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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 • Page 2
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 • Summer 2012 • Page 4
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 5
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
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...?
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 6
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
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.
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 7
continued from page 1
continued on page 8
Diaz
Perdue
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
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.
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 8
continued from page 7
continued on page 10
Smith
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
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.
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 10
Lysakowski
Sweet Griffin
continued from page 8
continued on page 11
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 11
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)
continued from page 10
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 >>
continued on page 12
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 12
continued from page 11
continued on page 13
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
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
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.
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 13
continued from page 12
2012 Annual Leaders Conference
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 14
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 15
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...?
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 16
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...?
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 18
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
continued on page 19
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 19
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.
continued from page 18
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 20
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...?
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 21
NFCC Member Agency Spotlights
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.
continued on page 26
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
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 22
continued on page 23
(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
NFCC Member Agency News & Notes
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.”
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 23
continued from page 22
continued on page 24
Hoang
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 24
NFCC Member Agency News & Notes
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
continued from page 23
continued on page 25
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 25
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
continued on page 26
Gray
NFCC Member Agency Spotlights
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
continued from page 21
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 • Page 26
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].
Notables • Summer 2012 • Page 27
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.