MADISON, Wis. – Today Gov. Tony Evers honored eight individuals and five organizations as recipients of the 2020 Governor’s Financial Literacy Awards in a virtual ceremony. The recipients were honored for their efforts in helping Wisconsinites build their financial literacy and capability skills.
“Financial education should build on and respond to people’s individual strengths, circumstances, and needs in order to help them work toward their own unique goals,” said Gov. Evers. “The dedication of these individuals and organizations to help Wisconsinites become more financially secure and achieve their dreams is commendable and helps ensure not only the future success of individuals and families, but our entire state.”
The 2020 Governor’s Financial Literacy Awards honored recipients in one of three categories, individual, organization, or legacy, for providing exceptional financial literacy and capability education in an inclusive and innovative manner. The legacy award is given to an organization, business, or individual whose purpose and heritage is ingrained in sustained financial literacy and capability efforts. This lifetime recognition is intended to be conferred only once to recipients.
The recipients of the 2020 Governor’s Financial Literacy Awards are:
Individual Category:
• Coretta Herring, Financial Clinic Director, Riverworks, Milwaukee
• Johvon Holmes, Realtor, First Weber Group Inc., Milwaukee
• Steve Martin, Business Education Teacher, Germantown High School, Germantown
• Bill Nasgovitz, Chairman, Heartland Advisors Inc., Milwaukee
• Peggy Olive, Financial Capability Specialist, Center for Financial Security and UW-Extension Cooperative Extension, Madison
• Christine Whelan, Ph.D., Clinical Professor, UW-Madison, Madison
• Pa Houa Xiong, Financial Aid and Financial Wellness Advisor, UW-Madison, Madison
Organization Category:
• 7 Rivers Region Chapter of Credit Unions, La Crosse
• 100 Black Men of Madison, Madison
• Test Drive Digital by Royal Credit Union, Eau Claire
Legacy Category:
• Centro Hispano of Dane County, Madison
• Educators Credit Union, Mt. Pleasant
• Majel Hein, Senior Financial Literacy Counselor, Marine Credit Union Foundation, La Crosse
The recipients were selected by the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy and Capability from the nominations submitted for consideration. Criteria used to judge nominations included: innovative implementation of an effective financial literacy and capability program or program element within the last two years; emphasis on financial inclusion, demonstrated measurable results; collaboration with partners; and scalability of the program design. Visit the Council’s webpage, to read a synopsis of the recipients’ efforts.
The Council serves as a continuous sounding board for the Office of the Governor, the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), and DFI’s Office of Financial Literacy.
The Council provides guidance and strategies to measurably improve the financial literacy, capability, and financial inclusion of Wisconsin’s residents. To learn more about the Council, visit the Council’s webpage or contact Council Executive Director David Mancl at (608) 261-9540 or email David.Mancl@dfi.wisconsin.gov.