Tavis Smiley and Nationwide Insurance Announce 2009 On Your Side^® Tour Stops

Free workshops focus on economic empowerment and providing family security

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2009

Contact:

Nationwide

Gayle Saunders 614-249-3687
saundee4@nationwide.com

TSG

Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati 215-888-467
vlloydsgam@aol.com

Columbus, Ohio — Tavis Smiley and Nationwide Insurance announced today the 2009 On Your Side^® Tour will include free financial empowerment workshops inWashington, DC, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Charlotte and Charleston, SC.

The need to address financial literacy – especially among African-American households – is highlighted in a new survey commissioned by The Smiley Group and Nationwide Insurance. The survey shows a disconnect between African-Americans’ attitudes and actions when it comes to personal financial and retirement planning.

The survey of 1,200 participants reveals 58 percent of African-Americans expect their household finances to improve a year from now, compared to only 30 percent of the general population sharing similar optimism. The survey also reveals the majority of African-American respondents acknowledge they are not taking deliberate actions to better their financial circumstances:

• Less than half say they are proactive about their financial future
• 3 in 4 say they do not have a written financial plan
• 1 in 3 say they don’t know where to start when it comes to personal financial and investment planning
  

“It’s one thing to be positive, but it’s another to be practical, proactive and prepared to weather this difficult economic climate,” said Tavis Smiley. “This survey reveals the critical need for an honest assessment of our financial status and these workshops help ensure that we are taking the steps necessary to safeguard the future for ourselves, our families and the next generation.”

The On Your Side^® Tour with Tavis Smiley is a series of free events open to the public that focus on economic empowerment and providing family security. The sessions feature a keynote speech by Smiley, three informational seminars with breakout sessions for group participation and other information about protecting what matters to you most, employment opportunities and more. The dates for the 2009 Tavis Smiley On Your Side^® Tourare:

• June 6 in Washington, DC
• August 15 in Philadelphia, PA
• September 19 in Sacramento, CA
• October 10 in Charlotte, NC
• October 24 in Charleston, SC

Hungry for Information

African-Americans – even though most don’t have a formal advisor or plan – responded they had a greater interest than the general population in obtaining financial planning information from seminars, a financial advisor, an insurance agent, family/friends or television.

“This study is encouraging because it says that, despite the economic downturn, there is a strong desire in many households to seek advice and information to overcome the immediate financial challenges and plan for long-term dreams like college and retirement,” said Jim Lyski, Nationwide’s executive vice president of Marketing. “We’re going to these five cities to help because Nationwide shares Tavis Smiley’s passion about empowering people with information and resources that can help them plan for a brighter future and protect what matters most to each household.”

About the survey

This national, online survey was conducted in January 2009 by the Blackstone Group. A Web panel was used to collect national data for 1,200 respondents split into two sample groups, General Population, ages 18+ (n=600) and African-Americans, ages 18+ (n=600). The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent.

About Tavis Smiley and The Smiley Group
Broadcaster Tavis Smiley is an author, philanthropist and host of Tavis Smiley on PBS and The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI (Public Radio International). Smiley has authored 14 books and made publishing history when the book he edited, Covenant with Black America reached No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His latest is Accountable: Making America as Good as Its Promise. The Smiley Group, Inc. is a communications corporation established in support of human rights and related empowerment issues. TSG serves as the holding company for various enterprises encompassing broadcast and print media, lectures, symposiums and the Internet. For more information, visit www.tavistalks.com.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S.and is rated A+ by A.M. Best. The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

^{Nationwide, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.}