Pub. 2 2012-2013 Issue 1

18 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S FEATURE ARTICLE “Twenty-five years brings exciting news and a big celebration. Young Americans Bank is set to open its first bank branch on the Denver Public Schools Evie Dennis Campus in Green Valley Ranch.” Young Americans Bank 25th Anniversary W ith an average customer age of 13 and a third of savings accounts with bal- ances less than $100, Young Americans Bank is not your normal bank. It has established itself as a Denver institution by focusing on educating youth age 22 and under to be financially successful. This unique approach includes lowered deposit writing counters to accommodate younger customers, and step-up stools at each teller station to ensure that even the youngest customers can work face-to-face with tell- ers. While the bank has a distinctive mis- sion to educate kids and young adults about personal finance, it is nonetheless a real state-chartered, FDIC-insured institution that must comply with all regulations, just like its adult counterparts. This real-world experience for thousands of youth would not be possible without one man: Bill Daniels. A cable mogul and life-long entrepreneur, Mr. Daniels was a man of deep integrity and strong ethics. He believed that America’s free enterprise system is the great- est in the world, and the youngest generation needs to learn about that system and be active participants. In October 1984, Mr. Daniels read an ar- ticle in the Denver Post about a fifth grade  25th Anniversary  continued on page 20