Session Topics

Saturday, April 7, 2018, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cemo Hall, University of Houston Main Campus

Check-in from 8:30-9 a.m. | Click each session topic for more information.

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Plenary Session 9-9:40 a.m.

1. Keynote Speaker: Leah Bennett, President of Westwood Trust




Ms. Bennett brings 25 years of experience serving private wealth clients. She joined Westwood Holdings in Houston, Texas, in 2016 and now serves as President of Wealth Management. Previously, she served as Co-Chief Investment Officer at South Texas Money Management in San Antonio. In that role, she shared responsibility for the investment strategies of the firm. Prior to that, Ms. Bennett was a Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer at King Investment Advisors, Inc. and a research analyst for Capital Research & Management. She has served as the CFA Institute President’s Council Representative for the South Central United States and Latin America and as President and Director of CFA Society Houston. Ms. Bennett is a co-founder of the CFA Institute Women in Investment Management initiative and the CFA Institute Global Research Challenge of the Southwest. She is a board member of the Wright Fund Oversight Board at Rice University and serves on the Advisory Council of Executives (ACEs) at the Bill Greehey School of Business at St. Mary’s University. Ms. Bennett received her BS in economics from Texas A&M University.

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Breakout Session 1 - 9:40-10:40 a.m.

• Money Management

  Learn real world strategies for managing your cash flow so that you know where your money is going and you are not caught short when emergencies happen. Also to better understand you credit score, you need to know what it entails and how to maintain it.

  Presenters:

  1. Al Coleman, Community Affairs Specialist, FDIC
  2. Susan Kizer, Economic Education Coordinator, Federal Reserve Bank, Houston Branch
• Buying the Right Insurance (P&C, HO, Auto, etc.)

  Getting the best bang for your buck on every policy you buy: Return on Risk (ROR) and 3 Tips for Buying Insurance That Pays: Know Your Risk, Know Your Options, and Know Your Rights. This workshop will also cover: Risk Management 101, Liability Review, Three Homeowners Insurance Essentials, Three Auto Insurance Coverages to Understand and Three Mistakes to avoid at all costs.

  Presenter:

  1. Jim Munchbach, Professor, University of Houston C. T. Bauer College of Business
• Budgeting for Life After Graduation: A Reality Check for College Students

  This workshop from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) focuses on managing money to ensure a bright future after college. Topics include connecting income and career, understanding a monthly budget breakdown, managing money, and establishing a savings habit. NOTE: This workshop requires access to computers and the Internet. Students will have the opportunity to research careers and income and use a variety of calculators to enhance their learning.

  Presenter:

  1. Jacqueline Walker, Financial Literacy Counselor, University of Houston
• Money Behaviors and Emotional Spending

  How companies, marketing and how we think about money makes us spend more than we want to. Have you ever walked into the grocery store with a list of five things, only to walk out with twelve and not getting everything on your original list? Why do we spend more when we use our credit or debit card? How come five $20 bills disappear from our wallet much faster than a $100 bill? We will explore these questions and more as we look into how our emotions and past behaviors direct how we are spending our money.

  Presenter:

  1. Richard Simonds, MSW, BCC of THRIVE Services

Breakout Session 2 - 10:50 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.

• Money Management

  Learn real world strategies for managing your cash flow so that you know where your money is going and you are not caught short when emergencies happen. Also to better understand you credit score, you need to know what it entails and how to maintain it.

  Presenters:

  1. Al Coleman, Community Affairs Specialist, FDIC
  2. Susan Kizer, Economic Education Coordinator, Federal Reserve Bank, Houston Branch
• Building and Protecting Your Credit

  To better understand your credit score, you need to know what it entails and how to maintain it.

  Presenter:

  1. Ben Keel, Certified Financial Advisor
• First Day on the Job

  Your first day at your new job is an exciting, yet sometimes stressful time. You will be asked to sign many documents which allow you to participate in not only the company’s benefits package, (health insurance, life insurance, retirement plans, stock purchase plans, and others), but also communicate to your employer know how much you wish to withhold from your salary to pay federal income taxes. Ultimately, your goal is to make the best decision for you and your financial future; but that can be difficult if you do not know all the details! This workshop will overview new hire documentation and provide you with a general knowledge of what to expect, and how to enroll in benefits tailored to your goals.

  Presenter:

  1. John Lopez, Clinical Associate Professor of Finance, University of Houston
     C. T. Bauer College of Business
• Budgeting for Life After Graduation: A Reality Check for College Students

  This workshop from the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) focuses on managing money to ensure a bright future after college. Topics include connecting income and career, understanding a monthly budget breakdown, managing money, and establishing a savings habit. NOTE: This workshop requires access to computers and the Internet. Students will have the opportunity to research careers and income and use a variety of calculators to enhance their learning.

  Presenter:

  1. Jacqueline Walker, Financial Literacy Counselor, University of Houston

BREAK - 11:50 a.m. - Noon

Breakout Session 3 - Noon - 12:50 p.m.

• Evaluating and Negotiating a Job Offer

  To teach students how to effectively negotiate a salary and to evaluate a benefits package which is offered by an employer.

  Presenters:

  1. John Lopez, Clinical Associate Professor of Finance, University of Houston
     C. T. Bauer College of Business
  2. Amanda Ware, Career Development Specialist, University of Houston
     C. T. Bauer College of Business

One-on-One Financial Consultations

The Financial Planning Association is offering One-on-One Financial Consultations as a part of the Spring 2018 Financial Symposium!

All topics that are involved in developing a financial plan (budgeting, debt management, credit issues, saving, investing, retirement, college funding, tax planning, estate planning, financial recovery employee benefits, etc.) can be discussed. These sessions are at no cost to the participant, with no strings attached, and no sales pitch involved.

Who: Financial Planning Association (FPA) Professionals
When: April 7, 2018 during Financial Symposium Breakout Sessions from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
What: Private, confidential 20 minute sessions
Where: Meeting rooms in Cemo Hall