A regional publication recently chose Dr. Dwight Ham as one of its top financial professionals of 2022.

In September, Ham was named CFO of the Year in the growing business category by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal. In addition to serving as chair of the business department at The Master’s University, Ham has been the CFO of Guardian Drain Lock in Simi Valley, California, for the past 14 years. The company holds seven patents, producing innovative solutions that deter clogging in commercial floor sinks in restaurants and high-traffic facilities across the country.

Guardian Drain Lock, founded in 2008, has been profitable since its second year of operation and has regularly given 10-20% of its pretax income (before deducting noncash charges) back to the community. Ham’s award comes shortly after he helped the company navigate the uncertain waters of the pandemic.

“Given the economic times and ever-changing (business) climate, CFOs serve as essential members of a company’s core leadership team,” the San Fernando Valley Business Journal wrote. “Together with their CEOs, their decisions affect all aspects of the business.”

In its nomination of Ham for the award, Cal State Northridge, Ham’s alma mater, highlighted his 40-plus years of expertise “in directing all financial, operational and administrative responsibilities within multimillion-dollar corporations.” It also underlined his skills in “streamlining financial processes, introducing technology solutions, implementing cost control measures, and enhancing operational efficiency.”

Still, Ham says he was surprised by the award.

“Knowing the others who have received this award in the past, I felt very honored,” he said.

Ham said one of the most crucial things he’s learned in a total of 36 years as a CFO is that every company is unique. “It has a character of its own and a business life of its own,” he said. “What I’ve enjoyed about being CFO is that it’s so different for each company. I find it to be exhilarating and challenging and very rewarding.”

He also finds it to be an opportunity to honor Christ.

“You have a wonderful opportunity to honor the Lord by the way in which you conduct yourself in your negotiation strategies, the way you handle vendors, the way you interact with people,” he says. “You try your very best by the Lord working through you to really exemplify Christ in what you do.”

That mindset has made Ham an ideal fit for TMU, where he joined the full-time faculty in 2008.

“Dr. Ham exemplifies the kind of practical, real-world insight our business faculty bring to students every day in the classroom and in personal mentoring,” said Dr. Mitch Hopewell, TMU’s provost and chief academic officer. “We’re so proud of this recognition and congratulate Dr. Ham for how he models academic and business excellence in service of Christ.”

Learn more about TMU’s top-ranked business department, here.