Huntington, W.Va. —The Financial Stability Partnership of the River Cities, an initiative of United Way of the River Cities, will host Ron Hatfield and Rich Fleisher from the West Virginia University Extension Service.

Hatfield and Fleisher will present an overview of an adult financial education program, “Financial Fortress: Build a Wall Around Your Family That Nothing Can Penetrate.”

Financial Fortress is a personal and family financial management program that focuses on engaging proper financial management habits and behaviors through budgeting, debt reduction, savings, and entry-level investing.

Participants learn about many concepts, including Spring Shower Funds, Zero-Sum Budgeting, and Debt Tsunamis!

The program is available for student level session and train-the-trainer sessions for certification through WVU Extension.

Hatfield is a licensed attorney and has been engaged in personal financial management counseling for nearly 20 years in the insurance, real estate, and legal arenas. He operates Hatfield Legal Services providing counseling and representation to West Virginians in many areas, including estate planning, family law, and bankruptcy.

He is currently serving as the Family Financial Management Specialist and Assistant Professor for the WVU Extension Service. Ron earned his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia Institute of Technology and received his MBA and JD from WVU. He is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF).

Fleisher has worked for WVU since 1979. He is an extension specialist and associate professor for poverty and global education. He is co-chair of WVU Extension’s Global Education Team, and co-principal investigator for the West Virginia Children, Youth, and Families at-Risk (CYFAR) Afterschool Project.

He teaches graduate classes for teachers on increasing capacity to work with Hispanic and low-income students and families.

Ha has conducted poverty simulations and poverty workshops throughout West Virginia and in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for students, educators, health and social agency professionals, and government and community leaders.

He is the founder of The Regalos Elizabeth Fund, a non-profit foundation that provides emergency grant assistance to low-income Hispanics in West Virginia.

The Financial Fortress presentation will be held in the Nancy L. Francis Conference Room of the United Way of the River Cities on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. (820 Madison Ave., Huntington, W.Va). There is ample parking in the rear of the building.

The meeting will be open to the public. No reservation required.