BANKER OBDULIO PIEDRA ELECTED CHAIR OF FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNCIL
July 3, 2007

TALLAHASSEE-– Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced last week’s election of Obdulio Piedra as chair of the Financial Literacy Council. As Market President of Great Florida Bank in Miami, Piedra has extensive experience in financial matters and is focused on helping Floridians make better financial decisions.

“Obdulio Piedra will serve the people of Florida well as chairman of the state’s Financial Literacy Council,” said CFO Sink who oversees the Department of Financial Services. “His experience as bank president will assist the council in identifying ways in which the state can better inform and assist Floridians about their finances.”

The Financial Literacy Council held its first meeting in Tallahassee on June 25, 2007. Authorized in 2006 by House Bill 825, the council was created to study the financial problems that affect consumers, particularly young people, seniors, working adults and small business owners, which arise from a lack of basic knowledge of financial issues. The council will also develop recommendations and raise funds to develop programs and resources aimed at increasing financial literacy among Floridians.

CFO Sink will use the Financial Literacy Council to help educate Floridians about important financial issues, such as avoiding excessive debt, the importance of saving, making sound investment decisions and planning for retirement. Recent news reports illustrate that American consumers are living paycheck to paycheck and spending every dollar they earn. In fact, the U.S. government recently calculated consumer savings at the lowest levels since the Great Depression. In essence, too many consumers are spending more than they earn.

For more information on the Financial Literacy Council, please visit www.myfloridamoney.com.

CFO SINK ANNOUNCES FIRST MEETING OF FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNCIL IN TALLAHASSEE
June 22, 2007

TALLAHASSEE – In an ongoing effort to increase financial literacy and help Floridians make better financial decisions, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced that the Financial Literacy Council will convene its first meeting next week in Tallahassee. The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Monday, June 25, 2007, at the Capitol Complex, House Office Building, Room 306.

The following are the Financial Literacy Council members:

Paul Auslander, CFP, President, American Financial Advisors
James R. De Santis, M.Ed., Executive Director, Florida Council on Economic Education
Liana Fox, Ph.D., Professor, Hillsborough Community College
Richard George, President, Junior Achievement of West Central Florida
Cassandra J. Grayson, M.Ed., Sr. Vice President, Administration, Florida Credit Union League
Doug Heinlen, Member of Florida Executive Council, American Association of Retired Persons
Deidre Newton, M.B.A, President and CEO, Community Real Estate Services, Inc.
Obdulio Piedra, Miami-Dade Market President, Great Florida Bank
Dulce M. Suarez-Resnick, Senior Account Manager, HBA Insurance Group.

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.

The first meeting of the Financial Literacy Council will be as follows:

DATE: Monday, June 25, 2007
TIME: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
LOCATION: Florida Capitol
House Office Building, Room 306
Tallahassee, Florida

CFO SINK APPOINTS FINANCIAL LITERACY COUNCIL
New Financial Literacy Council will work to educate Floridians about important financial issues

April 30, 2007

TALLAHASSEE –Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today appointed nine Floridians to serve on the state’s first Financial Literacy Council. The Council was created by the Florida Legislature in 2006 to provide a single state resource to the general public on financial literacy.

“As the Chief Financial Officer, one of my highest priorities is educating consumers about money,” said CFO Sink. “I am pleased to appoint nine highly qualified individuals to the Financial Literacy Council, and I look forward to working with them to empower Floridians to take control of their financial futures.”

CFO Sink will use the Financial Literacy Council to help educate Floridians about important financial issues, such as avoiding excessive debt, the importance of saving, making sound investment decisions and planning for retirement. Financial literacy education is essential, as recent news reports show that American consumers are living paycheck to paycheck and spending every dollar they earn. In fact, the U.S. government recently calculated consumer savings at the lowest levels since the Great Depression. In essence, too many consumers are spending more than they earn.

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.

The following nine individuals have been appointed to the state’s Financial Literacy Council:
• Paul Auslander, CFP, President, American Financial Advisors (Orlando)
• James R. De Santis, M.Ed., Executive Director, Florida Council on Economic Education (Tampa)
• 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)

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.