knowing the difference can make all the difference. - … · knowing the difference can notables...

NotablesKnowing the difference can make all the difference.

A Newsletter of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, Inc.

Summer 2012 • Vol. 20, No. 1

IN THIS ISSUE

2012 Annual Leaders Conference.......1

NFCC News & Notes ...........................2

Partnerships ........................................ 4

Creditor Relations ................................6

Legislative Update............................. 15

Financial Literacy Month................... 16

Media Outreach................................. 18

NFCC Member Agency Spotlights ... 20

NFCC Member Agency

News & Notes.................................... 22

Make plans to join the NFCC for our 47th Annual Leaders Conference

September 30-October 3, 2012 at The Westin Charlotte in Charlotte, NC. The

NFCC’s Annual Leaders Conference has developed a reputation for attracting

high-profile speakers, and addressing relevant and timely topics affecting the

credit counseling and financial education sector. Attendees can take advantage

of networking with NFCC Member Agency executives, legislative and regulatory

representatives, partners, and other key stakeholders.

The conference program is currently being developed to align with the strategic

priorities outlined by the NFCC membership, and will include critical updates

regarding the housing, financial education, legislative, and nonprofit sectors.

Confirmed SpeakersWe are pleased to announce the following confirmed speakers at

this year’s Annual Leaders Conference:

JUST ANNOUNCED!

Secretary Shaun Donovan

US Department of Housing & Urban Development

Charles P. Blahous, IIIPublic Trustee

US Social Security & Medicare Programs

Chuck Blahous, a Hoover research fellow, currently serves as one of two public

trustees for the Social Security and Medicare Programs. His areas of expertise

The Queen City to Host NFCC’s 47thAnnual Leaders Conference

MARK YOURCALENDARS!

NFCC’s National ProtectYour Identity Week

Campaign

October 20-27, 2012www.ProtectYourIDNow.org

Blahous

continued on page 7

Notables • Summer 2012 •

NFCC News & Notes

NFCC Welcomes New Member toCredit Counseling Network

The NFCC is pleased to announce that American

Financial Solutions (AFS) has joined the NFCC network

of nonprofit credit counseling agencies.

“The NFCC is proud to welcome American Financial

Solutions as our newest member,” said Susan C.

Keating, president and CEO of the NFCC. “By enhancing

the national footprint of our credit counseling network,

consumers now have even more opportunities to take

advantage of quality counseling and find solutions to

their financial concerns.”

AFS is a division of the North Seattle Community College

Foundation, with home offices in Bremerton and Seattle,

Washington, and holds an A+ rating by the Better Business

Bureau. Established in 1999, American Financial

Solutions,

a nonprofit

501(c)3

financial

education

and credit

counseling agency, has helped more than 750,000

people find solutions for managing their money and

changing their financial lives for the better.

AFS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation,

offering credit counseling services in 48 states, and

the District of Columbia. Additionally, AFS provides

HUD-approved foreclosure intervention assistance,

pre-purchase housing counseling, along with bankruptcy

pre-filing counseling and pre-discharge debtor education.

Membership Department Remains Active

The membership team of the NFCC remains active,

assisting members with questions, arranging member-

wide calls, and reviewing new member applications.

Helping close to 100 member agencies, which includes

thousands of employees, stay connected to and aware of

all the services of the NFCC is an ongoing effort. To

remain up-to-date, members can assist by doing the

following:

• Make sure that all employees have a username

and passcode which allows them access to the

Member Services section of the NFCC website.

• The NFCC sends out communications to the

members on a daily basis. Therefore, it is

important to have agency employees on the

correct distribution lists. You can review the

various lists in the Member Services section of

the NFCC website under Member Resources and

Requirements, Broadcast Email.

• Perhaps the most important area to review is

the “Find an NFCC Member Agency” area on

the homepage of the NFCC website. Agencies

are encouraged to review this section for each

of their locations, confirming the accuracy of all

information.

In an effort to keep the lines of communication open, the

NFCC membership team facilitated a number of

member-focused calls this year. The Spring Member Call

in April allowed the NFCC to update members on current

activities and initiatives, while the June Program Sharing

call showcased five new and innovative member financial

education programs. Earlier this summer, the NFCC

assisted each region in holding member-to-member calls

to share ideas around ways to better meet their mission.

Interest in joining the NFCC remains high. The

Membership Subcommittee chaired by Bonnie Spain,

CEO of Rushmore Consumer Credit Resource Center,

meets regularly to review new member applications and

other business related to maintaining the NFCC Member

Quality Standards.

If you have questions related to membership please

contact Pam Carter, director of membership & compliance

at 202.677.4318 or [email protected], or Gail Cunningham,

vice president of membership & public relations at

202.677.4355 or [email protected].

Notables_summer2012_Layout 1 7/22/12 7:11 PM


Partnerships

United States Department of Labor

Earlier this year, NFCC staff attended Part II of the

Department of Labor’s Vulnerable Worker Series. The

event was webcast to more than 400 stakeholders

across the United States, and to the Department of

Labor’s regional offices who examined the hardships

and challenges faced by Latina workers.

Sara Manzano-Díaz, director of the department's

Women's Bureau and wife of Nelson Diaz, NFCC

Board of Trustees member, welcomed participants to

the Vulnerable Worker Briefing Series. "Latinas are the

fastest growing minority group in the nation, and are

among the most vulnerable workers who are subjected

to wage theft, sexual harassment, and gender-based

pay discrimination," Manzano-Díaz said.

Facing unique challenges in the workplace, Latinos

have average weekly earnings of $508 with 33.2%

working in service occupations. The Latino population

is estimated at 23.8 million with 64% having only a high

school degree in 2010. There are many issues for this

segment of the US workforce including, but not limited

to:

• Lack of pay;

• Violence in the workplace;

• Hate crimes;

• Equality;

• Gender issues; and

• Lack of access to healthcare.

An important part of the webcast included the release

of 2012 Trabajadoras: Challenges and Conditions of

Latino Workers in the United States, which was

developed by the Labor Council for Latin American

Advancement (LCLAA). Additional information about

the comprehensive report is available on the LCLAA

website at www.lclaa.org.

The Department of Labor oversees 8 million

workplaces in America including many vulnerable

workers. Latino workers, in particular, face significant

barriers. To view the slides and/or webinar from the

session click here.

Military OneSource

The NFCC continues to work with ValueOptions, the

current prime contractor for the Military OneSource

program. More than 30

NFCC Member

Agencies are

participating in the Military OneSource program with

other agencies wanting to join when the new contract for

the NFCC is ratified with ValueOptions. NFCC Member

Agencies will have new agreements available, and the

NFCC plans to host a member call sharing exciting news

about the program and the requirements for participating

in the near future.

White House Summit on FinancialCapability & Empowerment

On May 10, 2012 the NFCC along with business and

community leaders from across the United States

attended a White House Summit focused on financial

capability and empowerment. Opening remarks were

provided by Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer

Financial Protection Bureau. Panels on the topics of

community and business leaders making an impact were

conducted as well as a session on technology innovation

to promote financial literacy capability. Additionally,

summit attendees had an opportunity to see Financial

Football, Visa’s unique tool showcased at the 2011

NFCC Annual Leaders Conference. US Department

of Education Secretary Arne Duncan spoke, and

moderated a youth panel discussion on financial

lessons learned.

Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz

announced new private and public-sector commitments

to improve financial literacy and capability for all

Americans, and the Administration also unveiled a

resource tool kit available at:

www.whitehouse.gov/webform/financial-capability-

toolkit-tell-us-what-you-think. This guide for schools,

colleges and universities, employers, and community

leaders focuses on creating capability initiatives aimed at

empowering Americans to better understand and

address financial matters.

continued on page 5

http://www.dol.gov/wb/media/news_events.htm


Partnerships

Visa Launches New Practical MoneySkills Course Curriculum

Visa's new 9th – 12th grade classroom curriculum was

unveiled at the White House Summit on Financial

Capability & Empowerment on

May 10. The robust, standards-

aligned comprehensive personal

finance classroom curriculum

features 22 lessons with instructors' guides, student-

centered activities, ideas for extending learning, up-to-

date resources, and more. Educators can utilize the free

lessons in sequence or individually. To access the

curriculum visit:

On iTunes

Download the new Practical Money Skills' curriculum

for your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Feedback is

appreciated so please rate, and write a review of

the new iBook.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/practical-money-

skills-course/id520719055?mt=11

On Practical Money Skills

https://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/foreducators/le

sson_plans/highschool.php

Coast Guard Mutual Assistance(CGMA)

In an effort to assist the men and women of the United

States Coast Guard with their financial matters the CGMA

organization utilizes NFCC Member Agencies to provide

much-needed financial counseling. As part of this effort a

financial education seminar using the NFCC’s Better

Fortunes Financial Education Program was held at the

United States Coast Guard headquarters in Washington,

DC on April 17. This was the second session held to

hone in on specific needs and important factors to

consider when providing training to the Coast Guard

audience.

The partnership effort with Coast Guard Mutual

Assistance helps to raise awareness of NFCC Member

Agency services available across the country. Later this

summer NFCC and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance staff

members plan to host a call for NFCC Member Agencies,

and over 400 Coast Guard representatives across the

United States. The webinar will highlight both the NFCC

and CGMA organizations, the partnership, and how it

works. NFCC Member Agencies having worked with

clients as a result of the CGMA partnership, and who

have unique testimonials to share, are asked to send

those to Rhonda Ashburn at [email protected] so that

they may be included in the webinar.

For more information about these and other NFCC

partnership opportunities contact Rhonda Ashburn,

director of partner relations, at 202.677.4343 or

[email protected].

continued from page 4

Rosemary Hill, regional director of education with MoneyManagement International, conducts the CGMA training.

As in previous years, in 2012, just over two in five US adults (43%) report that they have a budget and keep close track of their expenditures. More than half (56%) admit they do not have a budget, including more than 1 in 5

(22%) who say they don’t have a good idea of how much they spend on housing, food, and entertainment.

Though the likelihood of having a budget has not changed over the past 5 years, the proportion of adults who do not pay all of their bills on time has increased from 28% in 2011 to 33% in 2012 – that is, fully one-third of

US adults, or more than 77 million Americans, do not pay all of their bills on time.(Source: 2012 NFCC Financial Literacy Survey)

Did You Know...?


Creditor Relations

The NFCC Advisory Council continues to lead the

charge to improve operating efficiencies throughout the

credit counseling sector to help credit counseling

agencies better serve customers.

MasterCard Worldwide (MasterCard) is leading an

initiative to provide a centralized

database for creditor (policy and

process) and agency information.

MasterCard is working with Peregrin

Services to redesign the existing

database to better suit the needs of

the sector through greater

customization and integration.

Development is underway, and beta

testing is slated for this summer. This

project aims to eliminate some of the redundancies and

intensive resource requirements driven by individual

creditor due diligence requests. The database will also

offer a central repository for information on creditor

policies, processes, and contacts to help agencies

better and more efficiently serve consumers.

Additionally, MasterCard has led an effort to reduce and

standardize the number of exception codes used by

creditors to provide agencies with the information on

Debt Management Plan (DMP) proposals. Changes to

the MasterCard system went into effect in April, and

ideally agencies are now receiving more streamlined,

and detailed responses as a result of this project.

The NFCC has been leading a balance verification

project to help improve DMP proposal acceptance rates,

which ideally will save stakeholders valuable resources

and result in an improved customer experience. Since

September, the project team has been working to

implement the project recommendations. More creditors

now allow agencies to obtain balance information earlier

in the DMP process, and creditors are also beginning to

make improvements to their internal balance verification

processes.

The NFCC would like to recognize all of our valued

partners and stakeholders who continue to devote

significant time and resources to help improve the

operating environment.

NFCC Receives Grant From Barclaycard

Earlier this year, the NFCC received a

grant of $400,000 from Barclaycard to

support financial literacy efforts in

communities across the country. The

NFCC applauds Barclaycard for recognizing the

continued need for financial literacy programs and

counseling, and supporting it through this grant to the

NFCC and its member agency network. With this grant,

NFCC Member Agencies have already served more

than 57,000 individuals and families through financial

literacy programs, and one-on-one counseling sessions.

Additionally, the grant

is helping the NFCC

further extend its

national public

awareness and education outreach activities through

public service announcements, media placements, and

social media efforts to connect with consumers around

important financial literacy topics. We thank Barclaycard

for their generosity, and for their commitment to the

financial stability of American consumers.

For more information contact Jessica Whiat, vice

president of creditor partnerships, at 240.205.6505 or

[email protected].

Though the proportion of adults who have ordered or received their credit score in thepast 12 months has increased significantly since last year (44% 2012 vs. 37% 2011),

most adults have reviewed neither their credit score (55%) nor their credit report (62%).(Source: 2012 NFCC Financial Literacy Survey)

Did You Know...?

2012 Annual Leaders Conference

include retirement security, with an emphasis on Social

Security and employer-provided defined benefit

pensions, as well as Federal fiscal policy, entitlements,

and demographic change.

From 2007-2009, Blahous served as deputy director of

President Bush's National Economic Council. He served

as a special assistant to the president for economic

policy from 2001-2007, first covering retirement security

issues and later encompassing energy policy. In 2001,

he served as the executive director of the bipartisan

President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security.

From 1996-2000, he served as Policy Director for US

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), staffing the Senator's co-

chairmanship of the National Commission on Retirement

Policy, as well as the Senator's retirement and health

care portfolio. From 1989-1996, Blahous served in the

office of US Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY), first as a

Congressional Science Fellow sponsored by the

American Physical Society, and in 1994-1996 as the

Senator's Legislative Director. There, Blahous staffed

the Senator on the bipartisan Commission on

Entitlement and Tax Reform.

Blahous's latest publications include Social Security:The Unfinished Work (Hoover Press, 2010) and

Pension Wise: Confronting Employer PensionUnderfunding and Sparing Taxpayers the Next Bailout.He is also the author of Reforming Social Security.

Blahous has a Ph.D. in computational quantum

chemistry from the University of California/Berkeley, and

an A.B. from Princeton University where he won the

McKay Prize in Physical Chemistry.

Nelson A. DiazFormer General Counsel, US

Department of Housing &

Urban Development

Of Counsel, Dilworth Paxson LLP

Nelson Diaz has been recognized as both an

outstanding Hispanic Leader and a skilled manager

working in the areas of public policy, law, international

affairs, and the judiciary for more than 30 years.

A member of the Dilworth Paxson law firm, Diaz has

distinguished himself as City Solicitor of Philadelphia,

General Counsel of the US Department of Housing

and Urban Development (HUD), and a Judge and

Administrative Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of

Philadelphia. He was appointed by the President of the

United States, Mayors, Governors, and the Pennsylvania

Supreme Court to these positions of responsibility and

management of large complex systems. He is the first

Puerto Rican/Latino to hold many of these positions.

