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April
28, 2004 (Washington, D.C.) – The National Association of
Online Investors (NAOI) today announced the release of the “NAOI
Individual Investor Certification Program” aimed at leveling the
playing field for the investing public. The
NAOI Certification Program is a personal study course consisting of 16
lessons and covering over 200 investing topics. It provides in one
comprehensive package the components vital to effective investing: a
solid foundation of knowledge, a structured portfolio building process
and a constantly updated roadmap to the most powerful investing sites on
the Web. While
Martha Stewart, Tyco, Enron, and other high-profile trials in New York
grab headlines, the blatant corruption on display is not the biggest
threat to investors today. A far greater danger is the dependency of
individuals on financial “experts”. Because people are not confident
in their own investing skills, they too often entrust their portfolios
to advisors, many of whom are primarily salespeople. As a result the
public has lost billions buying inappropriate or inferior investment
products without question. “Its
time for individual investors to start fighting back,” says Leland
Hevner, President of NAOI. “Advisors are extensively trained to sell
investments, individuals should be equally trained, and certified, to
buy them. NAOI Certification Program graduates will have the knowledge
and tools needed to invest on their own with confidence or, if working
with an advisor, to completely evaluate and question any recommendation
before buying.” The
program format is unique, consisting of both a book and an online
component that provides interactive calculators, worksheets, checklists
and a testing module. Students don’t just read about investing, they
actively participate in the learning experience. The multimedia format
also allows the NAOI to refresh the course content and Web Resource
Directory as needed. Students
who complete the program and correctly answer approximately 300
investing questions via the online testing module are awarded a Letter
of Certification and Graduation Diploma. “We
don’t apologize for the fact that completing this program takes
work,” says Hevner. “But the effort required pales in comparison to
the benefit gained - a lifetime of confident investing.” The
NAOI Individual Investor Certification Program is available for $249 at www.naoi.org. Founded
in 1997, the National Association of Online Investors is an educational
organization located in Washington, D.C.
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