Impact Story: From Fractional CFO to Strategic Advisor

How DSM Kept Stawowski McGill Engaged After Hiring a Full-Time CFO 

Dynamic Source Manufacturing Inc. (DSM) is a well-respected electronics contract manufacturer, headquartered in Calgary with operations in Tempe, Arizona. They have been in business since 2000 and have experienced impressive growth with Duane Macauley at the helm of this ship. 

Stawowski McGill acted as DSM’s fractional CFO from 2017 to 2022. In 2022, their growth had reached a point that they needed to hire a full-time CFO. 

Yet we continue to work together today, in 2026. 

Not as a fractional CFO. Not as duplication in their finance team. But in a strategic advisory role. 

Here’s why. 

When we first met Duane in April 2017, he had been running DSM for more than 20 years. The business was entering a rapid growth phase, and like many founders at that stage, he was feeling the pressure. The Company was moving fast, business was becoming more complex, and everything was landing on Duane’s shoulders. 

At the recommendation of his lender, Duane brought Stawowski McGill in to support the business at the leadership level. 

From the start, the relationship was built on trust and collaboration. Through a full-day planning session and regular meetings, we got deep into DSM’s operations. Duane leaned on us to elevate his financial view of the business, bring clarity to a complex cross-border structure, and provide a consolidated perspective across his operations. Most importantly, he was no longer carrying the weight alone. 

Over the next five years, DSM grew significantly. Eventually, the business reached a size and complexity where hiring a full-time CFO made good business sense. For some clients, this is the natural conclusion of a fractional CFO relationship, and we consider it a success when it happens. 

In DSM’s case, we supported that transition to the CFO. We knew the business, the team, and Duane’s leadership style so we were able to support the executive search firm, interview, and help onboard their new CFO. The intention was to transition day-to-day financial leadership in-house and put the right long-term structure in place for the business. 

With a CFO now leading finance internally, our role naturally shifted. 

Stawowski McGill remains involved in a strategic advisory capacity, providing an experienced, external perspective. Thanks to our flexible engagement model, we adjusted how we support Duane and DSM rather than needing to step away. 

Today, we continue to sit at DSM’s boardroom table as part of Stawowski McGill’s CFO+ offering. That means continuing to act as a sounding board and advisor to Duane and his leadership team, facilitating strategic conversations that go beyond the numbers, and helping drive accountability.  

It has now been 9 years of partnering with DSM. We are grateful for the continued trust and collaboration, and we are proud to continue supporting Duane and the business in their ongoing growth journey.