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To direct the finances of a worldwide company like Compuware takes all the attributes you would expect intelligence dedication and plenty of hard work. For Laura Fournier Compuware’s Senior Vice President CFO and Treasurer there’s one more very important component lots of heart. Lots of heart for the job and lots of heart for the team she works with.
In fact Laura followed her heart all the way along her career path. Although starting off with a degree in elementary education Laura took a position in the accounts payable department of a lumberyard. In the process she discovered a true passion and went on to get her accounting and finance degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Laura credits UNLV for her rapid success having been challenged hard enough in her studies to pass her CPA exam on the first try. Several successful years in public accounting followed ultimately leading Laura to the post of Senior Manager at Laventhol and Horwath. Compuware became one of Laura’s most challenging and interesting clients. As she explains Compuware was always doing something different!
The opportunity to move over to Compuware appeared in 1990 when Laura was also considering an attractive post with a major automaker. Once again she followed her heart choosing the position in which she felt she would never become a brick in the wall. She chose Compuware joining as Director of Internal Audit and Controller.
Today Laura’s responsibilities include Compuware’s worldwide financial reporting accounting internal audit and taxation. She also performs the treasury function and guides strategic planning and all business practices and policies related to finance. She has experienced some of the company’s greatest moments in her present role including the crowning achievement of going public. Although the role brings no shortage of challenges Laura credits her success to her ability to step back from complicated situations and apply common sense to make decisions for the greater good of the company and its people.
One of Laura’s mentors once assured her that Good people do not languish at Compuware. She has cherished those words and made them her own guiding principle in building and guiding what she believes is the best accounting team in the business. As leader of this team Laura works hard to continue honing her skills and maintains her CPA status to this day.
Laura has also built a successful team outside of the accounting department one that brings comfort and joy to dozens of families each holiday season. Working with friends fellow Compuware employees and the St. Vincent de Paul organization Laura helps bring truckloads of holiday gifts and food to more and more families each year.
Laura and her husband make their home in Mt. Clemens Michigan. Whenever she can she enjoys spending time with her two children and her grandson. | 