Fifth Third Bank Delivers Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance Curriculum to 357 Ohio High Schools

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fifth Third Bank and The Lampo Group, company of nationally-syndicated radio host and money management expert Dave Ramsey, were joined today by Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor, in announcing the delivery of financial education in 357 high schools across the state of Ohio. The partnership effectively enables more than 40 percent of Ohio high schools to comply with Ohio’s new financial education requirements.

“Columbus Africentric Early College offers a broad spectrum of innovative, challenging courses that broaden the horizons of students and prepare them for their futures”

The announcement was made at a press conference held at Columbus Africentric Early College in Columbus, OH. In addition to the Lieutenant Governor, Rachel Cruze, daughter of Dave Ramsey and national spokesperson on personal finance, joined Fifth Third Bank for the announcement. Representatives from Fifth Third Bank (Central Ohio), based in Columbus; Fifth Third Bank (Greater Cincinnati), based in Cincinnati and including Dayton; Fifth Third Bank (Northwestern Ohio), based in Toledo; and Fifth Third Bank (Northeastern Ohio), based in Cleveland, also were in attendance.

Fifth Third Bank provides funding to make Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance curriculum available to each school, enabling them to comply with Ohio Senate Bill 311 and The Ohio Core’s economic and financial literacy requirements that go into effect in January 2013 without incurring any additional costs. The Bank’s delivery of Foundations in Personal Finance to high schools across Ohio represents an investment of approximately $441,200.

Dave Ramsey's Foundations in Personal Finance course is a turn-key curriculum designed to provide students with sound financial principles that will guide them into adulthood. It is taught by the teacher in school who is aided by video lessons delivered by Dave Ramsey himself. Through the program, Dave both educates and entertains students as they learn how to avoid debt and build wealth. The course meets benchmarks and standards in all 50 states as well as national standards suggested by the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

The collaboration between the Bank and Ramsey’s The Lampo Group was established in 2010 with a pilot program targeted to schools within the Bank’s footprint that were located in low- and moderate-income communities or those in which fifty percent of the student body received a free school lunch. It was expanded in 2011 and again in 2012 to expand to more schools and is now available in nearly 1,900 schools throughout Fifth Third’s 15 geographic markets.

“At Fifth Third, we understand that knowledge is power,” stated Louise Gissendaner, director of community outreach for Fifth Third Bancorp. “We are firm believers that teens who have the opportunity to learn the right way to manage money are being set up for success as they grow into adulthood. Our collaboration with Dave's company will help educate more than 40,000 students in Ohio this year.”

Rachel Cruze, Dave Ramsey’s daughter and a national spokesperson for personal finance, said, “Financial Literacy is a critical life skill that every teen across the country should be taught. Thanks to Fifth Third, we expect to reach 220,000 students throughout Fifth Third’s markets this school year. By teaching teens about personal finance they will be empowered with the tools they need to become financially responsible adults."

“Columbus Africentric Early College offers a broad spectrum of innovative, challenging courses that broaden the horizons of students and prepare them for their futures,” stated Ernest D. West III, M.Ed., K-12 School Leader. “The Dave Ramsey program is an outstanding, interactive tool assisting our teachers in delivering financial literacy in a way that appeals to students and helps us meet The Ohio Core standards. We are grateful to Fifth Third for their contribution to our school, our students, and our community.”

Dave Ramsey is the New York Times best-selling author of several books on personal finance including Financial Peace, More Than Enough and The Total Money Makeover. His nationally syndicated radio program is heard by five million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations throughout the United States. His website is www.Daveramsey.com.

Fifth Third Bank’s commitment to financial empowerment spans multiple generations, with programming designed to help people at every stage of life make smart financial decisions. Signature programming includes the Fifth Third Bank Young Bankers Club for fifth-grade students as well as sponsorship of the American Bankers Association's Teach Children to Save program and Dave Ramsey's Foundations in Personal Finance high school curriculum. Fifth Third Bank also offers multiple programs for adult financial empowerment, including its Fifth Third Financial Empowerment Mobiles, featuring two 40-foot retrofitted buses equipped with professional bankers and Internet accessible computer workstations. These eBuses travel into underserved communities to provide access to quality financial services. For more, please visit www.53.com/financial-empowerment.

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $118 billion in assets and operates 15 affiliates with 1,320 full-service Banking Centers, including 104 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,405 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 39% interest in Vantiv Holding, LLC, formerly Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2012, had $296 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $26 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® National Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB." Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC.