Author Biography: Thomas R. Ittelson
Thomas R. Ittelson is an expert at translating complicated financial topics in an accessible way to non-financial folks. He is a natural scientist by training (biochemistry) and an entrepreneur. Writing accounting books came later.
After working initially as a technical writer, he progressed into sales, marketing and business development. Tom became marketing manager for a scientific instrumentation company, followed by senior management positions as director of European marketing based in Strasbourg France, and vice president of marketing for a successful start-up company.
That experience encouraged Tom to become an entrepreneur, as founder, CEO and treasurer of a venture capital-backed, high-tech metallurgy company. Tom learned accounting and financial reporting skills—on that job!
With his combined expertise in entrepreneurial business development, biotechnology, accounting, and finance, Tom became a sought-after consultant to both venture capitalists and scientific entrepreneurs. His over 35 high-tech start-up business plans raised more than $500,000,000 in equity capital.
To help the scientific non-financial CEOs of these start-up companies, he wrote the best-selling for-profit accounting textbook of its kind, Financial Statements: A Step-By-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports. Over 175,000 copies are currently in print.
With several nonprofit board memberships under his belt, Tom is directing his efforts toward helping that community. Hence, this new book: Nonprofit Accounting & Financial Reporting: An Overview for Board, Management, and Staff.
Photo: Steven J. Potter
A resident of Harvard Square for more than fifty years, Tom enjoys photography,
antiques, Japanese art, and great food. His ongoing challenge is trying to teach Joe,
his Egyptian Mau cat, that his legs are not scratching posts. Unlike accounting, the
cat has proven less amenable to “rules.”
Tom is available as a speaker and teacher for group presentations, in-house seminars, and training courses for nonprofit boards, managers and staff. Contact him at:
