The Nationwide On Your Side® Tour has stopped in Columbus, Ohio; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Richmond, Virginia; and on June 28 reached another major city"”Atlanta, Georgia. The On Your Side® Tour features consumer advocate and syndicated talk show host Tavis Smiley. Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, (Nationwide) one of the country's largest insurance and financial services organizations, the tour helps people learn about ways to empower themselves and enhance their financial future. The event, held at the Westin Hotel on Peachtree, is part of an exclusive partnership between The Smiley Group and Nationwide.
"It is helpful for consumers to establish a strong conviction of taking the steps to foster economic empowerment and brighten their financial future," said James Lyski, chief marketing officer for Nationwide. "By partnering with Tavis Smiley, we're engaging the community in very important dialogue regarding financial planning and financial responsibility."
At today's event, Smiley connected his personal experience and viewpoint to help participants clearly see their role in the journey toward economic empowerment and financial freedom. "It's looking at the uncertainties of life and taking the steps to better prepare yourself for those things that you can't predict, while doing something about those moments when life changes," Smiley said.
The event also brought community partners together to discuss the need for greater financial literacy and the empowerment that comes with it. The tour included several workshops designed to help individuals better understand the role of insurance, the need for strong financial planning, and recruitment of sales agents and employees. The final tour stop for 2008 is November 8 in Dallas, Texas.
"This has been a successful launch of the five-city tour with Nationwide," says Smiley. "The work is important and the conversation is relevant. Nationwide is making the tools and resources available. Their interest in our continuous efforts, derived from The Covenant, with financial literacy, wealth development and economic empowerment made sense for us to collaborate."
The partnership between Nationwide and TSG bridges two groups together with a commitment to help consumers protect their investment and prepare for the future by offering a broad range of insurance and financial service products and solutions.
"Knowledge is power and can provide families and individuals of all social and economic backgrounds the keys to a brighter future," says Terrance Williams, regional vice president for Nationwide's southern states. "This partnership provides the community access to tools and resources that will help them take control of their financial future. That is the first step to economic empowerment," Williams said.
"The Atlanta Urban League has witnessed the positive results of a partnership with Nationwide. We have been engaged with them on issues such as financial literacy and insurance education for our continuants," said Fred Daniels, board chairman of the Atlanta Urban League. "The relationship with Tavis is positive in that Nationwide is using its resources to educate consumers about financial planning and the uncertainties that occur in our country. It is a proactive approach to a positive outcome," Daniels said.
The partnership between Nationwide and TSG also includes sponsorship of Smiley's PBS television program as a provider of property & casualty insurance products and national sponsorship of the 2009 State of the Black Union event to be held next February in Los Angeles.
About Tavis Smiley and the Tavis Smiley Group
Smiley, who started his career as an aide to the late Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, also offers political commentary twice weekly on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show. In addition, he has authored eleven books. Smiley made publishing history when the book he edited, the Covenant with Black America reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His latest is What I Know For Sure: My Story of Growing up in America (Doubleday). 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 diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, with more than $161 billion in assets. Nationwide ranks #108 on the Fortune 500 list. The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, 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 federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.