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Finance: Old School Values Come Home

By Amy Leigh

It’s a vestige of days gone by. No worries about getting lost in voice mail limbo. Speaking to someone who is not only in the same state, but the same city. Places where personal attention is the status-quo. Places where employees care about who their clients are, what they do, and how they can help them succeed.

Stephan Schmit, Vice President/Business Development and Coordinator of the Business Initiative for the Itasca Bank & Trust Company, heads up the newly developed Business Initiative. The program is comprised of free seminars that address various subjects of interest to business professionals. One such seminar hosted a panel of entrepreneurs that discussed how they grew their businesses, and the various difficulties they faced along the way. Another breakfast seminar featured information on how to utilize the web to promote a business.

A recent program featured “Catch Me if You Can,” a fraud/identity theft presentation by Frank Abagnale (author, lecturer, and former con-man). To learn more about the Business Initiative’s upcoming programs, visit www.itascabank.com or call Schmit at (630) 773-0350.

Such free seminars are offered by scores of local financial service providers and are an excellent way to learn about the ways to improve one’s financial portfolio. Jade Kim, Director of Multi CPA, provides free tax-related seminars and tax preparation to KAN-WIN (Korean American Women In Need).

KAN-WIN is a not-for-profit community organization established in 1990, committed to building safe and healthy communities. KAN-WIN provides comprehensive services to women and children affected by domestic violence and works within the larger community towards women’s empowerment and social change.

American Enterprise Bank also sponsors various events and organizations throughout the year including the local police and fire departments, a luncheon for the Senior Center of the Schaumburg Park District, and the People-to-People Ambassador program.

In addition to the financial support given for the Senior Luncheon held at the Schaumburg Park District, bank employees donate their time to help at the event. The luncheon gives seniors the opportunity to gather for lunch, socialize and participate in various activities.

RETIREMENT PLANNING MADE SIMPLE

Virtually everyone knows the importance of planning for retirement, and the process can be quite simple with the right guidance.

According to Jim Leisse, Branch Manager of Scottrade, a stock brokerage firm in Schaumburg, many individuals are not saving enough to meet their retirement goals. To this end, Scottrade’s financial professionals spend a great deal of time educating individuals on the various ways they can prepare for retirement.

“Our primary focus is on individual investors who want to save for retirement,” says Leisse. “Regardless of one’s age or financial status, today is the best day to start saving for retirement. The longer you wait to begin, the harder it is to catch up. Learn about options and begin saving. Even saving fifty dollars a month can make a huge difference in the standard of living a person can achieve in the retirement years.”