LEVEY FETED BY AICPA: The American Institute of CPAs named Steven I. Levey, CPA, PFS, the recipient of its 2005 Distinguished Service Award - the highest honor bestowed by the institute's Personal Financial Planning Division.The award is given annually to a CPA who most enhances the overall quality of personal financial planning. Levey, managing director at Denver-based GHP Horwath PC, was recognized for his contributions to the profession, including substantial volunteer efforts for the AICPA, chairing eight conferences, serving on the PFP Executive Committee and the Professional Liability Insurance Plan Committee, and his current post as a commissioner on the National Accreditation Commission.
CALIFORNIA PLANS FINANCIAL LITERACY SUMMIT: Representatives from the business, professional, government, education and media sectors will convene in Sacramento on April 26 for the California Summit on Financial Literacy, a joint effort of the California Jump$tart Coalition, the California Society of CPAs, the California CPA Education Foundation and CalCPA Institute.
Participants will assess the state of financial literacy in California, work to create a more financially literate state, and provide solutions to fight financial illiteracy.
Scheduled speakers include Sharon Allen, chairman of the board at Big Four firm Deloitte & Touche; Carl George, managing partner of Clifton Gunderson, and a member of the AICPA Financial Literacy Commission; John Bryant, of Operation Hope; and personal finance journalist Mary Rowland.
To register, go to www.calcpa.org and follow the link to register, or call CalCPA Customer Service at (800) 922-5272.
TWEENS SAVVY ABOUT SAVINGS: At a time when the nation has a negative savings rate and crushing credit-card debt, children seem to be learning financial prudence, according to a recent study.
In a survey of American "tweenagers" conducted by Weekly Reader Research and the American Institute of CPAs, more than half (53 percent) indicated that they have a savings account, while 47 percent said that they have plans for saving and spending their money. Another 56 percent said that they are putting money away for college.
When asked what they would do if given a gift of $100, 59 percent of children between the ages of 9 and 12 said that they would save at least $50.
Girls tend to be better savers than boys, the survey showed.
Weekly Reader Research and the AICPA surveyed 1,260 children between the ages of 9 and 12 in January 2006.
The announcement of the survey results coincides with the recent launch of a "Budget Buzz" program, which is being distributed in Weekly Reader Grade 4 magazines and sponsored by the AICPA as part of the accounting organization's national 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy campaign.
The AICPA launched 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy (www.360financialliteracy.org) in 2004 to address the alarming deficiency in Americans' understanding of how financial issues affect them at different stages of their lives.
The Weekly Reader Research/AICPA survey also revealed that 56 percent of 9-to-12-year-olds earn a weekly allowance, mostly by doing household chores, with the average allowance among this group being $7.35.
O'HAREN RECEIVES AMERICAN COLLEGE'S GOLD MEDAL: Thomas J. O'Haren, CLU, ChFC, has received the Huebner Gold Medal from financial educator The American College. The Bryn Mawr, Pa.-based college has awarded the medal since 1975 to individuals who have lent considerable support to the college and its programs.
O'Haren spent much of his career at Connecticut General, a predecessor company to Cigna, and under his auspices, his branch in California received Cigna's Outstanding Agency Award 14 times in 20 years.
In 1990, O'Haren received the John W. Yates Memorial Award for outstanding life insurance management from the Greater Los Angeles General Agents and Managers Association.
He served as chairman of the board of trustees of the GAMA Foundation, and is a life member of its Million Dollar Round Table.
