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Founder / CFO - AHS Consulting

Founder - i-Card

VP of Comms. - Int'l Business Council of Chattanooga

Charter Member - OPEN Chicago

Board of Directors - Annoor Academy of Chattanooga

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About

"If you can dream it, you can achieve it."

The go getter!

Founder – "AHS Consulting" & “i-Card”

My first ever title received when graduating high-school was, “I’m the Monarch of all I survey.” I think I literally took this to heart or perhaps it was already instilled in me that failure wasn’t an option and success was solely my choice.

As a guru of financial management at a freight forwarding company, I know the ins and outs of the core business and have the financial background to deliver results, "when" and "as" they are needed...

Amna has worked in the financial management field in the freight forwarding arena since the year 2000. She started her freight career in 1999 – lifting boxes in a warehouse while also attending night school full-time pursuing her International Business degree.

Education

learning

Reading

2010

Master's in Accounting and Financial Management, Accounting and Finance,

New York

Master's in Accounting and Financial Management, Accounting and Finance,Activities and Societies:

2010

International Honor Society member

Phi Theta Kappa

2010

Business Honor Society

Sigma Beta Delta

2005

Robert Morris College

Graduated, “Summa Cum Laude”
New York

Bachelors of Business Administration, Accounting and Economics, Activities and Societies: Business honor society, “Sigma Beta Delta (www.sigmabetadelta.org).” “President’s Honor List” recipient from 2004 thru 2005. Honored with a “Phi Theta Kappa, ” honors society scholarship for the academic year 2004-05. Major in Accounting and Economics.

2004

Loyola University of Chicago

New York

Bachelors of Business Administration, • Major in Economics/ Minor in Information Systems, Activities and Societies: Sigma Beta Delta

2003

Illinois Institute of Technology

New York

Bachelors of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Activities and Societies: PSA - Pakistan Student Association (Public Relations and active member) Zeta Pi Omega - sorority (http://zetapiomegaiit.wordpress.com)

2002

MacCormac College

Graduated, “Summa Cum Laude”
New York

Associates Degree in International Business, International Business (Supply Chain), Activities and Societies: Phi Theta Kappa (www.ptk.org) honor student for the State Of Illinois for the year 2002. College valedictorian for the year 2002 and scholarship recipient

2000

University of Cambridge

New York

GCSE - "O" LEVELS, 10 SUBJECTS

Experience

involvement

participation

2015

July 2015 - Present

Founder at i-Card Inc.

Founder of the virtual business card management solution which is a mobile app that uses the QR code

2014

January 2014 - Present

Senior Consultant at AHS Consulting Inc

Having worked in the International Freight arena for the past 15 years, with an accounting background

2013

July 2013 - May 2014

Controller at Lamp Post Group / Steam Logistics LLC

Utilize my acquired transportation and financial knowledge in my current role as the controller

2011

January 2011 - June 2013

US Financial & Commercial Manager at SBS Worldwide

•Utilize broad scope of industry knowledge and dynamic financial acumen to direct forward-thinking

2010

October 2010 - December 2010

Freelance work to set-up Accounting in CargoWise systems

Did freelance work to set-up accounting functions for both start-up freight forwarding companies.

2009

2009 - December 2010

Owner/Partner

Partner in a joint venture, start-up business and sold in late 2010. Responsible for HR matters

2005

2005 - 2007 (3 years)

Financial Analyst / Accounting / Human Resources

Led targeted month-end multi-branch and corporate closing processes, including handling two-year

2003

September 2003 - September 2010

Financial Manager/Controller at WLG INC

WORLD COMMERCE SERVICES / WLG (USA), SCHAUMBURG, IL 2003 – 2010, Controller (2007 – 2010)

2003

2003 - 2005 (3 years)

NVOCC Imports – Account Manager

Contributed sharp analytical abilities toward managing customer accounts while commencing

2003

2003 - 2003 (1 year)

Owner/Manager/Purchaser

Played a vital role in handling cost-effective purchasing and merchandise bookkeeping for Chicago

Awards

Awards

Accolades

2019

inc5000

Inc’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies – AHS Consulting.

2017

The first ever International Business Council award, awarded to AHS Consulting.

2016

Small Business Award runner-up – Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

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My Story

The go getter!