As an effective manager of the courts as its

Administrative Judge, Diaz reinvented a trial division

of 1,500 employees and 90 judges into a nationally

recognized efficient case flow system while at the same

time saving millions of dollars in personnel cost. While

at HUD, he reformed public housing programs through

the use of litigation settlements and leading opinions

on mixed financing programs. As City Solicitor, he

increased tax collections, reduced litigation, and

professionalized the family court program of services to

dependent children.

Diaz received a Bachelor of Science in accounting from

St. John's University, and a law degree from Temple

University. He was selected a White House Fellow,

Japan Fellow, a Fulbright recipient as well as receiving

many awards and honors including five honorary

doctorates. Born and raised in Harlem, Diaz is cited in

numerous books for his leadership and commitment to

ethics/good governance.

Diaz is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania,

Washington, DC, and New York. He serves on numerous

national nonprofit boards and professional associations.

The Honorable Bev PerdueGovernor of North Carolina

In January 2009, Bev Perdue was

inaugurated as the 73rd Governor of

North Carolina, and the state's first woman governor. On

Governor Perdue's first day in office she signed a series

of executive orders designed to make government more

efficient, more accessible, and more accountable.



continued on page 8

Diaz

Perdue


Before entering public service, Perdue worked as a public

school teacher, as director of geriatric services at a

community hospital in her hometown of New Bern, and

earned a Ph.D. in Education Administration. Governor

Perdue has also served in the State House, State

Senate, and as Lieutenant Governor for 8 years.

As a state legislator, Perdue was part of several landmark

initiatives, including raising teacher salaries from 43rd to

21st in the nation, starting the Children's Health

Insurance Program, and creating the Clean Water

Management Trust Fund.

As Lt. Governor, Perdue led North Carolina's efforts

during the Defense Department's Base Realignment and

Closure (BRAC) process, successfully protecting North

Carolina's military bases worth $18 billion and 350,000

jobs to the state's economy. Building on that success,

Perdue launched the NC Military Foundation to attract

21st century defense, aerospace, and homeland security

jobs to North Carolina.

She also created the Green Business Fund to make

environmental innovation investments in alternative fuels,

green construction, and other clean energy technologies -

positioning North Carolina to become a national leader

in environmental technology and in high-wage green

collar jobs.

As Chair of the Health and Wellness Trust Fund

Commission, Perdue helped create Senior Care, a

prescription drug program for low-income seniors called

the best in the nation by NC AARP. And under Perdue's

leadership, the state targeted teen tobacco use for the

first time - an effort that resulted in all 115 school systems

becoming 100% tobacco free.

Drawing on her experience as a former teacher, Bev

Perdue is working to transform North Carolina

classrooms into 21st century learning centers through

increased technology in the classroom and a statewide

online school initiative, steps critical to preparing students

to enter the global workforce. She understands clearly

that the success of the education system will define the

economic future of NC, that's why she is committed to

attracting and retaining the best teachers in America.

Bev grew up in the coal mining mountains of Southwest

Virginia, and has lived most of her adult life in New Bern.

Her parents never finished high school, but always

preached education and hard work as the path to

success and those are the values that continue to

drive her today.

Joseph A. Smith, Jr.Monitor, Office of Mortgage

Settlement Oversight

In March 2012, Joseph A. Smith, Jr. was appointed as

the Monitor to oversee the Office of Mortgage Settlement

Oversight. Smith's appointment is for a three-and-a-half

year term.

Smith served as North Carolina Commissioner of Banks

beginning in 2002, and resigned from that position in

February 2012. As Commissioner, he oversaw the

licensing and regulation of banks and thrifts. He also

helped implement the North Carolina Mortgage Lending

Act, North Carolina Secure and Fair Mortgage Licensing

Act, and State Home Foreclosure Prevention Project.

While Commissioner, Smith also served from 2009 to

2010 as chairman of the Conference of State Bank

Supervisors. He was an organizer and member of the

Board of Managers of State Regulatory Registry, LLC,

an organization dedicated to creating a nationwide

mortgage licensing system.

Prior to his tenure in state government, Smith spent 27

years practicing corporate, securities, and banking law in

North Carolina, Connecticut, and New York. He is the

former general counsel and secretary of a North Carolina

bank holding company, and also is of counsel to North

Carolina law firm Poyner Spruill, LLP.

Smith earned a

bachelor's degree from

Davidson College in

1971, and his Juris

Doctor from the

University of Virginia

in 1974.



continued on page 10

Smith


Confirmed WorkshopsWe are pleased to announce the following

confirmed workshops at this year’s Annual

Leaders Conference:

The Development Plan — The Foundation of Success

Is your organization stuck in the special event mode?

Does your board refuse to accept their fundraising

responsibility? Does the rest of your organization's staff

wonder what the development office actually does all

day? Is your organization dependent on grants as its

sole source of funding? Have you wondered why your

development plans do not get implemented?

If so, this workshop is for you. In this session, you will

learn the reasons a development plan can help assure

success in your fundraising efforts; how to involve your

organization's leadership, both staff and volunteers, in

the process; how to assure that the plan will be

implemented; and how to evaluate success. Participants

will leave with a preliminary development plan for their

organization. Based on the book, The DevelopmentPlan, written by Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, published

by Wiley Press, this workshop will teach organizations

how to develop a plan that works!

Learning Objectives • Develop a plan to involve board, staff, and

volunteers in the planning process;

• Outline the components of the development plan;

• Develop a preliminary planning document; and

• Develop an evaluation system for the plan.

Linda Lysakowski

President & CEO, Capital Venture

Linda Lysakowski is one of fewer than

100 professionals worldwide to hold the

Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive

designation. In her 20 years as a philanthropic consultant,

Linda has managed capital campaigns, helped hundreds

of nonprofit organizations achieve their development

goals, and trained more than 22,000 development

professionals in Canada, Mexico, Egypt, and the 50

United States.

A graduate of Alvernia University and AFP's Faculty

Training Academy, she is a Master Teacher. Linda is the

author of Recruiting and Training Fundraising Volunteers;The Development Plan; Fundraising as a Career: What,Are You Crazy?; Capital Campaigns: Everything YouNEED to Know; Raise More Money from Your BusinessCommunity; The Genius' Guide to Fundraising, a

contributing author to The Fundraising Feasibility Study-It's Not About the Money, co-editor of YOU and YourNonprofit, and co-author of The Essential NonprofitFundraising Handbook, and What's Wrong With YourFundraising…And How You Can Fix It.

Being a Credit Ambassador

Taught by

Experian’s

Maxine Sweet, vice president

of public education, and Rod

Griffin, manager of public

education, attendees will learn about the resources

available from Experian to help them guide clients as

they build or restore their credit, learn what to do in

case of fraud, and get answers from the experts to all of

the important and challenging questions about credit

reports and credit scores.

Confirmed Panel Discussions

Housing Reforms, Regulatory Changes, & theImpact on the Future of Housing Counseling

Engage and learn as panelists discuss the current

housing market conditions, recent developments

surrounding the $25 billion mortgage servicer settlement,

the Independent Foreclosure Review program, and the

impact on the future of housing counseling.

Financial Challenges & Constraints FacingToday’s Military Personnel

Gain insight on current NFCC military partnerships, and

learn how NFCC Member Agencies can get involved in

helping military families with their financial concerns.

Unique for-profit and nonprofit military programs will be

showcased.


Lysakowski

Sweet Griffin




Registration Now Open

Registration to this year’s Annual

Leaders Conference is now open!

Early bird registration ends

July 31st so make sure to

reserve your spot today!

