Program encourages saving for holidays

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A new type of money management seminar one that educates without selling is being offered to employees of Springfield businesses just in time for the holidays. |ret||ret||tab|

James Denton of J&R Associates provides unbiased financial education workshops to employees of local companies to help them create extra cash. |bold_on| |bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

"We are talking about the holidays right now because companies all over realize that this is a very financially stressful time for their employees," said Denton, who offers the courses year-round. "Most people like to start the new year on a good foot, so it's a very popular time to help employees stretch their paycheck and reduce their debts."|ret||ret||tab|

Denton, an Evangel University graduate who majored in business, said the skill-based, interactive seminars offer an alternative to budgeting and come in a variety of one- to three-hour formats. |ret||ret||tab|

There are four programs in the series, beginning with the one-hour version of "Managing Your Money ... Today," which is a highlight of the three-hour version. The next seminar, titled "Investing for a Great Retirement" is followed by "Insider Secrets' Financial Advisors Don't Want You to Know" and "Eight Pitfalls to Avoid When Investing."|ret||ret||tab|

Denton acquired these workshops through A&E Associates, a Minneapolis-based national financial education company|bold_on| and is the first person to bring these classes to Springfield.|ret||ret||tab|

"I went out and found the very best workshops I could that would provide this kind of information in an easy, very user-friendly way," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Alice Whinnery, president of A&E Associates, created the curriculum and has been involved in corporate training for the past 15 years.|ret||ret||tab|

"I'm very selective of the trainers that I choose to represent my curriculum," said Whinnery, who certifies trainers across the country. "What I really look for is passion to help people. He (Denton) really wants to help people and that's the same objective that the human resource directors have they want to help their employees." |ret||ret||tab|

The workshops are paid for and sponsored by the individual company as an employee benefit. |ret||ret||tab|

Denton said the immediate goals are to stretch employee's paychecks and eliminate stress, while ultimately increasing productivity and retention in the company.|ret||ret||tab|

"Naturally, employees love it ... and companies benefit because it's a great morale booster," he said. "When their employees are not worried about their finances, they're able to focus on their jobs a lot more."|ret||ret||tab|

Another benefit to the company is the increase in 401(k) and retirement programs that the seminars encourage.|ret||ret||tab|

"The conclusion they come to is that consistent, aggressive investing in their 401(k) is the best option," Denton said. "And of course companies love that."|ret||ret||tab|

Denton recently returned to his alma mater to conduct a luncheon workshop, arranged by George Crawford, Evangel's vice president for business and finance. Crawford, who is also in charge of employee benefits and services, opened the seminar to all campus employees.|ret||ret||tab|

"Shortly after the workshop I started getting these e-mails from staff," Crawford said. "Based on the feedback, I think people felt like it was well worth the time they spent."|ret||ret||tab|

He said the unsolicited e-mails were thanking him for allowing the presentation and commenting on its usefulness.|ret||ret||tab|

Evangel's Public Relations Director Paul Logsdon sat in on the one-hour workshop. |ret||ret||tab|

"Overall, I would say Evangel was very pleased with his presentation," he said. "Everybody in the room, I think, walked away with something ... which to me is incredibly successful."|ret||ret||tab|

Denton said there were 24 people on hand, which is a great number for him to work with.|ret||ret||tab|

"The smaller the crowd the more chance they have to voice their opinions and ask their questions and get answers," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Which is exactly how Whinnery said she designed the workshops.|ret||ret||tab|

"I converted the curriculum into an interactive, skill-based format because that is the standard today in corporate training," Whinnery said. "You're getting the people to verbalize what they're learning while they're learning it. That's the whole fundamental issue of skill-based training."|ret||ret||tab|

Denton said that these courses are very popular in human resource circles and have been taught to more than 100,000 employees across the United States.|ret||ret||tab|

"I'm part of a bigger picture," he said. "But the ultimate goal is to get the right answer, the right education to the employee."[[In-content Ad]]