Don Blandin named by Next Avenue as one of Top 50 “2016 Influencers in Aging”
WASHINGTON, D.C. & ST. PAUL, MN. – October 27, 2016 – Don M. Blandin, president and CEO of the Investor Protection Trust (IPT) and the Investor Protection Institute (IPI), is being honored by Next Avenue as one of its 50 “2016 Influencers in Aging,” a list that includes advocates, researchers, thought leaders, innovators, writers and experts at the forefront of changing how Americans age and think about aging. Next Avenue is public media’s first and only digital publication dedicated to covering issues for people 50 and older.
Blandin was appointed president and CEO of the Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education, in June 2004. Founded in 1993, The Investor Protection Trust works both nationwide and on a grassroots level to provide independent objective investor education needed by all Americans to make informed investment decisions. As president of IPT, he works frequently with state securities regulators on programs to help Americans of all ages become wise and safe investors.
Blandin’s achievements at IPT and IPI include: the “When I’m 65” television program produced by Detroit Public Television; the national Elder Investment Fraud and Financial Exploitation (EIFFE) Prevention Program, in partnership with North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA); the Financial Field Manual: A Personal Finance Guide For Military Families in partnership with Kiplinger’s Personal Finance; the Investor Education in Your Community® program; the MoneyTrack public television series; The Campaign for Wise and Safe Investing® in partnership with the AARP Foundation, and “The Basics of Saving and Investing: Investor Education 2020,” a personal teaching guide for high school and adult educators.
Blandin said: “I am honored to see the important work of the Investor Protection Trust and the Investor Protection Institute being recognized as making a major difference in the lives of older Americans and many others. It is a privilege to be able to work each day to do something meaningful that can improve the circumstances of so many elder and young savers and investors. Our mission is to make sure that investors are savvier by equipping them with the knowledge and resources they need to thrive.”
“This is a transformative time in which millions of Americans are redefining what it means to grow old. It is a quiet revolution,” said Susan Donley, managing director of Next Avenue. “This year’s list uncovers a range of leaders who have made exceptional contributions to that sea change. Next Avenue is proud to honor and celebrate these men and women, and their remarkable work.”
The Next Avenue list of honorees cover each of the five areas that Next Avenue covers: Health & Well-Being, Caregiving, Money & Security, Work & Purpose and Living & Learning. Other 2016 honorees include: MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Anne Basting, whose improvisational storytelling and creative expression promotes well-being in older adults with cognitive impairment; television producer/writer Norman Lear, who has become an outspoken critic of all forms of ageism; Sarita Gupta, co-founder of Caring Across Generations and advocate for government policies supporting home care workers; Phyllis Borzi, the person in charge of the Employee Benefits Security Administration for the U.S. Department of Labor; and many others whose tireless work and passion change what it means to grow older in America. For a complete list of honorees and further information about Next Avenue’s “2016 Influencers in Aging,” go to www.nextavenue.org/influencers.
Don Blandin has worked in and with a wide variety of sectors, including business and industry; nonprofit; academia and philanthropic foundations; and federal, state and local government, both in the U.S. and globally. He has been building coalitions and partnerships for more than four decades. Recent awards bestowed on Blandin include the 2011 BBB International Torch Award for Consumer Leadership from the Council of Better Business Bureaus and the 2010 Heart of Financial Planning Award from the Financial Planning Association.
Prior to assuming his current leadership role at IPT and IPI, he was president of the American Savings Education Council (ASEC). While at ASEC from 1996 to 2004, Blandin undertook multiple initiatives to raise public awareness regarding what it takes to instill long-term personal financial independence. He was an appointed delegate to both the 1998 and 2002 White House/Congressional National Summits on Retirement Savings, hosted by the President and Congressional leaders. Blandin is a founding member and the first national director of Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honorary society for public administration.
ABOUT THE GROUPS
Next Avenue describes itself as: “Public media’s first and only national service for America’s booming 50+ population. Our mission is to meet the needs and unleash the potential of older Americans through the power of media. We do this by providing information and advice to help our audience navigate their lives and inviting them to join in an ongoing conversation about the issues and transitions we all face. Twin Cities PBS produces Next Avenue for the PBS system. Over 35 million people have visited nextavenue.org since we launched in 2012.” For more information, visit www.nextavenue.org.
The Investor Protection Trust is a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education. More than half of all Americans are now invested in the securities markets, making investor education and protection vitally important. Since 1993 the Investor Protection Trust has worked with the states and at the national level to provide the independent, objective investor education needed by all Americans to make informed investment decisions. The Investor Protection Trust strives to keep all Americans on the right money track. For more information, visit http://www.investorprotection.org.
The Investor Protection Institute is an independent nonprofit organization that advances investor protection by conducting and supporting unbiased research and groundbreaking education programs. IPI serves as an independent source of unbiased and non-commercial investor education and protection materials. For more information, visit http://www.iInvest.org.
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