News Release
Aug. 27, 2007
Mortgage, credit
squeeze highlights UW conference importance
A
mortgage crunch and tightening credit affecting
possibly millions underscore the importance of
the “Money Matter$: 2007 Consumer Issues
Conference” Sept. 26-27 in the Wyoming Union on
the University of Wyoming campus.
“The movie ‘Maxed
Out’ released in March, which will be shown
as part of the conference, may have been ahead
of its time,” said Dee Pridgen,
a professor in the UW
College of Law and one of the conference
planners. “The message is that overuse of credit
by consumers for both credit cards and subprime
mortgages may cause a crisis. Well, that seems
to be happening now.”
The film will be
shown at 7:30 p.m. at the Arts & Sciences
Auditorium on Wednesday, Sept. 26, and is free
and open to the public.
Writer/director/producer James Scurlock will be
at the film’s showing and is also a presenter at
the conference.
Recognized experts
on personal finance, credit and financial safety
will be at the conference.
"Many Wyoming
families are struggling because of fees and
charges on their credit cards, high interest on
payday loans, mortgage problems and information
privacy issues,” said Wyoming First Lady Nancy
Freudenthal, who is also an attorney. “Consumers
across the region can learn how to protect
themselves and their families and learn how to
influence changes in public policy by attending
this conference."
Pridgen said the
conference will provide invaluable information
on credit cards, credit scores, bankruptcy, debt
collection and ID theft, investment and
retirement, among other issues.
“Not only will the
conference address how consumers can protect
themselves, but the speakers and participants
will examine whether policy changes are needed
to protect consumers and curb abuses in the
consumer credit industry,” said Pridgen. “The
current subprime mortgage crisis illustrates the
dire need for this type of information and
discussion.”
The conference
features sessions at a variety of levels, she
said. Adults, youths, senior citizens,
professionals and policy makers are welcome.
Professional credits are available.
A full
day of workshops Thursday at the Wyoming Union
starts with UW President Tom Buchanan and
conference committee co-chairs Pridgen and
Virginia Vincenti providing the welcome.
Vincenti is a professor in the Department of
Family and Consumer Sciences in the UW College
of Agriculture.
Keynote
speakers include Jeanne Hogarth and Nancy Smith.
Hogarth is manager for the Consumer Education
and Research Section of the Division of Consumer
and Community Affairs at the Federal Reserve
Board. Smith is vice president of investment
services at AARP Financial.
Concurrent sessions are presented in three
separate time slots. Each session has a
different speaker with a different topic.
Full
program and conference information is available
at the conference Web site
www.uwyo.edu/consumerconference. Early
registration ends Sept. 13. General registration
costs $45; seniors are $35, and students are
free.
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Audio File:
Dee Pridgen commenting upon conference
opportunities
Contact:
Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor
Phone: (307) 766-6342
E-mail:
slmiller@uwyo.edu
Archived News Site
http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/UWAG/news.asp
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