*NFCC Member Agenciessending three or more attendees

will receive a $400 per person ratefor the third registrant and above.

NFCC Annual Golf TournamentSkybrook Golf Club

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Skybrook Golf Club is considered

one of Charlotte's best golf courses.

This John LaFoy Championship course

opened for play in the summer of 2000. Beckoning you

with beautiful rolling fairways and incredibly scenic

views, this spectacular golf course winds through the

Skybrook neighborhood. From the championship tees

the course covers over 7,000 yards of remarkably

mountain like terrain.The par 72 course offers six sets of

tees to complement the skill level of each golfer.

Dramatic elevation changes and generous landing

areas provide a friendly yet challenging game.

For more information, or to register for the golf

tournament, click here.

Hotel Information The Westin Charlotte

About the HotelThe Westin Charlotte is in the heart of Uptown

Charlotte, and just minutes from all the city has to offer.

This recently renovated hotel is smoke-free and

features a fully-equipped gym, an indoor heated pool

with an outdoor sundeck, and the Westin Wellness

Center, which offers

spa services. The

LYNX Light Rail stops

right at the hotel's

back door, and is a

convenient way to

travel around Uptown.

Hotel RoomsA block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at The

Westin Charlotte at the group rate of $185 per night

plus 15.25% tax. Guests should make their reservations

online, or by calling 800.937.8461 and referencing the

meeting name: NFCC Annual Leaders Conference. A


MembershipTotal Members ....................................................................................................90

Total Physical Locations ..................................................................................737

Agency TypeFreestanding Agencies(credit counseling only) ..................................................57

Multi-Service Agencies ......................................................................................33

Counselor CertificationCertified Credit Counselors ............................................................................2,319

Certified Housing Counselors ........................................................................1,645

Certified Educators ..........................................................................................157

NFCC Members at a Glance (June 2012)


Early Bird Registration

Rate Extended to July 31!

NFCC Member Registration Rate* $625

($725 after July 31)

Register Now >>

NFCC Nonmember Registration Rate* $725

($775 after July 31)

Register Now >>


https://ecommunities.nfcc.org/source/Meetings/cMeetingFunctionDetail.cfm?section=unknown&product_major=LC_2012&functionstartdisplayrow=1

https://www.nfcc.org/meetings/NFCC_ALC_Charlotte2012.cfm

http://www.nfcc.org/newsletter/enews_conference/2012_Charlotte/pdf/2012NFCC_GOLFSCRAMBLE_Registration-Sponsorship-Form.pdf


credit card will be required to guarantee lodging;

otherwise, one night's deposit will be due.

The cutoff date to make your reservation is

Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Reservations received after this date will be accepted

on a space-available basis, and the rate cannot be

guaranteed.

You will be responsible for settling all charges before

checking out of the hotel. You may check in anytime

after 3:00 p.m. You must check out by 12:00 Noon on

your scheduled day of departure.

Lodging Cancellation PolicyIf you need to cancel your reservation, please do so 24

hours before your scheduled arrival date to avoid a

direct credit card charge of one night's lodging. If you

cancel your reservation, obtain a cancellation number

from the reservationist for your records.

Guest ParkingValet and self parking is available to meeting attendees

and overnight guests. Current parking costs are $18-

$25 per day. Parking rates are subject to change, and

options are subject to change due to availability.

Sponsorship Program &Exhibitor Information

The NFCC Annual Leaders Conference Sponsorship

Program provides a unique

opportunity to showcase

your support for the NFCC

mission, its membership,

and the millions of

consumers who reach out

to NFCC Member

Agencies for help each

year. As a conference

sponsor, your support

will be recognized

through year-long

outreach, and at the

gathering of members and

stakeholders at the NFCC Annual Leaders Conference.

Sponsorship packages will provide exposure throughout

2012 via NFCC external communication vehicles (print,

web, and social media), internal member

communications, and conference materials. Click here

to access the 2012 NFCC Annual Leaders Conference

Sponsorship Program brochure for more information.

The exhibit hall will be open

Monday, October 1 and

Tuesday, October 2. Click

here to access the Exhibitor

Prospectus for exhibit booth

rates and registration

details. The exhibitor

registration deadline is

August 31, 2012.

For more information

contact Cindy de Sales,

account manager, The Event Planning

Group, at 240.316.3207 or [email protected].

PACE Awards Program

The NFCC’s Professional Achievement and Counseling

Excellence (PACE) Awards program continues to be an

excellent avenue to recognize the skills and

determination NFCC Members exhibit every day to help

improve the lives of others. Award winners are

publicized to the news media and other external

audiences offering participating agencies a high-level of

visibility for the work you do. As we mark the 39th year

of honoring fellow colleagues and clients we are

introducing a new award category this year, Housing

Client of the Year. With mortgage foreclosure rates still

at very high levels we wanted to honor those clients

who showed outstanding commitment and

perseverance by working with an NFCC certified

housing counselor to avoid the loss of their home.

The 2012 PACE Awards will consist of four categories:

• Outstanding Individual Counselor

• Outstanding Individual Educator

• Graduate Client of the Year

• Housing Client of the Year




http://www.nfcc.org/newsletter/enews_conference/2012_Charlotte/pdf/NFCC_12spon_bro.pdf

http://www.nfcc.org/newsletter/enews_conference/2012_Charlotte/pdf/NFCC_12spon_bro.pdf

http://www.nfcc.org/newsletter/enews_conference/2012_Charlotte/pdf/NFCC_conf12_prospectus_v09.pdf




NFCC Members can apply in all four categories, and

we ask that you give ample consideration to those who

are deserving of such recognition. Please limit yoursubmissions to two nominations for each category.Winners from last year’s (2011) categories are not

eligible, and will not be considered this year in an effort

to diversify the nominations.

The online application submission form and criteria are

posted on the 2012 Annual Leaders Conference page

in the Member Services section of the NFCC website.

Simply click on the PACE Awards Program link to begin

the nomination process. Please follow the award

submission guidelines for each award category, and

limit your supporting materials to no more than three

additional items. Examples of supporting materials

include press releases, brochures, awards, certificates,

videos of stories or interviews, etc. The deadline foronline application submissions is Friday, July 27, 2012.

Applications will be reviewed by an independent,

external volunteer judging panel. One winner will be

chosen for each category, and will be announced at the

Annual Leaders Conference PACE Awards recognition

dinner on Tuesday, October 2 in Charlotte, NC. Key

stakeholders to the credit counseling sector including

major creditors, nonprofit organizations, and

government officials will be in attendance at this event

where the work of member agencies will be honored.

This is the time for members of the NFCC to honor their

achievements, and the clients they serve. The past year

has reflected the challenges we face with the ongoing

housing crisis, the level of consumer debt, high

unemployment, and the continued loss of consumer

confidence. There are undoubtedly many inspiring

stories to share so please take the time to consider

those for nominations!

If you have questions about the Annual Leaders

Conference please contact Drew Kessler, vice president

of marketing & communications, at 202.677.4347 or

[email protected].

Charlotte’s Got A Lot!

Known as the Queen City, Charlotte was

named for Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III of

England. Now the nation’s second leading financial

center, Charlotte is a city where Olympic-caliber

adventurers rub elbows with culture mavens. A city that

captivates both NASCAR heroes and finance leaders,

and a city where Northern newcomers exchange smiles

on the street with Carolina natives. No matter where

you go in Charlotte, you’ll find a lot to your liking…not to

mention plenty of Southern comforts and urban

excitement along the way. For complete information on

everything there is to do in Charlotte, visit

www.charlottesgotalot.com.





