Best CFO honoree Elizabeth Condic of Houston Symphony
What is the most challenging aspect of being a CFO? Having to sometimes be the voice of 'No.' Part of the CFO role is to analyze proposed projects from the financial perspective, and there are times when really beautiful ideas have really ugly numbers. It's not easy to recommend dropping an otherwise compelling project because the numbers don't support it. The challenge is to present the impact in an objective manner and encourage positive discussion.
What's one thing you've accomplished in your career so far that you're most proud of? As one might expect, the impact of Covid on the performing arts was especially hard, and initially it was not clear how we at the Houston Symphony would respond. With crisis comes opportunity, however, and the pandemic galvanized us around our mission. By April, we were livestreaming concerts from the living rooms of individual musicians, and by July we were performing socially distanced concerts in Jones Hall. Our livestreams were viewed in every state and in 40 countries, bringing the transcendental beauty of classical music to our city and to the world.
What's one thing you wish more people understood about a CFO's role? In the end, it's as much about people and relationships as it is about the numbers.
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