Tucked into the suitcase Jeff Wozniak carries every day is a note from a student at Hmong American Peace Academy. Unprovoked, the student handed Wozniak the card after a Money Sense session a few years ago, to thank the volunteer for teaching him about budgets, banks “and a little bit about the economy.”

Wozniak, 53, a relationship manager with institutional retirement and trust at Wells Fargo, said the note from the student reminds him of the power that comes from learning about personal finance – and the problems that can come without it. It’s also a connection to the dozens of lessons and hundreds of students – at schools ranging from HAPA and JMAC to Banner Prep and Port Washington H.S., where he taught his own daughter – Wozniak has been involved with as a SecureFutures volunteer since 2013.

“For me, I think the kids have probably taught me more than I’ve taught them from the standpoint of the social and economic challenges that a number of them face,” Wozniak said.

With that compassionate dedication toward teen financial literacy, SecureFutures is proud to announce Jeff Wozniak as the 2017 Lloyd Levin Difference Maker. (Wozniak is pictured above during his award acceptance talk at the 2017 Appreciation Reception.) The Difference Maker Award is chosen by our organization’s leadership to recognize one volunteer’s exceptional commitment to teens in our community.

“Jeff is the definition of a ‘difference maker.’ He is just one of those volunteers that offers his time with students with such and eagerness and vigor,” said Brenda Campbell, President and CEO, SecureFutures. “His personal drive to share financial knowledge with people young and old is a boon to untold numbers of people in southeastern Wisconsin.”

Wozniak said he was “humbled” by the award. Whether it’s in financial education or something else, he encouraged others to get involved in the lives of the people in their community.

“I think all of us have a passion for something,” he said. “Everyone should take advantage of that passion and find an organization to which they can give back.”