In this edition of the HSA Team Member Spotlight, we talk with Connie Jackson, vice president of accounting and controller for HSA Commercial. In her role at HSA, Connie manages the firm’s accounting staff and is responsible for the tracking and reporting of cash flows for HSA’s owned and managed properties.

HSA: For those that are unfamiliar with the company, how would you describe your responsibilities at HSA?
Jackson: My job here at HSA is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the accounting department which includes a variety of things from making sure tenants’ rent checks are received and processed, to ensuring our vendors’ invoices are paid timely, and managing the entire cash flows for the asset. We also produce and thoroughly review monthly financial reports for each individual HSA or client property to identify opportunities for savings and to prepare for distributions to our investors.

HSA: What role does technology play in your property accounting?
Jackson: In the past few years, HSA has made a deliberate effort to focus on integrating accounting software and technology that allows us to take a comprehensive approach to asset management and accounting to better serve our clients. By utilizing certain technologies, we have been able to automate a number of our processes which helps with turnaround time in reporting, avoids possible human error, and eliminates a lot of paper along the way.

HSA: What do you perceive as the benefit for HSA’s clients?
Jackson: We have been very fortunate at HSA to have secured several new management assignments, and we have five active real estate developments—a few of which are with institutional joint venture partners. What we have found is that the implementation of our new accounting systems gives our management clients access to accurate, real-time information about the current cash position of their properties. In terms of our developments, our partners and construction team members can download reports to track development costs versus project budgets at any point throughout the construction process which allows them to make more precise and informed decisions about the management of their resources.

Prior to becoming Controller, Ms. Jackson served for four years as HSA Commercial Real Estate’s Assistant Controller where her duties included maintaining financial statements, tenant billings, cash receipts and accounts payable, and payment of taxes and insurance for the firm’s portfolio of owned and managed properties. Ms. Jackson has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Texas A&M.