Military Saves National Partners Committee Meeting

19 June 2008

State Dept Federal Credit Union, Alexandria VA

Committee Members Present:

Sarah A. Shirley, Director, Military Saves

Julie Kyrazis, Assistant Director, Military Saves

Kathleen McTighe, American Bankers Association

John Rasmus, American Bankers Association (Ret.)

Javier Sanchez, National Association of Federal Credit Unions

Kelly Hruska, National Military Family Association

Ed Koziol,InCharge

Sandra Gregory, American Society of Military Comptrollers

The meeting began at 10:00.

  1. Introductions were made around the room.Cathy McTigheis the new ABA Military Saves contact and Kelly Hruska is the new National Military Family Association POC. John Rasmus (Ret.) from ABA also came for the meeting.
  1. The committee resumed the discussion on partner prospects and targeting recruitment of organizations based on the new quarterly themes. Suggestions were made about looking at products that partners can bring to the table and metrics that we can produce. We also discussed branding products and what we can put together that is actionable and what sales material we need. Because of the different types of potential partners involved, there is no “one size fits all”. We discussed creating a “licensing agreement” to use the logo and working with organizations to customize programs that they can offer to Military Saves.
  1. We also need to make a change from our default position which is providing financial literacy.
  1. The partners discussed what they could do individually to promote the Military Saves Campaign. Ed Koziol suggested that In-Charge could put something on their homepage promoting Military Saves.
  1. Based on some feedback from a senior editor of US News and World Report, who reported at the Savings Forum, we need to focus on success stories because they are personal and have greater impact and we need to have interactive material.Success stories should be formatted as a case study illustrating the processes organizations use to identify ways to promote America/Military Saves.
  1. Some questions were raised about who we can recruit as a partner. We also stressed that we should invite existing organizations to promote the campaign within their own organizations as a way to be of service to your own constituents.
  1. The group decided that a quarterly package be put together that would include:
  • Messages
  • Success Stories
  • A Call to Action

The package would include information for organizations to promote the “saves” message on the daily, weekly and monthly basis.

Themes would include:

  • Q1 – Save & Invest
  • Q2 – Military Youth
  • Q3 – Retirement
  • Q4 – Debt Reduction

Each of the Partners could send to their “circles of influence”.

  1. We also discussed distributing material to the Military Coalition.
  1. There was a discussion about Financial Institutions and the message of savings versus discounts and loans versus reality.
  1. There was good feedback on the newsletter and Javier volunteered to gather information to forward to Julie. Success stories should be sent to Julie at or . Sarah can also be reached at or .
  1. The next meeting will be from 10am to noon at FINRA on 18 September 2008.

The meeting adjourned at 1200.