News Release

Contact Information

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 7, 2003

Contact Rebecca Reid at 202-342-2922

ACEC Recruits Fran D. Counihan as Executive Director

Washington, D.C. (April 4, 2003) – Fran D. Counihan has been hired to serve as executive director of Americans for Consumer Education and Competition (ACEC). “As executive director of the nationwide financial literacy advocate nonprofit organization, she will oversee its day-to-day activities,” announced Susan Molinari, ACEC national chairperson and former congresswoman from New York.

“Fran brings the leadership, experience and talent necessary to help take ACEC to the next level in its mission to improve financial literacy among America’s youth and promote products and services to help consumers manage their money effectively,” said Ms. Molinari. “We have ambitious plans in the coming months to step-up efforts to increase consumer knowledge of tools to help budget financial resources and to protect consumers from the ever-increasing threat of identity theft,” she said.

“As ACEC’s Founder, it is with great confidence that I welcome Fran to the organization,” stated Michael Canning, board member and founder of the three-year-old nonprofit group headquartered in Washington, D.C. “Fran’s public relations and administrative skills, along with her experience in public awareness campaigns, brings a rich mix of talent to ACEC’s daily operations.”

Prior to joining ACEC, Ms. Counihan was the director of Communications for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the deputy director of Public Affairs for the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, vice president of Public Relations and Marketing for Anne Arundel Health Systems, associate vice president for Communications at Fallston General Hospital and director of Public Information for the National and International R. P. Foundation Fighting Blindness. She also worked as a television anchor and reporter for Scripps Howard Broadcasting.

ACEC is one of the nation’s leaders in the pursuit of financial literacy for America’s youth and is an advocate of consumer education and competition in the marketplace. ACEC has spearheaded financial literacy efforts in twelve states and was a leading proponent of the “No Child Left Behind” act passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2002. The new law provides states with funds to establish financial literacy programs in schools. For more information on ACEC log on to its website at www.acecusa.org.