Andrea Johnson/MDN Laura Dokken is the new business manager for the Minot Public Schools.

New Minot Public School business manager Laura Dokken said she is looking forward to being a positive influence on the community.

Dokken, who took over the position on July 1 from retiring business manager Scott Moum, had most recently been the finance director at Watford City for three years. Prior to that, she had been the school business manager for the Wahpeton public schools for about 15 years.

When she saw the job posting for the Minot public school business manager position, Dokken was drawn in by the opportunity. Her skill set lies in budget management, she said.

She was also attracted by all the positive things that have been happening in Minot and the public schools.

“I think Minot’s moving in the right direction,” she said, referring to projects such as the school bond referendum that passed last year. Minot will soon have a second high school in north Minot. Magic City Campus will be remodeled into a 9-12 campus and Central Campus will be remodeled into a third in-town middle school.

She was also impressed by other ongoing projects, such as the new hospital Trinity is building in southwest Minot.

Dokken, who grew up in New Rockford and later earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Dakota, said she and her family originally moved to the western part of the state because her husband is originally from Crosby. Dokken, her husband, and children just moved into their new house in Minot a couple of weeks ago. Her daughter will be an eighth grader and her son will be a fifth grader this fall.

“They’re excited to be here too,” said Dokken.

She said she likes to be involved in the community and has volunteered to help out with some children’s activities in the past and with service clubs.

The family is also enjoying some of the summer activities in Minot and has attended Arts in the Park and plans to attend a play at the summer theater at Minot State University later this summer.

She said she is also looking forward to meeting new people and settling in to her new home and new job.