Cummings, who holds CPA certificates from both Kansas and Missouri, began his career as an Auditor with the Kansas City office of KPMG, the world’s largest audit, tax and organizational consulting firm. While with KPMG, he specialized in serving the office’s largest, publicly-held client companies and became well versed in the requirements of mandated SEC reporting. Equipped with this expertise, Cummings was asked to join one of his client companies, Butler Manufacturing Co. as an Assistant Controller charged with overseeing all aspects of the corporation’s financial reporting and analysis.
In 1985, he was recruited to found the Kansas City office of then-Source Finance, a multi-office, national contingency search firm specializing in the placement of accounting and finance professionals. Over the next eight years, he oversaw the growth and success of this office which positioned it as the leading provider of its kind in the local marketplace. Cummings earned membership in the firm’s highest performer categories multiple times and was named Small Branch Manager of the Year in 1989.
In 1993, Cummings founded his own firm continuing to specialize in the placement of accounting/financial professionals, including numerous high-level search assignments for some of Kansas City’s largest employers. Over the course of the next 12 years, he oversaw the rapid expansion of this practice until he was recruited, once again, to join a client organization, Uhlig LLC. Cummings was responsible for all business operational aspects of the company’s largest division, Illustratus. Under his direction were sales, customer service, marketing, product development, production, art & editorial, and business development. Named Senior Vice President-Business Development in 2008, Cummings spearheaded the company’s aggressive acquisition strategy which resulted in the consummation of seven competitor acquisitions. These, along with highly successful organic growth from a well-coordinated internal sales strategy, allowed the division to more than quadruple its annual sales during this time.
In addition to the demands of his professional career, Cummings is actively involved in a number of civic and philanthropic volunteer activities. He currently serves as a board member for Denver-based Total Long-Term Care and is a member of the Benedictine College Business School Advisory Board. Previously, he has served his alma mater’s alumni and collegiate fraternal organization boards in various capacities. Participation in church activities, youth sports coaching, Big 12 Conference and NCAA Championship host committees and a wide range of personal athletic endeavors round out his interests.