Speaker Bureau

The Stockton Center for Economic & Financial Literacy maintains a list of speakers for invited visits to classrooms (P/K - 12 and college), non-profit organizations, community groups, and local business associations. Speakers have agreed to volunteer their time for this service.  

sammy imageSammy the Savings Rabbit

Dan Armas, CFP® is a Certified Financial Planner™ certificate who focuses on helping individuals prepare for and transition into retirement. He reviews client’s overall financial circumstances, which often involves investment strategies, insurance planning, along with tax and estate planning considerations. He has been with his current firm, Gitterman & Associates Wealth Management, for over a decade. Dan was recently named a 2014 Five Star Wealth Manager™ Award Winner, which will be featured in the January issue of NJ Monthly Magazine. He regularly presents seminars on topics ranging from investment strategy to retirement income planning at colleges and universities. Dan graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Economics. Contact: darmas@gawmllc.com or 848-248-4873

Topics:

  • Retirement planning
  • Investment strategies
  • Financial planning

Audiences: College students, working adults, retired adults

Peter Cirignano has been in the banking industry since 2004 (Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and Peapack Gladstone Bank & Trust). He sells a variety of banking products, including deposit accounts, loans, and investment services. Contact: ggpcirigagno@hotmail.com

Topics:

  • Buying a home and the mortgage qualification process
  • Mortgage options and how to calculate an estimated monthly payment
  • Reverse mortgages
  • Credit scores
  • Savings plans
  • Calculating one’s net worth
  • Types of checking and savings accounts

Audiences: College students, working adults, retired adults

Deborah M. Figart, Ph.D. is Professor of Education and Economics. She has been teaching since 1982 at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her B.A. and Ph.D. are in Economics. Contact: Deb.Figart@stockton.edu

Topics:

  • Economic and financial literacy curricular requirements in P/K – 12 education
  • Short-term savings strategies
  • Credit cards and credit scores
  • Budgeting
  • Student loans and financial aid
  • How to evaluate potential jobs and careers
  • Understanding your paycheck
  • Identity theft
  • Economic issues and trends

Audiences: P/K – 12 teachers and staff, High School students, college students, working adults, non-profit organizations

Vanessa Holman, B.A. is a speechwriter for the Commissioner of the NJ Department of Transportation. She also enjoys freelance writing, editorial work, event planning, and quality baked goods. She is a recent graduate of Stockton College, and her B.A. is in Communications, with concentrations in writing and business marketing.

Topics:

  • Life and loans after graduation (Getting out of party mode, making a portfolio of your best work and reference letters, figuring out your finances, and addressing the “What do I want to do with my life?” question)
  • Resumes and interviews (What to write, say, and how to dress)
  • The job hunt (Best places to work, where to look for a job and why) Have a Job? (How to keep your job, compete in your field, and hopefully further your career) General Life Skills (How to maintain a budget, buy a car, figure out the health insurance paperwork your new job just threw at you, shop for groceries, clean your living space, control your social media, keep your professional image intact, etc.)

Audience: College Students

Charles Pettineo, MBA is a retired securities industry executive with 34 years’ experience. He has held numerous industry qualifying licenses/registrations and has broad knowledge of financial products. Currently, he writes a monthly column on finances and investing in a newsletter.

Topics:

  • Investing products and strategies
  • Asset allocation
  • The effects of the macro economy and policies on the consumer and investments
  • Understanding budgeting and fiscal solvency

Audiences: High school seniors, college students, working adults, retired adults

Joseph Rehm is Senior Vice President and the Gloucester County Market Manager for Capital Bank of New Jersey. Capital Bank of New Jersey is a community bank which is owned by hundreds of South Jersey shareholders. He presently manages a commercial loan portfolio in excess of $50,000,000. Joe also serves as Capital Bank’s Community Reinvestment Act Officer and is a member of the bank’s Marketing and Compliance Committees. He is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, having received his leadership certificate from the Wharton School of Business. His volunteer activities include serving as the past Treasurer of Tri County Community Action Partnership and a member of the board of trustees of the Gloucester County Hero Scholarship Fund, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Academy of Finance at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology as well as a volunteer coach of youth sports.

Topics:

  • Buying a home and the mortgage qualification process
  • Mortgage options and how to calculate an estimated monthly payment
  • Reverse mortgages
  • Credit scores
  • Savings plans such as the First Home Club from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
  • Calculating one’s net worth
  • Budgeting
  • Small- and medium-size business lending
  • Entrepreneurship

Audiences: High school students, college students, working adults, retired adults

Dean L. Scarpa, B.S. is the First Vice President of the Scarpa Wealth Management Group with UBS Financial Services, Inc. He advises clients on investment planning. He has a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has 33 years of experience and delivered over 100 lectures and talks. Dean also has a regular report about the market on WOND radio. As a FINRA Administrator, he arbitrates between clients and brokers/securities firms to help settle disputes. Contact: dean.scarpa@ubs.com

Topics:

  • How the stock market works
  • Setting up a financial plan
  • Interest rates/the prime rate
  • Tax planning
  • Insurance
  • Macroeconomic policy (the budget, fiscal policy, inflation)
  • Asset allocation
  • Preparing for retirement

Audiences: College juniors and seniors, graduate students, working adults, soon-to-be-retired adults, senior citizens

Tristan Stoltzfus works as support staff in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He graduated from Mary Baldwin College with a B.A. in Business Administration and will finish his MBA in Human Resources Management from Columbia College (MO) in March 2014.

Topics:

  • Personal budgeting
  • Methods and strategies for paying off debt
  • Benefits and dangers of credit cards
  • Credit reports

Audiences: College students

Charles C. Weeks Jr., JD, CFP® is the Founder and President of Barrister Wealth Management, LLC, a New Jersey Registered Investment Advisor, where he provides financial planning, asset management and insurance services. He also is a half-time Assistant Professor of Finance in the School of Business at Stockton where is teaches Financial Planning in the Undergraduate Program as well as in the Financial Planning Certificate Program. He has a B.S. in Finance with a minor in Accounting and a J.D. Contact: cweeks@barristerwealthmanagement.com

Topics:

  • Investments
  • Insurance and risk
  • Taxes
  • Retirement planning
  • Estate planning