Diamond Partner

Silver Partner

Bronze Partner

Partnership Plus

Thank You to the Following2012 Annual Leaders Conference Sponsors

MUTUAL OF AMERICA

Your Retirement Company

As of July 2012

Legislative Update


HUD FY 2013 Appropriations

On June 29, the US House of Representatives

approved H.R. 5972, its version of the Transportation,

Housing, and Urban Development (“T-HUD”)

Appropriations bill for FY 2013, by a vote of 261 to

163. Included in the bill is a total of $125 million to

fund HUD housing counseling programs, with $80

million designated for the National Foreclosure

Mitigation Counseling Program, and $45 million for

HUD comprehensive housing counseling programs.

That matches the amounts appropriated for FY 2012.

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its

version of the bill, S. 2322, on April 19. The Senate bill

includes a total of $135 million for HUD housing

counseling programs, with $80 million for the NFMCP,

and $55 million for comprehensive programs. The

Senate leadership has indicated that individual

appropriations bills will not be considered which means

that the final funding level for FY 2013 will be

decided this fall through the passage of

continuing resolutions.

HUD Housing CounselorCertification

The US Department of Housing and Urban

Development has confirmed its interpretation of

the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform legislation

that HUD is required to establish a certification

program for individual counselors that are

providing HUD-related counseling services. This

is a significant shift from what has been in place

which is HUD approval of the agency providing housing

counseling, and could be contrary to the established

NFCC process for counselor certification. HUD is in the

process of determining what its certification process

may be. The NFCC is engaged with HUD, and with

other HUD housing counseling intermediaries, to

provide input and guidance. A proposal from HUD for

public comment is expected by the end of the summer.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

One of the mandates set for the CFPB is to establish a

national strategy around financial literacy. On April 16,

NFCC staff met with the principals at the CFPB who are

responsible for that mandate. The meeting was over-

whelmingly positive, and may serve to facilitate a strong

relationship between the NFCC and CFPB on this

issue. Look for more information in the coming months.

When they get paid by an employer or receive benefits from a government agency, themajority of US adults (69%) receive an electronic check that is directly deposited into theirbank account, and about one in three (32%) receive a paper check that they manuallydeposit into their account. About one in ten adults (11%) get direct deposit to a prepaiddebit card, and 8% receive a paper check that they manually deposit to a prepaid card.

(Source: 2012 NFCC Financial Literacy Survey)

Did You Know...?


Financial Literacy Month

NFCC Celebrates Financial Literacy Month

The NFCC enjoyed significant media exposure during April, Financial Literacy Month, kicking off the month with the

results of the sixth annual national Financial Literacy Survey. This survey has become a much-anticipated measure of

consumer attitudes and behaviors, with major media outlets asking for it in advance of publication. Since the data is

broken out by region, NFCC Members are encouraged to utilize the findings for news releases, grants, and program

development specific to the areas they serve.

In addition to publishing three news releases, the NFCC partnered with USAToday to answer reader questions around personal finance. Ten NFCC

Member Agency counselors participated in this second annual initiative. The

results were published both in the print and online versions of the newspaper.

The counselors chosen to participate in the USA Today outreach are below:

Ashley Adami, ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions

Steven Axtell, American Financial Solutions

Andie Campbell, InCharge Debt Solutions

Lisa Frankenberger, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo

Beth McMillan, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of West Georgia/East Alabama

Urmi Mukherjee, Apprisen Financial Advocates/CCCS

Brad O’Brien, GreenPath Debt Solutions

Jill Perry, Financial Guidance Center

Angel Seeba-Joyce, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco

Jessica Williams-Oestmann, American Financial Solutions

These combined outreach efforts resulted in over 700 media placements during April, with audience impressions of 51

million, and an ad value of more than $350 million.

To read the results from this year’s survey click here.

Americans continue to learn about personal finance primarily from their parents or at home

(44%), yet 4 in 5 adults (80%) – a greater proportion than last year (76% 2011) – admit

they could benefit from additional advice and answers to everyday financial questions from a

professional. In fact, like last year, many adults (42% 2012, 41% 2011) now give themselves a

grade of C, D, or F on their knowledge of personal finance, marking a statistically significant

change from 2010, when as many as nearly 2 in 3 adults (65%) gave themselves an A or B.(Source: 2012 NFCC Financial Literacy Survey)

Did You Know...?

http://www.nfcc.org/NewsRoom/FinancialLiteracy/files2012/FLS2012FINALREPORT0402late.pdf

Knowing the difference can make all the difference.

Publications &Financial Resources

“– Liz Pulliam Weston, financial columnist and

author of Deal with Your Debt: The Right Way to Manage Your Bills and Pay Off What You Owe ”

Better Fortunes: Control Your Money. Control Your Life.Better Fortunes is intendedto help you change yourapproach to personalmoney matters, and provideyou with the tools and theknowledge to build a newfinancial life based onsound financial principles. Available in Spanish.

Online education course available only in English.

Live a Richer Life: A Roadmapto Personal Financial HealthFollowing BankruptcyLive a Richer Life waswritten with the bank-ruptcy filer in mind,but the principles andpractices discussed inthis book are valid forany person who isinterested in long-term financial health. Available in Spanish. Online education

course available only in English.

Keys to Homeownership2nd EditionKeys to Homeownership will help take the con-fusion and uncertainty outof the home buyingprocess, providing a step-by-step guide from decid-ing whether homeowner-ship is right for you, to successfully handling your mortgage obligation. Available in Spanish.

More Than One Way Out:Personal Bankruptcy,Consequences andAlternativesMore Than One Way

Out discusses theconsequences ofbankruptcy, intro-duces possible alter-natives, and helpsyou understandboth the benefitsand risks of filing for bankruptcy. Available in Spanish. Online education

course available only in English.Avoiding Foreclosure: Working with a Certified NFCCHousing Counselor”Avoiding Foreclosure” is aFREE consumer educationDVD that introduces you tofour clients who found themselves in mortgagetrouble, and sought assistance from an NFCCcertified housing counselor.Consumers are introduced to terms and scenar-ios they are likely to encounter if faced with theprocess of avoiding foreclosure. Available in Spanish.

College Credit for Life ”College Credit for Life” is a FREE financial litera-cy video and toolkit that introduces students tolessons surrounding thetemptations and responsi-ble use of credit cards,and the implications creditcan have as studentsprepare to leave collegeand enter the real world.

NFCC workbooks offer straight-forward, time-testedstrategies to help people fix their financial problemsand achieve their goals. After reading these you'llunderstand your options, and have tools to make better money decisions for yourself and your family.

Pricing & Ordering InformationBetter Fortunes

More Than One Way OutLive a Richer Life

Keys to Homeownership,2nd Edition

Member Price$7.95/book

1-24 boxes: $131.75/box25+ boxes: $111.75/box

Nonmember Price$15.95/book

1-24 boxes: $164.75/box25+ boxes: $140.00/box

Nonprofit 501(c)(3)Organization Price

$15.95/book1-24 boxes: $158.10/box25+ boxes: $134.25/box

College Credit for LifeFREE!

To Download Visit:

www.NFCC.org/FinancialEducation/Credit

Avoiding Foreclosure DVDFREE!

To order call (202) 677-4300

email: [email protected] or visit www.NFCC.org

All pricing includes shipping and handling.

Each box contains 25 books. Please allow two weeks delivery

from order date.

Media Outreach


NFCC Launches IndependentForeclosure Review OutreachCampaignThrough grant funding

provided by Chase, the

NFCC recently launched

a new public service campaign to help consumers who

have been involved in a home foreclosure.