Know more

Amna Shah belongs to a conservative Muslim family of Karachi. She migrated to USA against all odds, at the young age of 16 after completing her O-Levels from Dawood Public School. She then went ahead and acquired her Associates Degree in International Business and her Bachelors and Masters in Business – Accounting and Financial Management. Not only did Amna graduate from these schools, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with the highest distinction with a 4.0 GPA. But don’t get it wrong, Amna didn’t have a smooth ride to the end of her student life, she also used to work 40 hours a week lifting freight boxes in a warehouse when she first migrated to the US. Amna funded her education on her own aside from the international scholarships she attained. She also managed the Silk Flower Wholesale business for the owner at that time. After a while, Amna discovered how underpaid she was and decided to pursue part time work at her college in the Financial Aid department while also working the rest of the hours in the South Side of Chicago at a gas station. This happened while she was also attending school for her Undergrad degree.

At the age of eighteen, Amna started her first business using her wholesale connections and opened an 89c Plus Dollar Store with her future spouse. The store succumbed to the aftermath of the post 9/11 market crash and Amna had to quickly sell it and exit the business.

One day in 2002, Amna got a call from a recruiter who had interviewed her earlier in the year when she graduated with her Associates and she asked her to go try her luck at an interview at a freight forwarding company. Amna, although not well versed with the logistics industry went ahead with the interview and as per her employer, “blew him away,” with her interview answers. The motivation and enthusiasm was contagious and so she was hired in a multinational company as an Imports Account Manager. But this was just the start… Soon after the CFO of the company noticed Amna’s potential and finance skills and opened a position in the company of a Financial Analyst. Amna took the position and excelled at it – within two years not only was she the Finance Manager for the company but also helped them through their systems implementation processes and acquisitions when the company went public.

Soon after Amna also went back to school and acquired her Master’s Degree in Accounting and Financial Management. While also getting married in her final year, and a one-year-old son at hand, Amna walked the stage Summa Cum Laude once again. This all happened meanwhile Amna also maintained her full time job as a Finance Manager. She moved jobs after her eight-year tenure at World Commerce/WLG Inc. to SBS Worldwide as their US CFO at the prime age of 24, becoming the youngest Pakistani Muslim Female CFO ever. Usually the average age of a CFO ranges from 40 to 70 years old. Amna quickly figured out that USA was not much different and no matter what she did, there was always going to be that “glass ceiling” where Amna couldn’t be the ultimate decision maker or CEO of any company. A lot of instances worked against her such as her age, her ethnic background, her dietary restrictions, not hanging out with the senior executive men at the bar and most importantly it was a man’s world!

Soon after Amna also went back to school and acquired her Master’s Degree in Accounting and Financial Management. While also getting married in her final year, and a one-year-old son at hand, Amna walked the stage Summa Cum Laude once again. This all happened meanwhile Amna also maintained her full time job as a Finance Manager. She moved jobs after her eight-year tenure at World Commerce/WLG Inc. to SBS Worldwide as their US CFO at the prime age of 24, becoming the youngest Pakistani Muslim Female CFO ever. Usually the average age of a CFO ranges from 40 to 70 years old. Amna quickly figured out that USA was not much different and no matter what she did, there was always going to be that “glass ceiling” where Amna couldn’t be the ultimate decision maker or CEO of any company. A lot of instances worked against her such as her age, her ethnic background, her dietary restrictions, not hanging out with the senior executive men at the bar and most importantly it was a man’s world!

That didn’t make Amna give up or her to give up on her American Dream, she invested money into a hair and nail salon, built from scratch, Cutz N Nailz 929. She was working fulltime and managing finances and working for the salon over the weekends part time to make it a success. After a year, once the business was profitable, Amna sold it for a nice profit. At this time Amna became a mother to a baby daughter as well. Once through with her pregnancy, SBS Worldwide offered all their C-Level employees to move to the headquarters location in Atlanta, GA. At the same time, one fine day Amna got a mysterious email where the gentleman had found her through Linked-In and wanted her to come down to Chattanooga to meet with their company executives as they wanted to offer her the role of Controller at their new business venture, Steam Logistics.

Amna had never heard of Chattanooga, but the person on the other side was quite persistent and sold Amna to an all-inclusive weekend interview/visit with her husband. Hesitant, Amna went to Chattanooga for the first time and was blown away by the kindness and hospitality of the people she met. As if the scenery wasn’t enough! Chattanooga, Tennessee is a Southeast City in USA and boasts of 10gb internet speed provided by EPB Fiber. Amna saw that as a great opportunity with the incubator Lamp Post Group, and their startup Steam Logistics but got bored pretty quickly, and in a year or so, started her own firm AHS Consulting. After WLG, Amna had also done some freelance work for her colleagues and friends who had needed help startup and implement the CargoWise logistics ERP system. This is what exactly AHS started off with. Amna’s enthusiasm, connections in the industry and years of experience in the freight forwarding/logistics arena coupled with her Accounting/Finance acumen and business intelligence led the company to success and within two years, the revenues grew to seven figures. The company grew from three native employees to ten in a years’ time. And continues to grow steadily.

