Drew Cotten

FP&A · Strategic Finance · Executive Reporting

I’m a finance leader with 10+ years in FP&A, risk analytics, corporate finance, and direct investing, and an operator who has started and run businesses since 2007.

I build the forecasts, budgets, and reporting executives use to run the business, and present and defend that work to CEOs and CFOs with every number ready.

My experience spans energy, multi-site marketplaces, and direct investing: financial modeling, unit economics, capital allocation, M&A diligence, restructuring, and reporting automation.

Want to talk about working together? Click here to email me!

Portrait of Drew Cotten
Portrait of Drew Cotten
Portrait of Drew Cotten

Experience

Sundog Solar

Founding Partner, Finance & Operations · 2025 – Present · Denver, CO

Launched Sundog Solar, assembled a team of licensed electricians and solar installers, and delivered 25+ residential and commercial solar projects.

  • Designed the financial model, unit economics, and pricing, and set up budgeting, cash flow planning, and capital allocation across the project pipeline
  • Built an AI-assisted quoting system that turns project inputs into a priced, branded customer quote page and PDF

Primary functional skills: Financial modeling, unit economics, budgeting, capital allocation, solar project delivery

TransMontaigne / Lucknow-Highspire Terminals

Manager of Risk & Analytics · 2021 – 2025 · Denver, CO (Remote)

Presented and defended daily risk, hedging, and inventory decisions to the CEO and CFO of both the parent company (TransMontaigne) and the operating company (Lucknow-Highspire Terminals).

  • Ran monthly forecasting and budget-vs-actual reviews for the terminal business, plus board-ready reporting on results and market conditions
  • Owned position and risk reporting for 42,000,000 gallons of gasolines and distillates across 9 terminals, about $250MM in gross exposure (physical inventory plus offsetting NYMEX hedges)
  • Developed sales-projection models that cut inventory risk forecast error ~40%
  • Automated executive reporting and NYMEX-integrated hedging tools, cutting executive review time ~30%

Primary functional skills: FP&A, commodity risk management, executive reporting, Tableau, Excel, presentation skills

America’s Auto Auction (now XLerate Group)

Senior Finance & Data Associate · 2018 – 2021 · Dallas, TX (Remote)

Modeled site-level unit economics—sell-through rate, buyer and seller fees per unit, and labor cost per lane—for a two-sided marketplace of 23 auctions connecting dealer, fleet, and lender sellers with dealer buyers.

  • Shaped investment committee decisions on upgrades, closures, and expansion, and took two greenfield sites from business case to on-schedule openings
  • Led company-wide budgeting and capital planning across all 23 locations as finance partner to operations, HR, IT, and senior leadership
  • Unified Paycor, UKG, and Great Plains data into automated reports and leadership dashboards for 10+ departments, eliminating 2,000+ hours of manual work every year
  • Prepared diligence and integration packages for M&A transactions exceeding $120MM
  • Drove the payroll migration for 2,000 employees from Wells Fargo to ADP without direct authority, aligning finance, HR, IT, and operations through go-live

Primary functional skills: M&A due diligence, operational analytics, reporting automation, multi-store budget modeling, payroll systems management

Montgomery Capital Advisors

Financial Analyst → Senior Financial Advisor → Investment Associate · 2015 – 2018 · Texas

Originated, underwrote, and deployed $20MM in direct debt and equity investments across industrial, logistics, and real estate holdings, and built investor materials for $40MM+ in combined debt and equity raises.

Directed an analyst team through 40+ due diligence engagements.

Investment Associate

2017 – 2018

  • Stepped in as consultant CRO for two distressed operating companies, a specialty chemical producer and a steel erection contractor: restructured vendor obligations, renegotiated customer supply agreements, and installed controls that stabilized cash flow
  • Turned around delayed metal-building projects at the steel contractor and partnered with legal counsel on UCC Article 9 foreclosures and asset recovery

Senior Financial Advisor

2016 – 2017

  • Improved contribution margin and net income 15%+ through portfolio company initiatives

Financial Analyst

2015 – 2016

  • Built 3-statement GAAP models and 13-, 26-, and 52-week cash flow forecasts

Primary functional skills: Distressed operations, restructuring, debt underwriting, analyst leadership, creditor negotiations

Fantasy eSports

Founding Employee · 2012 – 2015

Joined a fantasy platform for competitive eSports at launch; ran business planning, branding, and website design, and grew traffic through content and league statistics. Left in 2015 to join Montgomery Capital Advisors.

Primary functional skills: Product strategy, branding, web design, growth marketing

Cotten’s Cooling Company

Founder & Owner/Operator · 2007 – 2012 · Dallas–Fort Worth, TX

Founded and operated a residential services business focused on insulation and radiant barrier installation.

  • Designed service offerings and installation systems
  • Managed crews and field operations
  • Direct-to-homeowner sales
  • Marketing, advertising, and operations documentation

Primary functional skills: Field operations, team leadership, sales, customer service

Education

Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business

BBA · 2010 – 2014 · Dallas, TX

Charles E. Merrill Scholarship · Rotunda Award · SMU Distinguished Scholar

Nonprofit Leadership

Jackson Hill Foundation

Co-Founder & Treasurer · 2010 – Present

Raise capital and manage the foundation’s budget, vendors, and annual fundraising.