Built by People Who've Been in Your Seat

Matt built his foundation in public accounting at Ernst & Young, spending years in the trenches of audit deadlines and financial reporting before moving into industry — leading corporate accounting for a multinational manufacturer based in Chicago.

He later pivoted back to consulting, building the Accounting Advisory practice at a firm supporting PE-backed, middle-market companies through M&A transitions — formalizing processes, launching new service lines, and running the practice's strategy and day-to-day operations for nearly three years.

Through that work, Matt kept arriving at the same conclusion: the biggest value he could deliver wasn't technical accounting or interim staffing — it was helping teams fix how they actually operate. Understanding the real challenges finance teams face during periods of change, and giving them practical, actionable solutions to navigate it.

With more than a decade leading finance and accounting operations — starting at Ernst & Young — DJ built his career turning complex financial processes into clean, scalable workflows. He later helped mid-sized firms and startups build financial infrastructure from the ground up, often while simultaneously automating the manual work that was slowing them down.

Over time, DJ saw that great financial operations aren't just about accuracy — they're about clarity. The right tools and workflows don't just explain what happened; they help leaders see what's next and make better decisions faster. That belief is at the core of everything Prairie Forge builds.

Whether automating month-end close, building custom Excel tools, implementing ERP systems, or helping teams adopt AI, DJ focuses on building systems that evolve with your business — not ones that create new dependencies or slow you down.