IPA-IBA President Speaks with Students at Operation Hope Event

Buffalo Grove, IL, November 02, 2007 --(PR.com)-- International Profit Associates (IPA-IBA) President and Operation Hope Representative Gregg Steinberg, recently spoke with and taught a group of 7th grade students at Bethune Elementary School in Chicago as part of Operation Hope’s “Banking On Our Future” program (BOOF).

On October 13, Steinberg and other Operation Hope volunteers discussed how the world of banks and finance impact the student’s futures, the importance of both earning and saving money, how to establish good credit and create a budget.

The school that hosted the BOOF event is named after Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator and school founder who served as an unofficial advisor on African-American issues to presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. She was born to parents who had grown up as slaves and was the only one of 17 children in her family to go to school. After attending bible college in Chicago, she dedicated herself to educating others. She worked in Georgia and South Carolina, then founded Florida's Daytona Normal and Industrial Institute for Girls in 1904. The school merged with the Cookman Institute for Men in 1923 and became Bethune-Cookman College, one of the few black colleges in the country. A firm believer in education as a path to racial equality, Bethune focused on vocational education and social activism and became a worldwide public figure.

The Operation Hope program provides financial education for students ages 9-18 at no cost to school districts. Twenty-two International Profit Associates employees are currently engaged in a volunteer process which involves furthering students’ financial educations. IPA volunteers will be instructing Lake County youth for one hour, four times per month.

The BOOF program consists of four modules: (1) Basics of Banking and Financial Services; (2) Checking and Savings Accounts; (3) The Power of Credit; and (4) Basic Investments.

Operation HOPE, Inc. (OHI) is a non-profit, public benefit organization. OHI was founded immediately following the civil conflict that took place in Los Angeles April 19, 1992. One of OHI’s goals is to serve as a bridge between mainstream and minority communities by promoting the development of inner-city and under-served communities. Through numerous public/private partnerships and strategic alliances, OHI has developed various programs like BOOF which seek to connect the minority community with mainstream, private sector resources. For more information, please visit www.operationhope.org.

International Profit Associates, Inc. (IPA-IBA), the largest privately held management consulting and professional services firm for small and medium size businesses in North America, is a leading authority on small business. With more than $250,000,000 in annual revenues, IPA-IBA is the 6th largest management consulting company in Chicago and the 61st largest consulting company in the world. IPA-IBA offers a wide range of proven and innovative methodologies to help businesses grow and prosper. International Profit Associates and its alliance partners, including Integrated Business Analysis, Inc. (IBA), International Tax Advisors, Inc. (ITA), Accountancy Associates, LLC (AAL) and IPA Advisory & Intermediary Services, LLC (IPA A&I), provide comprehensive business advisory services and tax strategies to companies in the United States, Canada and other locations worldwide. Additional information is immediately available by visiting http://www.ipa-iba.com, http://www.iba-usa.net, http://www.internationaltaxadvisors.com, http://www.accountancyassoc.com, and http://www.aiservices.com. The Public Relations Department may be contacted at: telephone (847) 495-6786; facsimile (847) 495-6773.

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