"The 24/7 availability of 'our' CFO gives us great peace of mind."
Book my 60 minute discovery call![A portrait image of Pascal Plovie from Het Vlaamse Kruis.](https://www.cfocentre.com/za/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/HVK-Profile-Picture_-002-e1623687921451.jpg)
Pascal Plovie, Managing Director - HVK
Spotlight: HVK – Het Vlaamse Kruis Ambulance Service
Managing Director - HVK: Pascal Plovie
The problem
HVK has been a non-profit organisation with extensive community outreach since 1927. The head office is located in Mechelen (Belgium). The association also has about 40 local branches in the Flemish Region and the German-speaking Community. Alongside about 30 salaried employees, the organisation also has more than 2,200 volunteers. They staff the emergency ambulance stations around the clock. Core activities:
• patient transport
• first aid training (individuals and companies)
• first aid prevention services
• volunteering
CEO Pascal Plovie was appointed by the Board in 2017 to professionalise and strategically expand the organisation.
![A close up of a yellow Het Vlaamse Kruis brand ambulance.](https://www.cfocentre.com/za/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/HVK-Problem-Image-002-e1623681408381.jpg)
The solution
Pascal Plovie wanted to structure his plans in order to achieve the objectives which he had jointly set with the Executive Board. After an initial meeting between Coen van der Kley and Pascal, Wim Braeckman was proposed as part-time CFO. An important requirement was knowledge of the financial and legal aspects of running a large non-profit organisation. The new CFO started working with the company soon after the interviews with members of the Executive Board and the managing director. Wim worked one day a week as CFO. During the first few months, the tasks were intensive credit management, digitalisation of financial processes and preparation and implementation of management reporting based on EMAsphere.
![A man lying on the ground, wearing a hardhat, receiving treatment from a paramedic.](https://www.cfocentre.com/za/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/HVK-Solution-Image-e1623681459939.jpg)
![The numbers that realy matter](/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Logo-Numbers-that-really-matter.png)
![A man lying on the floor receiving treatment from a paramedic.](https://www.cfocentre.com/za/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/06/HVK-NTrM-Image-e1623681510311.png)
Numbers matter. But not just profit and balance sheet numbers. We asked Pascal what is the number that really matters to him?
The non-profit organisation is aiming for 0 or break even. This is the ultimate goal, alongside professionalising the association which has been in existence for almost one hundred years. This must go hand-in-hand with maintaining the necessary resources to make ongoing investments in staff, ambulances, duty stations, IT systems, etc.
A 'thank you' to my CFO.
"Wim was soon able to put his finger on the pulse of cash management as well as inadequate systems and reporting. Based on 90 day plans, we made smooth progress. Wim also became a full member of the board. The 24/7 availability of “our” CFO provides a lot of peace of mind." Pascal Plovie
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