Integrity in Action | Strategy with Purpose | Leadership that Elevates
- Turnaround Specialist
- Strategic Planning & Execution Specialist
- Global Audit & Risk Leader
- Expert in Fraud Detection & Prevention
- Proven Communicator & Collaborator
Matthew R. Hamilton is a globally distinguished financial executive whose career spans more than 25 years across manufacturing, retail, automotive, financial and health care environments. Renowned for his disciplined, ethical, and forward-thinking leadership, Matthew brings clarity, structure, and strategic insight to every organization he serves. His philosophy centers on leadership grounded in accountability and sustained by a genuine commitment to organizational excellence, stakeholder value, and principled decision-making.
Matthew’s career began in public accounting and audit, building a foundation in financial integrity and regulatory compliance with Howard, Wershbale & Co., and then with Big 4 powerhouse, KPMG. These formative years sharpened his technical command of GAAP, financial statements, external audits, and internal controls, while exposing him to a wide range of industries and operational challenges.
As Matthew transitioned into roles of increasing responsibility, his impact became unmistakable. At LKQ Corporation, a $500 million private company Matthew played a key role in the company’s initial public offering (“IPO”) efforts and served as a financial analyst responsible for critical reporting and operational insights, helping drive leadership transparency and collaboration during a transformative period. His commitment to excellence enabled rapid advancement and set the stage for greater leadership opportunities.
A pivotal chapter in Matthew’s career unfolded at The Lincoln Electric Company, a $4 billion dollar publicly traded manufacturer of welders and brazing products. It was here where Matthew spent over a decade, with his first 6 years rapidly advancing through the internal audit department. His rapid succession in internal audit was due to his ability to successfully transform his vision of internal audit of being a “strategic business partner” by Lincoln Executives and their 44 subsidiaries instead of just “necessary compliance” like it was upon his arrival. Matthew’s successful transformation of internal audit led to his promotion as Controller and eventual Director of Finance at Lincoln Electric’s largest subsidiary, the Harris Products Group (“HPG”). The promotion came with challenges though, as despite HPG’s size with over $600M in revenue and 8 international subsidiaries of its own, upon Matthew’s arrival the subsidiary was struggling with profitability, which had plummeted to near break-even due to the economic challenges of 2008. However, despite these challenges, Matthew would play a significant role in the Company’s historic $35 million profitability turnaround in just 3 years through his transformational leadership style as well as his ability to communicate and collaborate with other departments his strategic vision for HPG and commitment to organizational and operational excellence. Matthew’s decade at Lincoln Electric was marked by the following organizational accomplishments as well as recognition of performance including his quantitative achievements and strategic impact is listed below:
Quantitative Achievements & Strategic Impact at Lincoln
- Received the Chairman’s Award for top performance 10 consecutive years, a testament to his reliability, leadership and enduring impact
- Led and oversaw the rollout of Sarbanes-Oxley (“SOX”) global compliance as well as Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) controls across 44 countries and locations worldwide
- Led 4 investigations that uncovered fraud schemes in both Latin America and Asia that recovered over $2 million dollars as well as safeguarded the company’s integrity and global operations, leading Matthew to win the highly regarded “Labrador Award” for dismantling these significant fraud schemes.
- Matthew wanted the global business units he was auditing to look at his department as a business partner in compliance, not just “the auditors;” Therefore, Matthew authored the Guide “10 Most Common Internal Audit Findings” and distributed to all 44 business units to assist in implementing “best in class” internal controls
- Communicated audit results to the Audit Committee on a quarterly basis.
- As Controller, took over an underperforming subsidiary, Harris Products Group, that was reporting only $1 Million annual in Earnings, before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) and through collaboration with key department leaders in sales, operations and purchasing, led a $35 million dollar EBITDA turnaround over a 3-year period, leading Harris to their highest reported EBITDA results to date.
- Collaborated with key functional leaders for all business units to coordinate and facilitate development of the annual budget along with 1-year, 3-year and 10-year strategic plans.
- Played a key role in Due Diligence of over $800 million of acquisitions for the Lincoln Electric Company
- Collaborated with operations in implementing a “pull” inventory systems which helped reduce working capital 2.5x during his tenure at HPG.