The Federal Reserve Board and Office of the Comptroller

of the Currency recently required several servicers who

handle mortgage loans to hire independent consultants

to review loan files for errors made during foreclosure

actions initiated, pending, or completed in 2009 or 2010.

The PSA campaign was created to inform listeners that

they may be eligible to have their loan file reviewed

even if the foreclosure has already been completed. The

home did not have to be sold to be eligible for review.

Individuals who have undergone a home foreclosure

may be eligible to receive compensation if errors are

found in how the foreclosure was handled. There is no

cost to participate.

In addition to informing listeners about the loan file review,

the PSA campaign cautions people to beware of any-

one who asks for fees in exchange for any foreclosure

services, and encourages them to call 877.339.6322 or

visit www.DebtAdvice.org to obtain more information on

how the NFCC can help. The deadline for individuals to

submit their loan review request was recently extended

to September 30, 2012.

NFCC Welcomes NewGuest Bloggers

NFCC Member Agencies and partners are invited

to submit content to our blog, and we encourage

you to become guest bloggers. The NFCC recent-

ly welcomed two new guest bloggers: Erica

Sandberg and Lauralynn Schueckler.

Erica Sandberg Erica Sandberg is editor at large for

Bankrate’s Credit Card Guide, columnist

and features reporter for CreditCards.com,

and the consumer protection spokeswoman

for Western Union. She is a contributing personal

finance writer for the San Francisco Chronicle’s online

edition, and author of Expecting Money: The EssentialFinancial Plan for New and Growing Families. Prior to

her work as a national money and credit expert and

journalist, Erica was affiliated with Consumer Credit

Counseling Service of San Francisco for 10 years.

Lauralynn SchuecklerLauralynn Schueckler is the Online

Marketing Specialist at Advantage Credit

Counseling Service. She is the author for

Advantage CCS’s Blog called Dollars &

Sense. Advantage Credit Counseling Service is a mem-

ber of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Schueckler

Sandberg



Media Outreach

NFCC Revamps Facebook PageThe NFCC recently redesigned its Facebook page to include

more information about the services NFCC Members

provide. In its redesigned format, NFCC’s Facebook

page now includes links to the NFCC online member

agency locator, our credit and housing counseling

podcast series, financial fast fact videos, consumer

tips, and more.


Visit Us On:Facebook:

• www.facebook.com/NFCCDebtAdvice

Twitter:

• www.twitter.com/NFCCDebtAdvice

YouTube

• www.YouTube.com/NFCC09

NFCC Blog:

• http://financialeducation.nfcc.org

NFCC Member Agency Spotlights

College students need to learn vital lessons on financial

literacy so the University of Arkansas (UA) partners with

Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA) to educate

them. Each year, CCOA educates more than 2,000

young adults at the university.

Throughout the year, CCOA goes onto the UA campus

to speak in “First Year Experience” (FYE) classes. Mary

Sanchez, CCOA counselor and educator and a UA

graduate, speaks to dozens of FYE classes throughout

the year, reaching hundreds of students.

Each fall, CCOA educators

speak to almost 1,000

“First Year Business” stu-

dents in about 10 classes

over the course of a week. Not only do the students

learn important information on essential money and

credit issues, but sometimes the professors will admit

that they learned a few things too.

Once a year, Mark Foster, CCOA’s director of educa-

tion, has the opportunity to speak to the UA Razorback

athletes. The coaches recognize the importance of their

student athletes learning how to manage their money

wisely.

There is a special connection with the university as sev-

eral of CCOA’s employees are University of Arkansas

graduates. CCOA is fortunate to have two board mem-

bers who are UA professors: Dr. Thomas Jensen, of the

Marketing Department; and Dr. William Bailey in Human

Development and Family Sciences. Language instructor

Madeline Martinez-Santiago of the UA’s Fort Smith cam-

pus serves on CCOA’s advisory board.

CCOA was recently featured in Celebrate Arkansasmagazine, which was given out at the Annual Wal-Mart

Stockholders meeting to more than 18,000 associates

and stockholders. To view the two-page article on

CCOA click here.

To learn more about this initiative contact Mark Foster,

director of education, Credit Counseling of Arkansas, at

479.521.8877 or [email protected].

Credit Counseling of Arkansas Partners with Local UniversityBy Mark Foster, Director of Education, Credit Counseling of Arkansas


Mark Foster, director of education, CCOA, with University of Arkansas athletes.

Compared to 2010 and 2011, US adults are now significantly more likely to feel there are

circumstances which may justify defaulting on a mortgage (86% 2012 vs. 82% 2011 and

80% 2010). Specifically, Americans are now more likely to think it’s acceptable to default on

a mortgage if the borrower can no longer afford the monthly payment (55% 2012 vs. 49%

2011 and 46% 2010), or needs to relocate (31% 2012 vs. 26% 2011 and 2010).(Source: 2012 NFCC Financial Literacy Survey)

Did You Know...?

http://digital.ipcprintservices.com/publication/?i=112111&pre=1



Housing and Credit

Counseling, Inc. (HCCI)

President and CEO, Bob

Mackey, announced recently

that HCCI has been selected

by the United Way of Greater

Topeka to be the lead agency to implement a new

UWGT initiative in 2012 to address financial stability for

working families. The program, to be implemented by

HCCI and Kansas Legal Services, is called HOPE and is

intended specifically for working families who are trying

to become financially stable. HOPE stands for Helping

Ourselves Prosper Economically.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for HCCI to give

specific help to some Topeka families in 2012 who are

like millions of families all across America now who are

working hard, but are still living paycheck to paycheck.

This program will provide HUD-approved housing and

consumer credit counseling and legal assistance as

needed. Kansas Legal Service (KLS) will be HCCI’s

primary partner providing legal advice, as needed,

raising public awareness, teaching education classes,

and helping us recruit and train volunteer mentors,”

said Mackey.

In selecting HCCI as the lead agency, United Way’s

volunteer panelists noted the history HCCI has had

since 1972 as a local housing and consumer credit

counseling agency. HCCI has been a HUD-approved

agency since 1984. Mackey said HCCI will work closely

with Kansas Legal Service as a primary partner

because they have an excellent screening and referral

service, and because KLS can provide legal advice and

representation for people who have legitimate legal

issues that are complicating their ability to get ahead

financially. KLS can be a legal resource for persons

who receive an unlawful garnishment.

Mackey said HCCI will also work with Shawnee County

Extension staff who recruit and train volunteers to imple-

ment the VITA Tax Preparation Program. VITA volunteers

can assist families who may qualify for tax options such

as the Homestead Tax and Earned Income Tax Credits.

Mackey said HCCI and KLS will begin by interviewing

families who want to participate in the program that

offers comprehensive financial counseling coupled with

follow-up visits by HCCI certified counselors. In order to

qualify, families must be paying more than 40% of their

monthly income for their mortgage plus taxes, insurance

and utilities, or for their rent plus utilities. The annual

gross income range to qualify for this program for a fami-

ly of four, for example, is $41,348 to $55,875 and

includes single parents with children. Individuals earning

between $20,147 and $27,225 annually who are paying

more than 40% of their monthly income for housing and

utilities may also qualify to apply.

“To begin this program we are looking for 40 or more

working families and individuals who want to establish a

budget so they can start saving for their future goals and

become financially stable. HCCI counsels families every

day who are working hard – sometimes at two and three

jobs – but they are still living paycheck to paycheck.

