McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Michael Lee as Corporate Controller at private equity-backed United Pacific. Reporting to the CFO, Michael will be charged with overseeing the accounting department, including inventory, A/P, A/R, payroll, tax, and general ledger accounting. He will communicate clearly and effectively to senior management and operations personnel, lead successful implementation projects, and help chart the course for the future.
Michael is an operational finance and accounting executive with extensive experience in private equity-backed organizations with heavy retail and multi-site experience. He most recently served as the Group Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer for Smart & Final over the last three years. Prior to Smart & Final, Mike has served in various positions with Kendo Brands, Hot Topic, TOMS, and Johnson & Johnson. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.
United Pacific, originally founded as United Oil, is one of the largest independent owners, suppliers, and operators of gas stations and convenience stores in the western United States. With over 3,500 team members and more than 500 locations, United Pacific offers motor fuels products under the 76, Conoco, Phillips 66, Chevron, Shell, and United Oil flags, and convenience items through the Rocket brands. United Pacific operates its retail and wholesale businesses in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado.
Fortress Investment Group’s Credit business is a leading, global alternative investor, managing assets on behalf of many of the world’s most prominent and sophisticated allocators, including public and private pensions, sovereign wealth funds, large institutions, and private clients. Its overriding objective is to protect and grow its investors’ capital, applying the discipline, rigor, and expertise honed through decades of investment experience through a full range of market, economic, and credit cycles and across asset classes, structures, geographies, and industries.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Co-Founder and Managing Partner Chris Bull, Vice President Chris Craig, Director Anne Terry, Executive Recruiter CJ Shook, and Research Associate Isabelle Karl.