ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, U.S. — U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) announced on Feb. 4 that it has hired Laura Evaenes as its fiscal officer. Evaenes started in her new position at the USW headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Jan. 26,  by attending an Audit Committee meeting at a USW board of directors meeting. 
“Laura is inquisitive, enthusiastic, and has a great variety of experience,” said Vice-President of Finance Kevin McGarry. “We are very happy to have her bring all of those qualities to USW so that we can continue to give our members the best possible service.” 
As USW’s Fiscal Officer, Evaenes is now responsible for consolidation of all foreign office expenditures, liaison with USW foreign offices and the U.S. Department of Agriculture on expenditure reporting, account analysis and internal auditing.
Evaenes said she is excited to start this new chapter.
“I have always had an interest in working for non-profit organizations,” Evaenes said, “and I see this position as an opportunity to learn and grow as a professional while helping those who feed the world.”
Evaenes is originally from Montreal, Canada, but attended high school and college in Maryland. She graduated from the University of Maryland University College, Adelphi, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She most recently spent the last year with Obama for America in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., as a budget and event analyst, working on many aspects of the 2012 presidential campaign. 
Previously, she was an advisory financial associate for Price Waterhouse Coopers in McLean, Virginia, U.S., where she worked on USAID and World Bank investment projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. Evaenes spent three months in Iraq as part of this assignment. Prior to this, she was a senior financial analyst for Ferris Baker Watts in Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.