Thomas Ridings

Thomas Ridings is the current Chief Accounting Officer at Arbor Realty Trust. Thomas has previous experience as the Chief Audit Executive and Chief Risk Officer at W. P. Carey Inc., where they were responsible for internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance and enterprise risk. Thomas led an initiative to enhance documentation of key processes and re-examine key controls, which resulted in an approximate 30% reduction in controls. Thomas also oversaw the development of a corporate compliance and ethics program, updating and creating several policies and creating a compliance committee of senior executives to monitor the program.

As Chief Accounting Officer at W. P. Carey Inc., they were responsible for accounting functions, including closing, operations, reporting and payroll. Thomas oversaw filings for up to five SEC entities each reporting period. Thomas sponsored a project to enhance the accounting close process, creating an automated closing report and streamlined, automated processes that moved the timing of certain processes to reduce the close process by several days and improve the quality of review over financial numbers. Thomas also coordinated accounting and financial reporting for several significant events, including a merger between two managed REITs and multiple public offerings. Thomas coordinated reporting for the annual proxy statements and prepared research papers to present positions to SEC staff to get relief on financial reporting matters, including reporting for international acquisitions and joint ventures.

Thomas Ridings has a BS in Accounting from LIU Post.

Their manager is Paul Elenio, EVP, Chief Financial Officer. Thomas Ridings works with and Maria Elefante - SVP, Treasury.