Gov. Walker: Honors recipients of Wisconsin Financial Literacy award

Contact: Cullen Werwie, 608-267-7303
Department of Financial Institutions
David Mancl, Office of Financial Literacy
Phone: 608-261-9540
George Althoff, Communications Director
Phone: 608-261-4504

Gov. Walker honors recipients of Wisconsin Financial Literacy award

MADISON – Governor Scott Walker today honored 14 individuals and eight organizations for their efforts in promoting financial literacy among Wisconsin citizens. The recipients of the 2011 Wisconsin Financial Literacy Award were recognized in a ceremony this afternoon at the Capitol.

“These individuals and organizations are helping Wisconsinites of all ages improve their personal finance skills in our schools, in the workplace and in communities across the state,” Governor Scott Walker said. “These citizen leaders equip students, parents, peers and consumers with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their own money, which improves individual quality of life, as well as the Wisconsin economy.”

At the ceremony, Governor Walker issued a proclamation declaring April 21-28 as Money Smart Week in Wisconsin. Money Smart Week is a statewide collaborative effort that includes hundreds of business and civic partners and touches the lives of thousands of Wisconsin citizens.

The recipients were selected from 45 nominations submitted for consideration. Criteria used in the screening process included innovative implementation, demonstrated measureable results, collaboration with partners, whether the effort was statewide or had the potential to be statewide, and whether the effort was focused on needs-based groups.

Individuals receiving the 2011 Wisconsin Financial Literacy Award:

· Sara Burling and Lisa Kiefer, teachers in the Menomonee Falls School District
· Sarah Campbell, a teacher at Wisconsin Dells High School
· Anna D’Amelio, David Kruchten, Mary Lehrer and David Thoms, teachers in the Madison Metropolitan School District
· Susan Fuszard, an employee of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
· Jennifer Guenther, a teacher in the Rubicon Joint 6 School District
· Dr. Scott Niederjohn, professor at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, and Dr. Mark Schug, professor emeritus at UW-Milwaukee
· Wilmer Peters, financial literacy proponent with Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community Inc. in Menominee/Keshena/Lac du Flambeau
· Laurel Scherer, a teacher at Antigo Middle School
· Sheila Siegel, an employee of the Internal Revenue Service, based in Milwaukee

Organizations receiving the 2011 Wisconsin Financial Literacy Award:
· Appleton Area School District
· Asset Builders of America Inc. of Madison
· Brewers Community Foundation of Milwaukee
· Investor Education in Your WorkplaceTM
· Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc. of Milwaukee
· Money Mission LLC of Brookfield
· UW Credit Union of Madison
· Wisconsin Department of Corrections