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Financial Literacy Council First Report, January 1, 2008

FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNCIL
In an ongoing effort to increase financial literacy awareness, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink convened the first meeting of the Financial Literacy Council in Tallahassee. The meeting was held on Monday, June 25, 2007, at the Capitol Complex. Obdulio Piedra was elected chair of the group.

The following nine individuals are members of the state’s Financial Literacy Council:

Paul Auslander, CFP, President, American Financial Advisors (Orlando)

Liana Fox, Ph.D., Professor, Hillsborough Community College (Tampa)

Richard George, President, Junior Achievement of West Central Florida (Safety Harbor)

Cassandra J. Grayson, M.Ed., Sr. Vice President, Administration, Florida Credit Union League (Tallahassee)

Doug Heinlen, Member of Florida Executive Council, American Association of Retired Persons (Sarasota)

Deidre Newton, M.B.A, President and CEO, Community Real Estate Services, Inc. (West Palm Beach)

Obdulio Piedra, Miami-Dade Market President, Great Florida Bank (Pinecrest)

Dulce M. Suarez-Resnick, Senior Account Manager, HBA Insurance Group (Miramar)

The council, authorized in 2006 by House Bill 825, was created to study the financial problems that affect consumers, particularly young persons, seniors, working adults and small business owners, which arise from a lack of basic knowledge of financial issues. The council will also develop recommendations to aid CFO Sink’s department-- the Department of Financial Services-- in developing programs and resources aimed at increasing financial literacy among Floridians

CFO Sink is a strong proponent of financial literacy. Through outreach coordinators, the Department of Financial Services aggressively reaches out to local communities to educate consumers on topics such as the wise use of credit cards for teens, credit card identity theft, hurricane preparedness, small business security, life insurance and first-time homebuyer workshops.