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Representatives from nine financial institutions, including Mountain America Credit Union CEO Sterling Nielsen, rang the opening bell Monday at the New York Stock Exchange.

The nine were celebrating the NYSE's Financial Literacy Week, which is observed during National Financial Literacy Month.

Mountain America and the other financial institutions were honored recently by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Society for Human Resource Management for providing education programs for their employees that are designed to help improve personal and financial well-being. The nine winning organizations were selected from more than 300 applicants.

"I'm honored to be invited along with the other award recipients to kick off Financial Literacy Week," Nielsen said in a statement. "Mountain America Credit Union is committed to financial education for our employees, our members and the communities we live in."

According to a statement from the organizers, "The winning companies stood out because their financial education programs showed results, innovation, effective tactics and a significant scope in increasing employee financial wellness.

"The nine winners represent corporate, not-for-profit and government sectors."

Mountain America provides a free course for employees, "8 Pillars of Financial Greatness." The course is aimed at offering real-world financial education to individuals, families and organizations that want to get on track financially, become motivated to take action and achieve financial balance.

Mountain America also teaches financial literacy classes in high schools in Utah, helping students learn the importance of understanding the basics of budgeting, saving, spending, wise use of credit, credit reports and protecting their identities. Mountain America also offers employees, members and the general public a variety of financial-literacy tools on its website, http://www.macu.com. —

Financial literacy information online