Press Releases

For Immediate Release
March 15, 2005

DFI Joins in Sponsoring the Fourth Annual Beloit/Janesville Money Conference

(Madison) The fourth annual Beloit/Janesville Money Conference will be held Saturday, March 19, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at McNeel Middle School in Beloit. DFI is one of several major sponsors of the event.

The Money Conference provides impartial financial education in a user-friendly environment for the whole family at low cost, including three sessions in Spanish. Adult participants receive a copy of their credit reports with their credit scores. A Racine/Kenosha conference is tentatively scheduled for fall 2005. Nearly 3,200 people have attended past Money Conferences which have been held in Milwaukee, Madison, and the Fox River Valley.

“I urge people in the Beloit/Janesville area to take advantage of this opportunity,” said DFI Secretary Lorrie Keating Heinemann. “It is a fun, even entertaining program with great speakers and instructors who teach you about money. Whether you’re dealing with credit card debt, applying for a mortgage or buying groceries, every financial decision has an impact on your quality of life. You owe it to yourself to make smart decisions. I particularly encourage young people to attend.”

Professor Mark Schug of UW-Milwaukee will be keynote speaker at the morning opening general session. Dr. Schug is director of UW-Milwaukee’s Center for Economic Education, and his research and teaching focus on economic education and market reforms in education. Dr. Schug has written and edited more than 180 publications including articles, books, and book chapters.

Luncheon speaker will be Redonna Rodgers, director of Milwaukee’s Center for Teaching Entrepreneurship, an organization that teaches youths the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, business and financial literacy. Last year she was recognized for her work by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. The institute annually honors non-profit leaders who have found innovative, private solutions for America's most pressing social problems

A highlight of this year’s Conference will be the Finance and Investment Challenge Bowl (FICB) competition between teams from Beloit Memorial High School and Janesville Parker High School. The FICB tests the financial knowledge of the competitors and provides cash prizes to the winners.

Registration and continental breakfast start at 7:30 a.m. and programming begins at 8:30 a.m. Registration fees are $5 for adults and $2.50 for youth (ages 18 and under) if paid in advance, and $6 for adults and $3 for youth if registering on the day of the conference. They include the continental breakfast, lunch and parking. A brochure describing the Money Conference and a pre-registration form are available for downloading from the Asset Builder of America, Inc. website at www.assetbuilders.org. For more information, please call Richard Entenmann of Asset Builders of America, Inc. toll free at 866-304-6896.