This was not the end and Amna also devised the i-Card Mobile Virtual Business Card application (patent pending) which is a means to exchange one’s information paperlessly through a mobile app. Anyone can login to their account via a smart phone or laptop and access their contacts. If your cell phone gets lost or stolen, all you have to do is download the mobile app again on your new phone. It uses a QR code scanner to scan the other persons QR code to add them. The app saves paper and it also allows people to keep in touch for life. You never lose touch like you would when you lose someone’s paper business card. If a person switches jobs or their title, they simply have to update their information in their mobile app and the update carries to all their contacts unless you block them. At this time this is what Amna is promoting passionately and the mobile application is available free of charge on Android and iOS void of any annoying advertisements. i-Card

Amna also serves on the board of director of her local Islamic School in Chattanooga, Annoor Academy. In this day and age in the U.S. it is not only difficult to be a Muslim but to keep the youth and their parents anchored in the local Islamic communities and schools. Amna is a huge proponent of “Pay it Forward” and does everything she can for her Pakistani community and women in general. As far as the future, Amna plans to run a nationwide competition in Pakistan to go around and find deserving youth and give them the opportunity to bring their ideas to life, by funding and incubating them. Amna also plans on starting a not for profit school system in Pakistan which funds the kids homes who cannot attend school due to child labor issues and are the sole bread winners for their families. Amna wants to make a fund where the kids who needs to bring as low as Rs 200-400 a day home, can be admitted into schools while the fund will replace their small incomes. This way we can make them better humans and make them capable to stand on their own two feet while making Pakistan a more educated country than it is. Amna has also fully funded (with 3 years) support a non-profit, free middle school through the Citizen's Foundation, for low or zero income families in the Korangi district of Karachi. It is named the The Amna Shah Campus.

Amna also serves on the board of director of her local Islamic School in Chattanooga, Annoor Academy. In this day and age in the U.S. it is not only difficult to be a Muslim but to keep the youth and their parents anchored in the local Islamic communities and schools. Amna is a huge proponent of “Pay it Forward” and does everything she can for her Pakistani community and women in general. As far as the future, Amna plans to run a nationwide competition in Pakistan to go around and find deserving youth and give them the opportunity to bring their ideas to life, by funding and incubating them. Amna also plans on starting a not for profit school system in Pakistan which funds the kids homes who cannot attend school due to child labor issues and are the sole bread winners for their families. Amna wants to make a fund where the kids who needs to bring as low as Rs 200-400 a day home, can be admitted into schools while the fund will replace their small incomes. This way we can make them better humans and make them capable to stand on their own two feet while making Pakistan a more educated country than it is. Amna has also fully funded (with 3 years) support a non-profit, free middle school through the Citizen's Foundation, for low or zero income families in the Korangi district of Karachi. It is named the The Amna Shah Campus.

Amna also serves on the Board of the International Business Council of Chattanooga as their VP of Communications as well as a Charter Member with OPEN Chicago, the Pakistani Entrepreneurial network.

Amna believes nothing can happen without Divine help and has a profound love of animals. She is a staunch believer in supporting causes affecting women and children’s education, positively. Amna loves to spend time with her family and close friends and traveling to explore is a passion for her. She loves trying her hand at sports such as bungee jumping, hand-gliding, sky diving etc.

People who would like to get help or mentorship from Amna or have any bright/innovative ideas, questions or simply follow her, can do so on her professional page on Facebook/TheAmnaShah or look her up on LinkedIn as well.

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My Businesses

Passionate about what I do.

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AHS Consulting

AHS Consulting is a leading logistics consultancy firm which handles implementation, training and integration work with leading softwares such as CargoWise. Being a Platinum partner with WiseTech Global, AHS has serviced many satisfied customers globally since its inception.

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i-Card

A virtual business card app that uses QR Code technology to keep people connected for life! Install to get your free personal QR code today.

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AHS Charities

Giving back to the community and paying-it-forward is what keeps Amna going. Children’s education and women’s issues are the forefront of AHS Charities’ priority.

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AHS Charities

This is what keeps me going...

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Media

Paying it Forward...