Foundation committed to finding permanent homes for the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems.
Columbus, Ohio — The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a national, non-profit public charity, today welcomed Gavin Waugh as a member of its board of trustees, serving a three-year term.
Waugh is the Vice President, Treasurer and Enterprise Risk Management at The Wendy’s Company. Over the last 22 years, Waugh has served in multiple treasury and finance roles for Wendy’s®.
“I am thrilled to be joining the board of trustees for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Since 1992, the Foundation has made a real difference in the lives of many deserving children in foster care by finding them loving and permanent homes. That has also brought joy to thousands of adoptive parents and their families. It is an honor and a privilege to be associated with such a great organization, and I very much look forward to playing a role in helping further this critical mission.”
“Gavin has been a tremendous leader within The Wendy’s Company,” said Joe Turner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Sun Management and chair of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s board of trustees. “His experience and energy will be true assets as the Foundation works to aggressively expand the reach of its mission.”
Through its signature program, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids®, the Foundation provides funding and establishes innovative co-investment partnerships with states to support the hiring of adoption recruiters who implement an evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model. This model has been proven to be up to three times more effective at finding permanent homes for children who have been lingering in foster care the longest.
“I am excited that Gavin is joining the board and bringing a strong understanding of our history as Wendy’s charity of choice and our collective impact,” said Rita Soronen, President & CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. “His financial expertise will be invaluable as we continue implementation of our multi-year business plan to scale our Wonderful Kids program in all 50 states.”
Waugh earned his master’s degree in business administration from Kennesaw State University and is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP).
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About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated exclusively to finding permanent homes for the more than 150,000 children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. Created by Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national service programs, foster care adoption awareness campaigns and innovative grantmaking. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org.