That’s the kind of family this particular program is

designed to help,” Mackey said.

The HCCI work plan emphasizes comprehensive HUD-

certified counseling to help working families establish a

budget and develop an action plan to meet their financial

goals. Mackey said families are often coping with a

recent job loss, high medical bills, divorce, or other life

experiences that have left them feeling hopeless. HCCI

will rely on trained volunteer mentors to follow-up with

families after they receive intensive financial counseling.

Attorneys at Kansas Legal Services will provide advice

HCCI Receives United Way Grant Award for HOPE ProgramBy Rebecca Atnip, Program Director, HOPE Program, HCCI, Inc.


NFCC Member Agency News & Notes

Consumer CreditCounseling Service ofOrange County

On Thursday, March 1 in Los Angeles, California, the

White House honored Stella Matadama as one of 11

housing counselors and HUD-approved organizations

being recognized as Champions of Change for their hard

work, perseverance, and dedication to their communities.

Stella Matadama was selected for outstanding commit-

ment and achievement representative of the collective

work of thousands

of housing coun-

selors across the

United States.

"Housing coun-

selors work

tremendously

hard each and

every day to help

families realize

the American dream,” said White House Senior Advisor,

Valerie Jarrett. “From helping homeowners avoid fore-

closure to making sure tenants understand their rights

to working with borrowers to restore their credit, the

men and women we honor today truly are 'Champions

of Change.'"

The Champions of Change program was created as a

part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative.

Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups

of Champions, ranging from educators to entrepreneurs

to community leaders, are recognized for the work they

are doing to serve and strengthen their communities.

Housing counseling assistance was developed more

than 40 years ago at a time of severe disinvestment in

housing, unaffordable interest rates, high unemployment,

and irresponsible lending practices. Today, HUD

approves, monitors, and supports counseling organiza-

tions and tracks their output. Recent initiatives have

extended the number and location of HUD-approved

housing counseling organizations and reduced the

amount of time and complexity of the process to award

HUD housing counseling grants.

To learn more about the Champions of Change

Program, and to watch a video of the event, go to

www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

Stella Matadama works as a Certified Foreclosure

Intervention Counselor and Housing Coordinator for

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Orange County

located in Santa Ana, California. She counsels one on

one with clients and facilitates Foreclosure Prevention

workshops. Stella is a founding member of the

OCHOPC and has been a Board of Director since 2009,

currently serving as the Board Secretary and Chair of

the Events & Counseling Committee. Stella has worked

in the nonprofit housing arena for 17 years with a back-

ground in community organizing, first time homebuyer

education, loan processing, and housing counseling.

She was recognized as a “2007 Latino OC 100” recipi-

ent, received the “2011 Women Making A Difference”

Award, and the “2011 Charging Rhino” Award through

CA Reinvestment Coalition, NCLA, and NeighborWorks

America for Housing Counselors.

CCCS-OC is pleased to announce that Tony Tran was

recently promoted to Manager of Operations after serv-

ing as an Interim Manager for three months. Tony previ-

ously served for four years in a counseling position, and

prior to working with CCCS-OC has vast experience in

mortgage lending and finance. Tony lives with his wife

and two young children in

Rowland Heights, CA.

Lorena Gallardo, Hispanic

education specialist and Lan

Hoang, Vietnamese educa-

tion specialist, recently joined CCCS-OC’s education

department. Gallardo has extensive experience in retail



(L to R) Ophelia B Bagal, RegionalAdministrator, Region IX, US Department of

Housing and Urban Development, StellaMatadama, Certified Foreclosure Intervention

Counselor and Housing Coordinator, andCarol J. Galante, Acting FHA Commissioner-

Assistant Secretary, US Department ofHousing and Urban Development.

Tran Gallardo


and management. She has been actively involved with

the Hispanic community for years, and is well connected

with Orange County for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

Gallardo is fluent in Spanish, and has the capability of

facilitating and translating materials from English to

Spanish. She has already begun teaching financial stabil-

ity to community partners in English and Spanish, and is

an ambassador of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce.

Lan Hoang, Vietnamese education special-

ist, contributes her long standing volun-

teerism in the Orange County Vietnamese

community. She was and continues to be

actively involved with the Garden Grove

School District where she has already

introduced CCCS of Orange County. She worked for

UNICEF from 1993 – 2001, and is fluent in Vietnamese,

French, and Russian.

Consumer Credit Counseling Serviceof Rochester Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Rochester has

named its interim CEO, Jason Tracy, to the position on

a permanent basis.

“Jason has done an outstanding job in the development

and implementation of our agency strategy in his time as

acting CEO,” said CCCS chairman Steve Phillips. “His

enthusiasm for the agency’s mission, and his commit-

ment to providing the community with financial educa-

tion made him the ideal candidate for this position.”

Tracy has been with the nonprofit as director of opera-

tions since 2008. Prior to that, he held positions in the

mortgage and banking industry locally with JPMorgan

Chase & Co. As acting CEO, he completed a strategic

plan for the organization, and developed product lines

and grant opportunities, officials said.

A native of Clarence, NY, Tracy sits on the leadership

council for Flower City Habitat for Humanity. He

received his bachelor of science in business administra-

tion with a concentration in marketing from SUNY

College at Brockport, and has an MBA from the

Rochester Institute of Technology.

Family Foundations

At the Money Wi$e Week Victory Celebration on May

17, Jacksonville, FL Mayor Alvin Brown proclaimed the

week of activities celebrating financial education the

“largest public education initiative in Jacksonville’s histo-

ry”. And what a week it was! Here are the final results:

65 partners, 204 classes, 255 volunteers,4,942 class participants, and

14,026 hours of financial literacy!

Volunteers conducted a variety of classes, all free to the

public, which included topics on Borrowing Basics,

Raise Your Score/Build Your Future, Credit and Debt

Management, Estate Planning Overview, Insuring Long

Term Care, Your First Home, Power Against Fraud, and

many more. The participants ranged in age from 3-97,

and all appreciated and enjoyed the lessons learned.

Brian Smith, JA Volunteer and Family Foundations

Board Member, revealed a telling story. “When asked

why it was important to pay your mortgage payment, a

little girl remarked that her mother was behind with her

payments, and that they would likely lose their home. In

addition to leaving her school, she would have to move

to another state and miss seeing her daddy.”




Hoang



It is never too early to learn how to manage your money.

The Early Learning Coalitions and UBS partnered to

bring Kids Wealth Kits to four voluntary pre-kindergarten

programs. The children loved their fun kits, and can now

teach their parents about the old-fashioned envelope

system.

And, it is also never too late! At the Mary Singleton

Center, seniors participating in the Power against Fraud

class discussed how to protect themselves from scams

and learned about identity theft. They shared many

personal examples of how they could have been victim-

ized, and agreed to continue the alerts as part of their

weekly activities. Additionally, Wells Fargo, in partnership

with Cintas, invited consumers and businesses, to shred

their unwanted personal, financial, and confidential

documents for free.

After much fanfare, the week of activities concluded.

Mayor Brown applauded the community effort, and

proclaimed the First Annual Money Wi$e Week a huge

success. Dawn Lockhart, president & CEO of Family

Foundations, concluded the week by announcing that

Money Wi$e Week also reached international borders

as the Central Bank of Kosovo representatives visited

her agency to learn more about credit counseling and

financial literacy.

