SPIRE Credit Union Helps Teach High School Students Financial Lessons
May 31, 2017
Falcon Heights, MN - Dan Stoltz, President and CEO of SPIRE Credit Union, received the 2017 Outstanding Marketing Executive of the Year Award at the recent DECA State Conference Grand Awards Ceremony. Stoltz now joins a distinguished group of past award recipients, including: Curtis L. Carlson, Carl Pohlad, Marvin Schwann, Rudy Boschwitz, Leeann Chin, Skip Humphrey, Governor Ventura, Lorie Line, Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett.
Stoltz was honored because of SPIRE’s participation with Elk River High School (ERHS) on the Future Finance Academy program. In a collaborative effort between ERHS DECA students and SPIRE staff, an event was developed to educate high school students, on the brink of entering adulthood, on how to become financially literate. The results of this program were astounding. On day 1 where students completed the pre-test, an average of 38% of the 72 students answered the questions correctly. On day 4, this number increased to 90.93% of students answering correctly; a 190.93% increase in financial knowledge.
As SPIRE’s President and CEO, Dan Stoltz ensures strength and stability for the sixteen-branch credit union, holding assets of $935+ million and 93,000+ members. He has been with SPIRE since 1999, starting as the Chief Financial Officer prior to becoming the President/CEO in 2010. Under Stoltz’s leadership, SNL Financial rated SPIRE the top performing credit union in Minnesota and 15th nationally in early 2015. Additionally, in 2015 Stoltz was bestowed with the highest honor within the Minnesota Credit Union Industry, Professional of the Year.
“I am absolutely honored to receive the award for Marketing Excellence and incredibly humbled to join this group of Minnesota heroes,” says Stoltz, “I appreciate DECA’s contributions in developing future leaders, and I am ever-grateful for being recognized by this prestigious organization.”
About SPIRE Credit Union: SPIRE Credit Union has been proudly serving Minnesota and Wisconsin residents since 1934, and is a full-service financial institution committed to providing smart products, great rates and excellent service for both personal and business members. SPIRE has 16 branches across the metro and throughout northern Minnesota.
About DECA: DECA is a student organization whose goal is to develop future leaders in marketing, merchandising, management and entrepreneurship. There are over 2,500 members in the High School Division of Minnesota DECA, and we are part of a national organization with 160,000 members across the country.