- Developed key reports and analysis for better decision making for both sales and operations such as analyzing not just customer profitability but also AR terms and impact on working capital
Matthew’s extensive experience and achievements at Lincoln Electric positioned him for executive leadership in both private equity and public-company settings. At Stant Automotive (HIG Capital), he held dual leadership in Finance and Tax, guiding global consolidations, board reporting, and operational risk management. His ability to navigate complex financial ecosystems and communicate with clarity earned the trust of senior leadership and private equity stakeholders.
In 2015, Matthew joined Griffon Corporation, a publicly traded manufacturing enterprise with $2.5B+ in revenue. Advancing from Internal Audit Manager to Senior Director of Internal Audit, he led global risk assessment, SOX oversight, operational audits, data analytics, FCPA compliance, fraud investigations, M&A due diligence, and audit committee reporting. He managed multi-continent teams and co-sourced partners, ensuring alignment between operational reality and strategic corporate priorities. Selected for two high-impact leadership rotations, including Director of Finance for a $1.2B business unit, where he drove a $20 million EBITDA turnaround in 12 months as well as cutting the financial close process in half for more time spent on analysis; remediated complex accounting issues; enhanced forecasting discipline; and guided the successful transition of a new controller. Matthew’s full quantitative achievements and strategic impact at Griffon is listed below:
Quantitative Achievements & Strategic Impact at Griffon
- Drove a $20M EBITDA turnaround, transforming a $1.2B business unit from -$15M to +$5M EBITDA in 12 months through strategic pricing, operational discipline, and cross-functional leadership.
- Uncovered and prevented two different $1M+ in fraud schemes across global operations, leading targeted investigations in China and Germany that strengthened internal controls and protected organizational assets.
- Directed $1.8B in M&A due diligence and integration, playing pivotal roles in major acquisitions (Hunter Fan, ClosetMaid, Cornell Cookson) by performing valuation analyses, assessing and assisting SOX readiness, and managing risk for seamless transitions.
- Reduced financial close cycles from 12 to 5 days, revamped budgeting processes, and optimized inventory management—cutting inventory days in half and significantly boosting profitability.
- Rolled out the Company’s initial Foreign Corrupt Practices Act controls at all locations.
- Partnered with Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain to deliver actionable insights, identify new revenue streams, and drive pricing and cost-saving strategies that improved both top- and bottom-line results.
- Provides actionable insights to boards and audit committees, strengthening SOX compliance, risk management frameworks, and executive accountability.
Throughout his global career, Matthew has operated with a deep appreciation for the intersection of culture, business, and governance. His international work across Latin America, Asia, and Europe has equipped him with a nuanced understanding of global compliance risks, cross-border communication, and operational alignment. Fluent in Spanish, he values building relationships rooted in trust and respect—ensuring teams feel supported, empowered, and understood.
Character & Leadership Philosophy
Matthew demonstrates unwavering integrity through every aspect of his professional leadership, aligning his actions with a deep sense of responsibility and ethical purpose. He exemplifies humility and strength, connecting authentically with teams at all levels. His extensive experience enables him to offer thoughtful perspective on financial governance, operational risk, and strategic planning. He is known for synthesizing complex information into actionable insights, inspiring confidence among executives and board members.
Strategic Vision & Communication
Matthew excels in environments that demand vision, discipline, and long-term thinking. He anticipates risks and emerging trends, guiding leadership teams toward decisions that strengthen resilience and competitive advantage. Known for his clarity, professionalism, and diplomacy, he communicates complex issues in a manner that is accessible, compelling, and aligned with organizational objectives—building trust, enhancing collaboration, and elevating decision-making.
Personal Commitment & Board-Ready Value
Beyond technical expertise, Matthew is a leader grounded in empathy and purpose. He is actively involved in community service (Autism Speaks), committed to mentoring rising professionals, and passionate about lifelong learning. As he seeks to contribute at the board level, Matthew brings a rare blend of global financial acumen, compliance expertise, operational insight, and steadfast leadership—making him exceptionally well suited for organizations seeking a board member who can elevate risk management, strengthen audit committee performance, and enhance executive accountability.
Specialties:
- Audit Committee & Board Advisory
- Operational & Profitability Turnarounds
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- SOX & Regulatory Compliance
- M&A Due Diligence & Integration
- Fraud Detection & Prevention
- Financial Reporting & Controls
- Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration
- Global Operations
Matthew enters this next chapter with genuine enthusiasm for using his expertise to guide organizations toward resilient and sustainable success.
