Rhonda Wirzberger is an experienced financial professional with a three-decade career spanning multiple industries, from non-profit organizations to manufacturing and government sectors. Throughout her professional journey, Rhonda Jane Wirzberger drove organizational success through meticulous financial management and innovative human resources practices.
Ms. Wirzberger obtained a master of business administration from California State University, Fresno. Her career highlights include transformative roles at organizations like Ardent Corporations, where she collected $2 million in past-due receivables and implemented Medi-Cal patient billing, resulting in a 10 percent increase in corporate revenue.
At Conservation International, Ms. Wirzberger was responsible for accounting activities for 25 worldwide field offices. She consolidated financial reports in multiple currencies and oversaw $70 million in restricted grant funds.
Her expertise extends beyond financial management. At Reed Brothers Security, she helped create the country’s first wireless access control system and restructured the company’s most significant revenue-producing division. This led to a 15 percent gross revenue increase through innovative call-center implementation.
In addition, Ms. Wirzberger served as finance and human resources manager at Hellwig Products. She advised executive leadership on financial, operational, and human resource matters, consistently focusing on risk mitigation and operational improvement. She developed comprehensive employee retention strategies, implemented benefit programs, and navigated complex workforce challenges, including managing COVID-19 responses and ensuring compliance with evolving employment laws.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start my day by listing out my goals and steps to reach them. Then I methodically go through the task list until I achieve all goals. This approach helps me stay focused with the finish line in mind.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I examine an idea and assess how it will achieve the goals I set for myself. Then I prioritize tasks that will realize ideas and go through them step by step. I constantly reassess where I am in the process of bringing an idea to life and celebrate my successes.
What’s one trend that excites you?
AI. I’m excited for the potential it has in automating accounting processes.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I constantly assess whether I am on track for the day and realign steps to meet goals. My task lists are a constant go-to throughout the day to stay on track.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Failure is a part of success. When you hit a wall, reexamine your goal and find a new way to reach it.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
You can learn as much from success as you can from failure. Each outcome was reached because of specific approaches taken. Learn from these approaches.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Daily affirmations. Start each day meditating on the positive aspects of your life and how you will bring your talents to bear in the day ahead.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Take a step back, prioritize steps needed to reach goals, and then complete them in a methodical way. There may be something on my mind that is taking away from my focus; I identify that brain worm and deal with it so I can continue reaching my goals.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
In my career, I take on more responsibility than that which is in my job description and work to make myself indispensable. I ensure that my value-add to the company is more than my salary.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I worked on a technology project that had not been done before. After many months, we reached success on the test bench. When we took the product out for a site test, it completely malfunctioned due to a pager tower interfering with the radio frequency our produce used. This failure taught me to assess all factors of a product before measuring success. Eventually, we found a different spread spectrum modem that worked on a higher frequency and the product was a success.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Smartsheet – used to keep a team working on a project informed about progress through collaboration reporting. It manages tasks lists.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I often refer to the “Book of Psalms” in the Bible to focus prayer. There is always a good message to contemplate on.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
On Amazon Prime, I recently completed the Reacher season just released. I enjoy a good psychological thriller.
Key learnings
- Start the day with daily affirmations to begin with a good attitude.
- Use task lists to stay focused and to work toward goals without becoming overwhelmed.
- Make every interaction with others a positive one.
- At the end of the day, assess how well you did in reaching goals, start the next day with open items.