Financial Fitness

for Women

Friday, February 3
Reneau 402, 12-2pm
Speaker: Alyson C. Hardin, CFP
“Planning and Budgeting”

Alyson Hardin is a Certified Financial Planner practitioner.  As a Financial Advisor with AIG Valic Financial Advisors, Inc. Alyson works with Mississippi State University and Mississippi University for Women faculty and staff, as well as the employees of other area employers, advising clients regarding retirement planning, investments, taxation, life insurance, education funding, asset allocation and estate planning.  She has previously been an adjunct instructor at both MSU and MUW, teaching both corporate and personal finance.

Alyson holds a B.A. in Spanish Literature from the University of the South, and two Master’s degrees, in Finance and Taxation, from Georgia State University.  She has more than 17 years’ experience as a financial consultant. Alyson also holds various state and national securities and insurance licenses and the Investment Advisory Representative designation.

Alyson is married to Bill Hardin, an MSU faculty member, and has 1 daughter, Josephine, age 9.  In Starkville, she has been active in the MSU-Faculty and Professional Women’s Association, and served on both the Vestry and the Planned Giving Committee of the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection.  She is also a member of the Financial Planning Association, the national professional organization for Certified Financial Planners.

In 2001, Alyson was named one of Mississippi’s “Top 40 Under 40” by the Mississippi Business Journal.

Friday, February 10
Parkinson 117, 1-3pm
Speaker: John McRae, Senior Financial Advisor, Raymond James, Meridian
“Savings”
 

Friday, February 17
Parkinson 117, 1-3pm
Speaker: Grenell T. Rogers, CFCS
“Credit"

Grenell Rogers is the Family Resource Management Area Extension Agent for Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSUES), headquartered in Oktibbeha County.  After graduation from Mississippi State University with degrees in Home Economics and Agricultural and Extension Education/Counseling, she began her career with the Florida Cooperative Extension Service.  From 1979 to June 2003, she worked with the Mississippi State University Extension Service serving as Extension 4-H Youth Agent and Home Economist.

In July 2003, she assumed the duties of area agent in the Family Resource Management area, her current position with programmatic responsibilities in the family economics and management, housing and apparel and textiles for 10 counties (Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Monroe, Oktibbeha, Webster and Winston).  She also serves as chair of the Program Priority Group for the Family Resource Management Area Agents.

Grenell has received numerous awards for her work and continued support of the family and the community.  Through the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences, she received the Distinguished Service Award and the Continued of Excellence Award.  As a member of the National and State Associations of Family and Consumer Sciences, as well as a host of other organizations, she has served in numerous leadership capacities as well as a host of other organizations.  As a Certified Family and Consumer Sciences Educator and Certified Financial Counselor, she enjoys working with people to development a better community life through church, civic and community.

Grenell and her husband James enjoy spending time with their two children and two grand children.

Friday, February 24
Parkinson 117, 1-3pm
Speaker: Rhonda Ferguson, CFP, CFS
“Investing”

Rhonda Ferguson has been a financial planner since 1984 and is currently responsible for $130 million is assets.  She began her work as a financial planner when she joined Stegall, Harrison and Associates, then in 1988, she formed Financial Concepts.

She attended The University of Mississippi and received her B.B.A. degree.  She is a Certified Fund Specialist (CFS) and received her CFP from the College for Financial Planning.
She was selected by Mississippi Business Journal as one of the Top 40 Under 40, which is a program to recognize leading business professionals.  She was also selected as one of Mississippi's 50 Leading Business Women.  She is DALBAR rated, which is measurement of financial services quality.  She is a member of the Business Advisor Council and the American Funds' Chairman's Advisory Council.

She is married to Todd and has tow children, Scott and Lesley.  She is an active member of Junior Auxiliary, Habitat for Humanity, and First United Methodist Church.