FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

November 9, 2004
JS-2093

Iannicola Keynotes Inaugural Montana Financial Education Conference

Treasury's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Education Dan Iannicola, Jr. today participated in the Montana Financial Education Coalition's inaugural conference, Financial Education…An Opportunity for Change, in Helena, Montana. Iannicola commended the Montana Financial Education Coalition for its efforts to expand and enhance financial education throughout Montana.

"Recognition of a need is the first step toward meeting it. President Bush recognized the national need for financial education when he set up the Treasury's Office of Financial Education in 2002. Shortly thereafter, leaders in the Montana financial and non-profit communities saw the same need and formed the Montana Financial Education Coalition," Iannicola said. "Through this statewide coalition, Montana's adults and kids are becoming empowered with the financial skills and knowledge to improve their lives and secure their futures." 

The conference was attended by representatives from the Montana State University Extension Service, AARP, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Montana Credit Unions for Community Development, and Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Montana, among others.  While in Helena, Iannicola also taught a personal finance class to fifth graders at Hawthorne Elementary.

Established in 2003, the Montana Financial Education Coalition seeks to improve the personal financial knowledge and decision-making ability of Montana citizens by promoting public awareness of the need for personal financial education.

The Department of the Treasury is a leader in promoting financial education.  Treasury established the Office of Financial Education in May of 2002. The Office works to promote access to the financial education tools that can help all Americans make wiser choices in all areas of personal financial management, with a special emphasis on saving, credit management, home ownership and retirement planning.  The Office also coordinates the efforts of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, a group chaired by the Secretary of Treasury and composed of representatives from 20 federal departments, agencies and commissions, which works to improve financial literacy and education for people throughout the United States.  For more information about the Office of Financial Education visit: www.treas.gov/financialeducation.

-30-