auditing, financial reporting, internal controls, and professional skepticism. This experience taught me how to evaluate financial information critically and identify issues that may not be immediately apparent.
AMEX
At American Express, I gained valuable experience within a large, sophisticated financial services organization. Working in a highly controlled and performance-driven environment strengthened my understanding of financial management, operational discipline, and risk oversight.
MBNA
My time at MBNA expanded my expertise in financial analysis, strategic decision-making, and performance measurement. The experience reinforced the importance of using data and analytics to support sound business decisions and organizational growth.
FINANCIAL CONSULTING
As a financial consultant, I worked directly with business leaders to solve complex financial and operational challenges. This experience provided firsthand insight into the issues organizations face and the importance of timely, actionable financial intelligence.
TEACHER / PROFESSOR
As an adjunct professor, I taught graduate-level finance and accounting courses to hundreds of students over nearly a decade. The classroom strengthened my ability to translate complex financial concepts into practical insights that can be understood by both financial and non-financial audiences.
COLLEGE CFO
Serving as a college CFO provided a front-row seat to the financial, operational, and governance challenges facing nonprofit institutions. This experience deepened my understanding of how board decisions, financial oversight, and leadership actions directly influence organizational sustainability. And, this is where I witnessed what institutional collapse looks like and the primary root cause: bad governance.
AUTHOR
As the author of 20 Questions That Boards Never (Really) Ask, I challenge governing boards to think differently about financial oversight and fiduciary responsibility. The book reflects my conviction that most organizational failures provide warning signs long before a crisis occurs.
GOVERNANCE INTELLIGENCE ADVISOR
Today, I focus on helping boards, CEOs, and CFOs identify financial vulnerabilities before they become organizational threats. Drawing upon decades of experience across accounting, finance, leadership, education, and governance, I developed Mission MRI™ to provide the early-warning intelligence that organizations need to protect their future.
Top 10 Governance Realities
Why Govern Blindly?
Use the right tool for the right job!
Use Mission MRI to find hidden financial cracks in the institution so that the "right questions" are asked at the "right time" to protect the mission and improve/grow the organization.
Dear Board Member - I ask you this one question: Do you have any financial vulnerabilities in your institution?
If your answer is "I don't know" then your board may lack the visibility needed to fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities. Get the right tool and start asking the right questions!
I know firsthand why my nonprofit college collapsed: the financial cracks were never identified while they were still small, so the right questions were never asked. By the time the problems became visible, we had entered a "death spiral" and ran out of TIME and OPTIONS.
