Her Story
About Pinky
Pinky Raina, CPA, is a strategic finance and operations executive with more than two decades of experience leading global organizations across manufacturing, industrials, professional services, sports, entertainment, and media. She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of IDEAL INDUSTRIES, INC., where she shapes enterprise‑wide financial strategy, drives operational excellence, and supports long‑term value creation for a diversified global business.
While much of her career has been spent in established organizations, her greatest contributions reflect an entrepreneurial mindset—identifying opportunity, creating structure where none existed, developing talent, and transforming organizations to unlock growth. Her career includes senior leadership roles at some of the world’s most respected organizations. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Vice President of Finance & IT for IDEX Health & Science, and held multiple Group CFO roles within The Marmon Group, a Berkshire Hathaway company.
After beginning her career at Deloitte and later serving in leadership roles at the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and KPMG, she developed a unique perspective on risk, governance, and operational excellence. Rather than remaining in traditional finance roles, she chose to move into operating environments where she could directly influence business outcomes. At Marmon Holdings and IDEX Corporation, she assumed leadership responsibility for portfolios of global manufacturing companies, leading business turnarounds, restructuring underperforming operations, and helping organizations pursue profitable growth.
Her entrepreneurial leadership became particularly evident during her tenure with the United States Soccer Federation. Joining an organization experiencing rapid growth and increasing complexity, she rebuilt finance capabilities, established critical operational processes, developed HR and IT functions, implemented new systems, and ultimately expanded her role from CFO to CFO and COO. She played a central role in navigating major commercial, legal, operational, and financial challenges while helping position the organization for long-term success.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Pinky is deeply committed to mentorship, leadership development, and community impact. She serves as Finance Committee Chair for New Moms, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on providing housing, paid job training, and family support for young moms and their children She is also on the Board of SafeHavens, a nonprofit supporting the medical and educational needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children in rural Nepal.
Pinky’s accomplishments have earned national recognition, including the 2022 Chicago CFO of the Year Award (Mid‑Size Non‑Profit) and the 2022 Sports Business Journal Game Changer honor.
Of all her accomplishments, Pinky is most proud of the people and organizations she has helped transform. Financial results, savings, and awards are important, but her greatest satisfaction comes from building capable teams, developing future leaders, and leaving organizations stronger than when she arrived. Whether turning around businesses, modernizing operations, or mentoring emerging talent, her legacy is measured not only by the numbers achieved but by the lasting impact created for the people and institutions she serves
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Pinky
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the experiences and challenges that shaped me throughout my life and career. I was born in India, spent part of my childhood in Singapore, and eventually built my life in the United States. Moving between countries while my family navigated financial and stability challenges taught me resilience, adaptability, and perspective. Those experiences instilled in me a deep appreciation for opportunity—and a commitment to creating opportunities for others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was to own your mistakes. Everyone makes them, and they’re an essential part of learning and growth. When you acknowledge a mistake, understand it, and ensure you don’t repeat it, you build resilience and credibility. It also reinforces humility—an important reminder that we’re all human and continually evolving.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the finance industry is to focus on building broad, foundational experience early in your career. Don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to others or rushing to follow a predefined path. Instead, seek out opportunities that expose you to different parts of the business—internal audit, accounting, FP&A, operations, and cross‑functional projects. The wider your exposure at the beginning, the stronger and more adaptable you’ll be as you move into senior roles. Diverse experiences give you the perspective and confidence to handle whatever challenges come your way and prepare you to lead effectively at the highest levels.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in the field right now is how we harness AI to make decisions better and faster. While some worry that AI may replace jobs, I believe it will elevate the finance function—making teams more productive, improving accuracy, and enabling finance to deliver deeper, more strategic value to the organization.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
One of the values most important to me is being fully present. I believe this applies equally in my professional and personal life. When I’m with my family, I strive to be genuinely engaged rather than distracted by competing demands. And when I’m working, I commit my full attention to the role, responsibilities, and people I’m serving in that moment. Being present allows me to bring my best to every interaction—whether with my family, my team, my colleagues, or the organization I lead.
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