Dennis Funk

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dennis Funk graduated cum laude with a degree in Econ-Business from UCLA in 1984. Right out of college he went to work for Arthur Andersen and Company, at the time considered the largest of the “Big Eight” accounting firms. He spent two years auditing companies in the financial services division where he developed a particular interest and understanding of the banking and investment industry.

In 1986, Dennis received his CPA (license #47892). That same year, he left Arthur Andersen and joined Plastic Dress-Up Company (PDU), the world’s largest supplier of plastic award components. PDU manufactured the plastic products that trophy shops used to assemble into finished awards. At the peak, PDU had 450 employees in Los Angeles and sold its products into over 40 countries.

Dennis started at PDU as assistant controller, quickly grew to become CFO, and eventually ran the company as COO for 12 years. The company sales grew from $20 million to over $40 million. Consistent with Dennis’ interest in the financial services world, he was also trustee of the company’s $6 million profit sharing plan. Dennis successfully made targeted investments in securities, trust deeds, and real estate to increase the returns for all the employees.

Right around the time Dennis took over as COO in 2007, the Great Recession hit. Prior to this period, the company grew on the wave of every child receiving a participation award. Not only did the company suffer from the general economic headwinds, but there occurred a sudden shift in the American appetite for participation awards. PDU needed to reinvent itself in a weakening award industry.

As COO, Dennis successfully navigated the company through an ensuing debt crisis; the closing of its U.S. manufacturing; moving production to China and the loss of 90% of its distribution to competitors who began importing directly from Asia. Throughout all of this, Dennis is most proud of changing the culture of the company to one of communication, inclusion and recognition. In 2017, Dennis engineered a merger with Continental Awards and Trophies (CAT) and formed a new company PDU CAT. Two years later, in October 2019, the Funk family, who owned PDU sold their entire interest in PDU CAT to their partners.

Through many accounting, legal and business contacts in the community, Dennis is known as extremely sharp, detail oriented and a man of integrity. In 2020, Dennis started Funk Financial Review Services where he combined his knowledge of the investment world with his extensive experience reviewing contracts to provide due diligence services to registered investment advisors, family offices and sponsors of investments to review their documents (Private Placement Memorandums, Limited Partnership Agreements, Excel spreadsheets, etc.). Dennis is often utilized as the last set of eyes to review these documents.

In his spare time, Dennis likes to play basketball, golf and pursue his philanthropic interests. He serves on the Board of the Estelle Funk Foundation and has served in many officer capacities for his synagogue. Dennis has been married for over 35 years. He and his wife recently moved from Los Angeles to Seattle to be near their 3 children and numerous grandchildren.