avg_rating: 3.76
name: Neale S. Godfrey
about: Neale started her career at The Chase Manhattan Bank, in 1972 and became one of the first female bankers in the industry. She than became President of The First Women’s Bank. While there, she noticed that her own small children thought “money grew on trees” and she then looked for books to teach them about money. There were none. So, Neale opened up a real bank for kids at FAO Schwarz in New York City and worked as a founding member to open up the Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship, in Harlem teaching underserved kids how to start a business. Both were a huge success.The next step was to start writing books for kids and their parents to teach them to become money savvy. But since it wasn’t a topic that existed, the publishing companies we Neale started her career at The Chase Manhattan Bank, in 1972 and became one of the first female bankers in the industry. She than became President of The First Women’s Bank. While there, she noticed that her own small children thought “money grew on trees” and she then looked for books to teach them about money. There were none. So, Neale opened up a real bank for kids at FAO Schwarz in New York City and worked as a founding member to open up the Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship, in Harlem teaching underserved kids how to start a business. Both were a huge success.The next step was to start writing books for kids and their parents to teach them to become money savvy. But since it wasn’t a topic that existed, the publishing companies were not willing to take a risk. So, Neale marshaled a leverage buy-out of a publishing company under the proviso that they would publish her first book. They did (of course, she was Chairman of the Board, so it wasn’t a stretch!). Neale created the Green$treets kids cartoon characters in order to entertain and educate kids. That first book, The Kids’ Money Book, was a success and that paved the way for Simon &amp; Schuster to sign her up for her first adult book. With help from Oprah (Neale has appeared 13 times on Oprah), Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees: A Parent’s Guide To Raising Financially Responsible Children, soared to #1 on The New York Times, Best Seller’s List.Today Neale has 26 books and financial literacy and ecological lessons for pre-school through high school. Neale reaches app. 2,000,000 parents and their kids via her programs. She is proud to be working with about 200,000 youth of military personnel, 110,000 youth of the National Urban League, 25,000 youth in the YWCA, and countless others. Neale also has STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs via the ECO-Effect™: The Greening of Money, book and web site. Visit www.ECO-Effect.net to teach your kids to save money and resources…and plant trees!!Neale sits on the Board of the US Committee for UN Women. She has been honored with such awards as: “Woman of the Year”, “Banker of the Year”, “Child Advocate of the Year”, 50 Best Women in Business. She is also proud to assist our Wounded Warriors and their families and Vets, who have served our country through: EBV – Entrepreneurial Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, V-Wise – Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship, Give-An-Hour and the Community Blueprint. She is a member of YPO/WPO and is the proud mother of two amazing children and 2 even more amazing grandchildren. ...more