Harrisburg University Unveils DiSanto Chair Distinguished Speaker Series in Financial Literacy

HARRISBURG, Pa. - July 1, 2014 - PRLog -- Each month, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in PA will host a free discussion open to the community examining financial literacy from a macro-view. The events are hosted by Dr. Jay Liebowitz, DiSanto Visiting Chair in Applied Business and Finance. The DiSanto Chair and the Financial Literacy speaker series are made possible through the generous contributions of Alex DiSanto.


Money Matters on Campus: Financial Capability and First-Year College Students

Mary K. Johnson
Director, Financial Literacy and Student Aid Policy, Higher One, Inc.
Noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, September 18, 2014

Although financial literacy and its impact on financial behavior have received increased public attention in recent years, there is a scarcity of research on how this critical life skill is trending among young adults, particularly those entering college. This presentation will highlight the latest findings of Money Matters on Campus, a national survey of 65,000 first-year college students, conducted by EverFi and sponsored by Higher One. The survey examined students' financial attitudes, behaviors and knowledge to better understand what predicts both positive and negative financial outcomes in the context of individual and community characteristics. The presentation will also include a discussion of the relationship between financial capability and college success, as well implications for institutions, policy makers and researchers.

About The Speaker: Mary K. Johnson is Higher One's Director of Financial Literacy and Financial Aid Policy. Joining Higher One in 2010, she brings over 25 years of experience in higher education finance, research and financial aid to enhance Higher One's commitment to student financial literacy. She previously served as Associate Commissioner of Finance and Administration for the Connecticut Department of Higher Education, where she advocated for maintaining college affordability and financial stability for students. She oversaw the development and administration of the state's student financial assistance programs, and statewide tuition and fee policies. She also was responsible for drafting and advocating for Connecticut's $2 billion budget request for higher education. Mary has researched and authored numerous reports on issues such as degree productivity, college affordability, cost containment, and workforce success of college graduates.

At Higher One, Mary developed a national grant program, Financial Literacy Counts, which supports financial literacy initiatives on colleges and universities across the country. She also writes for and manages OneForYourMoney, a financial literacy blog designed exclusively for college students. She also conducts on-campus financial literacy workshops on a wide array of personal finance topics from avoiding common freshman money mistakes to preparing for life after college. She serves as a blogger for Huffington Post, where she provides practical financial information to students and parents, and is often quoted for her expertise in national media outlets. She is invited to speak at both state and national venues including the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, and the National Governors' Association and industry forums including Junior Achievement, NASPA, NACUBO, MASEA, MCCBOA, ASGA and GFOASC.

Investing in the Global Economy in 2014

John Jacobs
Executive Vice President, Global Information Services, NASDAQ OMX
Noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, October 16, 2014

The talk will focus on these main questions: What are the fundamentals of investing in the current global economy? How to navigate the challenges? What does active and passive investing mean today and where is it going?

About the Speaker: John Jacobs is responsible for all aspects of our information product business development, including the creation and licensing of strategy indexes in the U.S. and abroad. Under his direction, NASDAQ launched the NASDAQ-100 Index Tracking StockSM (QQQQ), one of the most successful financial products in stock market history. To date, The NASDAQ OMX Global Index Group has launched over 2900 products based on NASDAQ indices in more than 27 countries around the world.

Among his former responsibilities at NASDAQ, Jacobs served as Chief Marketing Officer, launched and led NASDAQ's first listed-company sales force, and managed the company's customer service teams. Also included in his broad range of experience is management of NASDAQ's listings and compliance group, which reviews and processes all SEC documents and financial filings.

Jacobs earned his BS in accounting from the University of Maryland, is a certified public accountant (CPA), and holds an MBA from Loyola. He has taught Investment Banking and other graduate courses in the MBA programs at both Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University. For over 10 years, he served as a judge for both the Washington, DC and New York City Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year Award Programs. Jacobs has also presided as a judge for the MBA competition at the University of Maryland. In addition to past service on the Boards of NASDAQ Global Funds, Inc., NASDAQ Financial Products Services Ireland Limited, The NASDAQ Insurance Agency LLC, and the Board of Advisors of CourtExpress, Inc., he currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Indexes.

Capital Market Oversight by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

Joseph E. Price
Senior Vice President, Corporate Financing/Advertising Regulation
Noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, November 6, 2014

The discussion will address industry practices by investment banks and other broker/dealers that raise capital for businesses in primary markets, where new stock and bond issues are sold to investors, and secondary markets, which trade existing securities. We also will explore FINRA's role in regulating these markets. FINRA is an independent, not-for-profit organization authorized by Congress to protect America's investors by making sure the securities industry operates fairly and honestly.

About the Speaker: Joseph Price is Senior Vice President, Corporate Financing/Advertising Regulation, at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The FINRA Corporate Financing Department regulates capital-raising activities of broker/dealers; including equity, debt, REIT, closed-end fund, limited partnership offerings and private placements. The FINRA Advertising Regulation Department regulates broker/dealer sales materials, mutual fund advertisements, social media and other communications with the public. Joe previously worked in various capacities at the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was an Assistant General Counsel and a Special Counsel in the Office of General Counsel and he was the Deputy Chief of the Office of Disclosure and Investment Adviser Regulation in the Division of Investment Management. Prior to working at the SEC, he was a litigator in the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission.