With nearly four decades of professional experience to her credit, Deborah “Debbie” Friedemann has excelled as the chief financial officer and director of accounting for The RK Logistics Group Inc. since 2008. Located in Fremont, California, the company offers services in sustainable supply chain solutions, including warehousing, manufacturing support, fulfillment, and storage. In her roles, Dr. Friedemann was responsible for identifying a new enterprise resource planning system that is still in use today. In addition to overseeing accounts payable and billing, she handles insurance payroll, compliance reporting, and reporting monthly and quarterly financials to the board. Alongside this role, Dr. Friedemann has found success as the owner and chief executive officer of DGF Consulting since 1985. During her professional journey, she additionally garnered experience as the vice president of accounting at a mid-sized law firm.
Dr. Friedemann began her career as a controller, general accounting manager and MIS manager for One Workplace in San Jose, California, from 1985 to 1995. She went on to serve Rosendin Electric as general accounting manager from 1995 to 1998 and acted as vice president of accounting and human resources for Community Lending Inc. from 1998 to 2000. From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Friedemann was the chief financial officer and chief information officer for Allstate Contract Floors in Pittsburg, California. She additionally worked for Macy’s in San Francisco, California, from 2002 to 2011 and shared her expertise as an adjunct professor of math and accounting at Heald College from 2009 to 2015. Dr. Friedemann has found success through her written works, authoring “A Correlational Study of Financial Ratios and Customer Satisfaction in Traditional and E-Commerce Retail Stores” in 2014.
In preparation for her career pursuits, Dr. Friedemann pursued a higher education at the University of Minnesota, where she served as the student president of the Minnesota Hillel in 1983. Upon earning an associate degree in liberal arts, she went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in business management, with honors, and a Master of Business Administration, with honors. Dr. Friedemann continued her academic effort at the University of Phoenix, obtaining a doctorate in organizational management with an emphasis in information systems technology. She graduated with honors in 2014.
Among her accomplishments, Dr. Friedemann has been recognized among the Top 10 Inspiring Women Leaders in 2022 by Industry Era Women Leaders. In 2023, she was inducted into the Nationwide Registry’s Women of Distinction. During her tenure at The RK Logistics Group, she is proud to have transformed the company, growing it from $8 million to a $93 million organization. Dr. Friedemann’s work establishing the company’s enterprise resource planning system laid the foundation for The RK Logistics Group’s success. Her efforts to improve training and establish and document the company’s systems and structures led to a notable increase in profitability. In 2010, she became a member of the National Association for Female Executives.
Dr. Friedemann attributes her success to her aspiration to serve as a strong role model, particularly for other members of her family, as well as to her perseverance and tenacity as a woman in her industry. She also takes pride in her communication skills, which have aided her throughout her career and continue to help her at The RK Logistics Group, where she is involved in expanding the accounting department and fostering the professional development of her team members. Within the next decade, she plans to retire and become more actively engaged in teaching, including helping train small companies in best practices and procedures. In her spare time, Dr. Friedemann enjoys playing different musical instruments, composing, and advocating for animal welfare. She also collects stamps and travels with her spouse.