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UW Credit Union Wins 2009 Governor’s Financial Literacy Award

Madison, WI – March 10, 2009 – Gov. Jim Doyle selected UW Credit Union as a winner of the 2009 Governor’s Financial Literacy Award. UW Credit Union will be presented with the award at Governor Doyle’s Council on Financial Literacy Meeting and Awards Ceremony on March 18.

The award is given to organizations and individuals who promote financial literacy among Wisconsin residents and is based on four criteria. Criteria for the award include: innovative implementation, demonstrated measurable results, collaboration with partners and scope—either statewide or having the potential to be statewide or focused on need-based groups.

“We are very honored to receive this award from the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy,” said Paul Kundert, president and CEO. “We take pride in the programs we sponsor to help give people the information and skills they need to make good financial choices. Throughout the year we provide financial education courses on a variety of money-related subjects.” Topics included budgeting, buying a home and car, preventing fraud and identity theft, and more.

“There is a need to improve financial literacy in the state, and that is what we are working to do with our seminars,” Kundert said. “According to the National Jumpstart Coalition, high school seniors in Wisconsin scored an average of 57 percent on a survey of their financial knowledge. That is higher than the national average, but it is still a score that is too low by our standards.”

During 2008 UW Credit Union gave a total of 225 financial education seminars, which more than 5,000 people attended. All seminars were free and open to the public. The courses were presented to a variety of audiences, including high school and college students, women and minority business owners, and community members who need to build their credit.

UW Credit Union is a growing, federally insured financial institution and a leading provider of affordable home loans, education loans, and consumer loans to University of Wisconsin communities. UW Credit Union’s 348 employees serve the financial needs of more than 130,000 members through world-class technology systems, and through a convenient network of 15 branch locations and more than 75 ATMs. With assets totaling more than $1 billion, UW Credit Union is ranked nationally among the leading credit unions. Founded over 75 years ago by members of the University of Wisconsin community, UW Credit Union continues to operate as a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative with locations in the Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point, Green Bay and Whitewater areas. Visit UW Credit Union at www.uwcu.org to learn more.