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Piper Jaffray News Releases
MINNEAPOLIS -January 16, 2003 - U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray (Piper Jaffray) today announced a national campaign to educate children about the importance of saving and investing. The firm has partnered with "Lucky the Goose," an interactive cartoon character created by a creative Piper Jaffray financial advisor, in the launch of an interactive Web-site, www.lucky529.com. The site engages children through interactive games, printable materials, cartoons and an online book, while teaching them about money and saving. The "Lucky" curriculum will also be incorporated into Piper Jaffray's activities in support of the American Bankers Association "Teach Children to Save Day," where hundreds of Piper Jaffray brokers visit schools across the country to talk to kids about saving and investing.
"Children today are surrounded with 'spend now, save later' messages from many sources," said Andrew Duff, president and chief executive officer of Piper Jaffray. "The Lucky site is one of several financial education programs we've developed to help children begin to understand and appreciate the importance of saving, the power of compound interest and the history of currency."
In addition to helping children to save their own money, parents can also help children get a good start in life by saving early for their children's future. The Web-site includes a college savings calculator and offers links for parents to information on college savings plans. Piper Jaffray has also designated and trained financial advisors in every Piper Jaffray market to be 529 savings plan specialists.
"The cost of college -- which has demonstrated to be one of the best investments parents can make in their child's future -- has skyrocketed. Last year college tuition rose 7.7 percent and the cost is expected to outpace inflation for years to come," said Paul Grangaard, president of the Private Advisory Services division. "We believe we can make a difference in preparing the next generation by reaching out to families and communities with basic financial guidance."
If you would like more information about 529 college savings plans go to www.piperjaffray.com or call 800-333-6000.
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp
is focused securities firm comprised of three divisions: Equity Capital Markets,
Fixed Income Capital Markets and Private Advisory Services. The firm provides
a full range of investment products and services to individuals, institutions
and businesses. The firm has over 120 offices in 23 states across the country.
The Equity Capital Markets Division focuses on the needs of growth companies
in the health care, technology, financial institutions, consumer and communications
growth sectors. The firm has a national reputation for its expertise in fundamental
research and equity and debt financing. The Fixed Income Capital Markets business
provides bond issuers, individual investors and institutional investors expertise
in investment banking, underwriting, trading, sales and research. The firm offers
innovative solutions in corporate and government debt financings with particular
expertise in corporate, health care/hospitals, real estate, higher education
and government debt. The Private Advisory Services division financial advisors
provide guidance in retirement planning, education planning, estate planning
and wealth accumulation. Investors select from a wide array of products, including
fee-based products, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, insurance and trust
services. U.S. Bancorp offers a comprehensive range of financial solutions through
U.S. Bank, U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, U.S. Bancorp Investments and U.S.
Bancorp Piper Jaffray. Securities products and services offered through U.S.
Bancorp Piper Jaffray, Inc., member SIPC and NYSE, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S.
Bancorp. For more information on U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, visit www.piperjaffray.com.
Non-deposit investment products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits
or other obligations of or guaranteed by U.S. Bank National Association or its
affiliates, and involve investment risks, including possible loss of the principal
amount invested.