Last Thursday, January 19th, 2012, in a full capacity meeting in the Cash Room at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, members of the U.S. President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability met to kick off 2012 with a strong agenda and plan on behalf of President Obama and the nation.

Some of the accomplishments of this meeting included:

  • A formal and Council approved recommendation by my friend and Council Partnership Subcommittee Chair Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz around financial literacy and federal employee engagement.
  • An Interim Report from the full Council to President Barack Obama and Treasury Secretary Geithner.

Additionally, the Council and the public heard from Treasury Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Cyrus Amir-Mokri, Council Chairman John Rogers, Josh Wright, acting director of the Treasury Office of Financial Education and Financial Access, and substantive subcommittee reports from Council members Arty Arteaga, Ted Beck, Amy Rosen and Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz.  Council vice chair Amy Rosen moderated an in-depth discussion with Alan B. Krueger, chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Later, friend to the Council, Ms. Michelle Greene, vice president of corporate responsibility for NYSE Euronext and executive director of the NYSE Foundation, moderated a panel discussion with Steve Bigari, CEO of Stellar Restaurant Solutions and founder of America's Family, Brad Wenger, general manager of Hilton, Wilmington, Mary DuPont, director of financial empowerment for the State of Deleware, and Mateen Ali, senior manager of retirement and wealth strategy for Best Buy.

The substantive day concluded with healthfelt congratulations and thanks given to Council member Arty Arteaga, for his incredible leadership and service as chairman of the Council subcommittee on Financial Access, and our friend Josh Wright, for his selfless and professional public service leadership in the role within the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Financial Education and Financial Access.

Finally, a hearty welcome to two new Presidential Appointees and Council members Sherry Salway Black, director of the Partnership for Tribal Governance at the National Congress of American Indians, and Janie Barrera, founding president and CEO of ACCION Texas, Inc.

Council Members are John Rogers, Jr. (Chair), Amy Rosen (Vice Chair), Janie Barrera, Roland Arteaga, Ted Beck, Sherry Salway Black, Samuel T, Jackson, Richard Ketchum, Beth Kobliner, Addison Barry Rand, Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, Kenneth Wade and myself.

A special thank you to the support team to the Council, including Bob Solomon, Ellen Chube, Louisa Quittman, Michael Townsend and Jena Roscoe.  Incredible job all.

Stay tuned on the Council's work.  The best is yet to come.

 

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and a Member of the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. 

 

 

 

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