Investing for Success Program to Be Held in Phoenix

Contacts:
Leslie Dunbar, NUL, 212/558-5438
Carol Davis, COBI-IEF, 336/922-6240
Denise Murray, ICI, 202/371-5420

Washington, DC, March 14, 2002 - The National Urban League (NUL), Coalition of Black Investors-Investment Education Fund (COBI-IEF), and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation (ICIEF) announced today that one in a nationwide series of investor education workshops promoting greater understanding among middle-income African Americans about the benefits of long-term investing will be held in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Investing for Success workshop is scheduled for Thursday, April 4, 2002. Registration is from 6 to 6:30 p.m. and the program is scheduled between 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. at the Phoenix Preparatory Academy Auditorium, 735 East Filmore Street in Phoenix. The National Urban League, Coalition of Black Investors-Investment Education Fund, the Greater Phoenix Urban League, Charles Schwab & Co., and the Investment Company Institute Education Foundation sponsor the workshop, which will be presented by Eric Randolph, Regional Investor Education Specialist at Charles Schwab. To reserve a space at the free workshop, call either toll-free 1-877-358-5888 or 602-254-5611 in the Phoenix area before April 2.

Each participant at the program's personal finance workshop will use a series of worksheets to help them assess their risk tolerance and retirement needs and develop an action plan. They will also receive a series of investor awareness brochures, a video discussing successful investing, and information on additional resources.

The Phoenix workshop is the latest in a series of investor education workshops aimed at providing information to investors about building wealth while maintaining realistic expectations and encouraging long-term investment planning. Investing for Success workshops were developed in response to surveys that show that despite a significant increase in investor awareness among African Americans, the community directs a smaller portion of its income to long-term investments than other groups with similar incomes. The Coalition of Black Investors-Investment Education Fund reports that fewer than one in five African Americans participate in their employers' 401(k) retirement plan. A 1998 State of Black America report shows that the primary reason African Americans cite for not investing is lack of knowledge.

Hugh Price, President of the National Urban League, said, "The Investing for Success program is designed to inspire African Americans to become more knowledgeable about investing for retirement and to take advantage of opportunities to accumulate wealth. This partnership is one of the first steps toward accomplishing the National Urban League's mission to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power in the 21^st century. The National Urban League, COBI-IEF, and ICI share an important goal of helping African Americans to become economically self-sufficient."

"Investor education initiatives, such as Investing for Success, serve an important role in promoting a more comprehensive understanding of investing for African Americans," said Carol Davis, President of COBI-IEF.

"The Investing for Success program brings important information about the benefits of long-term investing to the African-American community," said Institute Executive Vice President Julie Domenick. "Program participants agree that the workshop is clearly presented, useful, and something they would recommend to others. Together with the National Urban League and its local affiliate, and COBI-IEF, we look forward to bringing the program to Phoenix."

Investing for Success workshops have taken place in Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Houston; Boston; New York; Seattle; Washington, DC; Baltimore; Chicago; Atlanta; Columbia, SC; Miami; Chattanooga, TN; and Birmingham, AL. All have received high ratings from participants. Additional workshops are being planned for Milwaukee and Chicago.

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The National Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. The Coalition of Black Investors-Investment Education Fund is recognized as the principal association for individual African-American investors. The Investment Company Institute Education Foundation is an affiliate of the Investment Company Institute, the national
association of American mutual funds, closed-end funds and unit investment trusts.