Springboard Nonprofit ConsumerCredit Management Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management,

Inc., (Springboard) recently announced the winners of

their annual youth poster contest. This is the sixth year

that Springboard has sponsored the contest, which pro-

vides area students an opportunity to express their cre-

ativity while gaining an understanding of important finan-

cial concepts. The contest is open to students in 3rd

through 12th grade attending public and private schools

in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The theme of

this year’s contest was, “The Roadmap to Financial

Freedom begins with…” The posters were judged on

expression of theme, artwork, style, content, and overall

creativity. The winners were recognized at

Springboard’s annual luncheon, which includes the stu-

dents, their parents and teachers, the poster contest

judges and members of Springboard’s executive team.

“We look forward every year to working with students

and teachers on this important learning exercise,” said

Melinda

Opperman,

Springboard’s

senior vice presi-

dent. “Research

indicates that

most adults who

are successful in

managing their

money were intro-

duced to financial

concepts at an

early age,” said

Opperman.

The winning entries may be viewed online here.

Springboard recently participated in the “America Saves

Week” campaign. America Saves/Military Saves is a

national social marketing campaign that seeks to moti-

vate and support low to moderate income households to

save and build wealth. “Military America Saves Week” is

an opportunity for Americans to assess their financial

condition and goals. It’s a dedicated time for financial

action, and a time for organizations and institutions to

emphasize Automatic Saving.

A key objective for Springboard is to encourage people

to put their financial plan (budget) in writing. A second

objective is to encourage savings, especially an “emer-

gency fund.” People who have a savings plan in place

save more than people who don’t. Research shows



http://www.springboard.org/community/gallery/11Postercontest


NFCC Member Agency News & Notes continued from page 24

that people with a savings plan in place save about

twice as much as those with no plan. Many service

members and their families struggle to make ends meet

especially during deployments. Springboard’s Military

Saves workshops, held at four different Southern

California military bases, were geared to help military

families address the financial stress and challenges of

those who serve in uniform.

Family Guidance Center Kathy Marte joined Family Guidance

Center’s Consumer Credit Counseling

Service (FGC), in December 2011. She has

a strong background in housing and credit-

related client services, and she quickly

obtained her NFCC Certified Credit

Counselor and Certified Housing Counselor credentials.

Kathy is a bilingual (Spanish/English) professional, and

is working with a wide range of clientele who utilize

FGC’s credit counseling, debt management, and housing

counseling services. Kathy

works primarily in FGC’s

Representative Payee

Program. This program is

certified by the Social Security Administration, and

helps clients who have long-term disabilities and limited

financial management skills to obtain and maintain stable

housing. The program ensures their bills are paid on

time, and reduces the client’s risk of homelessness.

Consumer Credit Counseling Serviceof the Black Hills In March 2012, Emma Clifford with CCCS of the Black

Hills, was appointed for a three year term as an at-large

board member of the National Low Income Housing

Coalition which is a research and advocacy organization

based in Washington, DC.

Consumer Credit Counseling Serviceof Brevard

In June 2012, CCCS of Brevard celebrated their 30th

anniversary as an NFCC Member, and HUD-approved

housing counseling agency.

Consumer Credit Counseling Serviceof ChattanoogaWayne Gray, credit coun-

selor with Consumer Credit

Counseling Service of

Chattanooga, recently

retired after 10 years of

service. Specializing as a

bankruptcy counselor, Wayne’s dedication to improving

the lives of others impacted hundreds throughout

Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. He will

be deeply missed by both his colleagues and his clients.

Upon retirement, Wayne remarked, “I enjoyed meeting

(L to R): Pamela Beard, program operations manager, Fleet & FamilySupport Center, Naval Base Point Loma; Darryl Stovall, Fleet &

Family Support Center, Naval Base North Island; Melinda Opperman,Springboard; Richard Arriaga, director, Fleet & Family Support

Center, Naval Base Point Loma; and Chad Hill, MN1, commandfinancial specialist, Naval Base Point Loma, NMAWC Command.

Marte


Gray


and representative counsel, as needed. VITA Tax Sites

will offer free assistance for tax preparation for qualifying

families. The Liken Foster Neighborhood Improvement

Association will help publicize the program. Area finan-

cial institutions and businesses will be contacted about

opportunities to provide direct services and consultation

for this program.

Mackey said small cash incentives will be given to

reward families that are committed to working toward

their financial goals, and he said families that stay with

the program for at least 12 to 18 months should be able

to see improvement as they follow a budget and begin to

save for the future. The overall goal is for families to

achieve greater long-term financial stability.

HCCI is actively seeking families to qualify for the HOPE

Financial Stability program, and volunteers to serve as

mentors.

For additional information about the program contact

HCCI at 785.234.0217 x314, or visit their website at

www.hcci-ks.org.

If your agency is involved in delivering effective financial

education programs, partnering with external stakehold-

ers, or spearheading financial initiatives in your area we

want to hear from you! To have your agency featured in

the next edition of Notables, or on NFCC’s blog, send

your submissions to Drew Kessler, vice president of mar-

keting & communications, at 202.677-4347 or

[email protected].


NFCC Member Agency News & Notes continued from page 25

and working with the families I assisted, and I will defi-

nitely miss empowering clients to build better lives.”

Wayne plans to travel the United States with his wife,

Carolyn.

Consumer CreditCounseling Service ofNebraskaConsumer Credit Counseling Service of

Nebraska, Inc. (CCCSN) is pleased to

announce the placement of Mrs. Mikki

Venekamp as CCCSN’s Community Educator.

Venekamp comes as an accredited financial counselor,

with years of experience in banking, and helping con-

sumer families. A resident of Omaha, Venekamp taught

financial literacy, and counseled military families in

Washington State before returning to Nebraska. A grad-

uate of Bellevue University, Venekamp is certified as a

counselor and educator by the National Foundation for

Credit Counseling.

Venekamp


Notables Summer 2012

Susan C. KeatingPresident and CEO

Bob EnsingerChief Operating Officer

Drew KesslerVice President of

Marketing and Communications

Katie SpiroCommunications Intern

National Foundationfor Credit Counseling2000 M Street, NW

Suite 505

Washington, DC 20036

202.677.4300

202.677.4333 (fax)

National Locator Line: 800.388.2227

En Español: 800.682.9832

www.NFCC.org

National Foundation for CreditCounseling, Inc. (NFCC) is aregistered trademark.© Copyright 2012.

NOTABLES is produced twice

annually by the National Foundation

for Credit Counseling, Inc.® (NFCC)

for its membership and stakeholders.

The newsletter provides information

and resources to advance the

organization’s mission. Editorial

contributions and comments

are always welcomed.

Issue Release Materials Due

Winter 2012 December November 16

Notables Calendar

Have News to Share?Notables wants to print it!

Send your articles with high-resolution photos

(300+ dpi) if available to Drew Kessler, Vice President

of Marketing & Communications at [email protected].


Re-AccreditedNFCC Member Agencies

• Horizons Consumer Credit

Counselor Services,

Cedar Rapids, IA

• CCCS of Buffalo,

West Seneca, NY

• CCCS of the Miami Valley,

Dayton, OH

• CCCS of Greater Milwaukee,

Milwaukee, WI

NFCC’sAnnual Leaders

Conference The Westin Charlotte

• • •

See You InCharlottethis Fall!

NFCC’sAnnual Leaders

Conference The Westin Charlotte

• • •

See You InCharlottethis Fall!

SAVE THE DATE

September 30-October 3, 2

012

NFCC

47TH

Annual LeadersConference

Charlotte, NC

NFCC

47TH

Annual LeadersConference

Charlotte, NC

Photos courtesy of Visit Charlotte. Skyline Photo by Patrick Schneider Photography courtesy of Visit Charlotte.

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