And The Winner Is.....

Alice Wood with City of Naperville Mayor, George Pradel in 2007

The “Wealth Watchers Financial Literacy Advocate Award” began in 2007 to recognize an entity or an individual who made a significant contribution to the field of financial literacy at a national level. Doug Tillett, from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, nicknamed the award “The Benny” and the rest is history. Wealth Watchers has proudly presented ten "Benny" Awards to several well known financial literacy advocates throughout the past several years.

2007 Award Winners

Oprah Winfrey for her series of shows called “The Great American Debt Diet” where Oprah used her star-power to put a spotlight on the fact that too much debt is ruining people. Oprah introduced her audience to three financial experts who showed us that we have hope as long as we face our problems and take action.

Susan Beacham, Founder and President of The Money Savvy Generation. Susan created a piggy bank with four slots as a means of teaching children about the four choices they can make with money: Spend, Save, Donate, and Invest. Her program has been used around the world.

2008 Award Winners

United States Treasury Department for their work in coordinating the creation of The National Strategy for Financial Literacy. The Honorable Anna Escobar Cabral, Treasurer of the United States of America, received the award on behalf of the Treasury Department during a Money Smart Week event, which was held at The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for their ground breaking work creating a financial literacy movement known as Money Smart Week. The Money Smart Week model has been used by different communities around the country and serves as an umbrella to bring together members of the financial services industry and other interested parties dedicated to financial literacy.

2009 Award Winners

Visa U.S.A. and McDonald’s U.S.A. for their work in bringing a financial literacy program to 500,000 McDonald’s restaurant employees around the country. The program became known as America’s largest financial literacy initiative in the workplace. The program put a spotlight on the challenges faced by minimum wage workers.

2010 Award Winners

The Honorable Peter G. Peterson, Founder of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, for his personal and financial commitment to increase public awareness of the fiscal challenges threatening America’s future. Mr. Peterson created his foundation with a billion dollar commitment to successfully address these challenges while finding and implementing sensible solutions.

David M. Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States, former President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, and current CEO of the Comeback America Initiative, for his relentless passion for helping our country become financially sound. Mr. Walker was instrumental in the creation of I.O.U.S.A. and I.O.U.S.A. Solutions, educational and entertaining documentaries that have engaged audiences of every age and ideology while serving as a national call to action.

Alice Wood Presenting the award to Dave Walker

2011 Award Winners

Operation Hope for making financial empowerment a global cause through their Silver Rights Movement reaching underserved communities and individuals around the world. John Hope Bryant and the Operation Hope team are leading the mission to eradicate poverty around the world.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy for their work in bringing meaningful financial education opportunities to students and teachers around the country. Their national coalition of members play a critical role in the much needed effort to give students the information they need to gain financial independence.

Ken McDonnell receiving the 2011 Financial Literacy Advocate Award on behalf of The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Finance at the US Treasury Department in Washington DC on September 27, 2011.

Congratulations to all of the winners...which by the way happens to be all of us since we're the beneficiaries of the financial literacy  movement!