WASHINGTON (October 29, 2012) -- The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) announces the appointment of Deborah R. Iwig as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Iwig comes to GMF after serving as Vice President and CFO of Project HOPE, a nonprofit organization that works to bring health education and humanitarian assistance to people around the world. Over her nine-year career there, Iwig had extensive experience managing the finances of the $220 million international institution, including technical experience in accounting, financial analysis, project management, investment oversight, global operations, and auditing. Before Project HOPE, Iwig was a longtime executive at Marriott.

“Debbi’s experience in the non-profit and for-profit sectors will be a tremendous asset for GMF,” said GMF President Craig Kennedy. “We are glad to have someone with her track record to help GMF adapt and grow going forward.”

During her time as a vice president with Marriott, Iwig directed the consolidation for financial reporting of the company’s $2 billion international lodging business. Earlier in her career, Iwig oversaw the organization’s $1.3 billion retirement program in her role as vice president of human resources, when she also oversaw Marriott’s participation in the Clinton administration’s planning and policy development for the Welfare to Work program. She also was a member of a small executive team that researched and launched a new retirement community business initiative for the company.

Iwig is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a master’s degree in business administration and accounting from the University of Nebraska. She is a former assistant professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, where she developed curriculum and taught accounting classes. Iwig received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Baker University, and is a former member of the International Relief and Development CFO Roundtable.

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The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) strengthens transatlantic cooperation on regional, national, and global challenges and opportunities in the spirit of the Marshall Plan.

GMF does this by supporting individuals and institutions working in the transatlantic sphere, by convening leaders and members of the policy and business communities, by contributing research and analysis on transatlantic topics, and by providing exchange opportunities to foster renewed commitment to the transatlantic relationship.

In addition, GMF supports a number of initiatives to strengthen democracies. Founded in 1972 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization through a gift from Germany as a permanent memorial to Marshall Plan assistance, GMF maintains a strong presence on both sides of the Atlantic. In addition to its headquarters in Washington, DC, GMF has seven offices in Europe: Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Belgrade, Ankara, Bucharest, and Warsaw. GMF also has smaller representations in Bratislava, Turin, and Stockholm.