Board of Directors bios

Colin Benedict has been the News Director at WISC-TV in Madison, WI since August 2008.  He’s been with the station since 1998, first starting as an intern.  Since then, he’s held a variety of jobs including general assignment reporter, political reporter, weekend anchor, convergence producer and managing editor.

Today, he oversees news and information coverage on all platforms for the #1 station in the market.  Under his direction, the station has been honored by the Radio Television Digital News Association four times for “Overall Excellence” in its region.

All of the roles in Eileen's career have been in the recruitment, training and management of personnel in the insurance and employee benefits industry. As the HR Manager for employers with 100+ employees, I have been responsible for the benefits compliance administration, performance evaluation, retention and succession planning of their work force. Most recently (1998-2005), I performed the role of the Compliance Manager for an NASD Branch Office. Promoted to Director of Operations and then Vice President of the Lincoln Financial Advisors’ branch office, Mylestone Plans, I was responsible for benefit plan design and IRS/DOL compliance, working with the Executive Directors, Board Members, attorneys and auditors of our firm’s 300+ nonprofit agencies/clients.

Developing staff and clients through shared knowledge is a hallmark of my management style. My nonprofit clients had the additional need to educate the participants of benefit plans. I expanded my responsibilities and became an NASD Registered Representative for LFA. In presenting the 403(b), 457(b) and 401(k) plans to the employers, and to each eligible employee, I focused on the current knowledge and learning style of the employee in the discussion of the very complex and intimidating subjects of self-directed investment and DOL and IRS compliance.

I have been a lifelong volunteer with many community groups, as a PTA president and Arlington County Council of PTA Board member (7 years), a Girl Scout leader, deacon in the church and an American Red Cross volunteer at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. In retirement, I have joined the Board of the nonprofit agency, CHANGE, Inc. which serves the developmentally disabled community. I serve as the Corresponding Secretary for the Board of the Walter Reed Auxiliary. In 2008 I received The President’s Volunteer Service Award for my service at Walter Reed. I joined Call For Action in the Fall of 2005 as a volunteer on the Network Hotline and have enjoyed using my expertise and energy to fulfill its mission.

Hugh manages the company’s award-winning financial literacy initiative available in more than 44 markets and 18 languages. Featuring the Practical Money Skills and What’s My Score programs, the global effort has reached more than 40 million people worldwide. His responsibilities include developing and implementing new programs and interactive tools for consumers, publishing print and online educational materials and coordinating with government, financial and non-profit partners.

As part of Visa’s Social Impact team, he supports the company’s community involvement and corporate responsibility efforts. He has been an active participant in the financial literacy community for years and makes regular appearances at regional and national financial literacy events to support various national consumer education initiatives to speak on behalf of Visa’s programs. His weekly Practical Money Matters series delivers expert personal finance tips to consumers of all ages.

Prior to joining Visa, he worked in public relations for a wide range of financial services, entertainment and public affairs clients, including publicity for multiple New York Times best sellers and an Oscar-winning best picture. He currently lives in northern Virginia with his wife and children.

He also sits on the National Board of Directors for the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy® and the advisory council for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

Sean McLaughlin is the VP of News for the broadcast division of the EW Scripps Company. He joined Scripps in March 2014 after 7 years as Executive News Director for KMOV, the Belo CBS affiliate in St Louis.  Sean has also served as News Director at KOKI and KTUL in Tulsa, and WICS in Springfield, IL.  Sean got into Television in 1994 when he was hired as weekend anchor at KAAL in Austin, MN.  Sean grew up in St Paul, MN, and currently lives with his wife and three young children in Cincinnati.

Jim Prather graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in 1979. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Radio-Television and Political Science, and a Master of Arts degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield.

In 1991 Jim was news director at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, later taking on General Manager and other corporate assignments. 

In April 2017 he joined the Las Vegas Review-Journal as a consultant and launched the company's video studio. He was promoted to the staff position of executive director of programming in October 2018 and started overseeing the newsroom's digital team in January 2019.

Prior to joining the Review-Journal, Jim worked for 25 years with Journal Broadcast Group. In 2003, he moved to Las Vegas and served as executive vice president/general manager for KTNV-TV, Channel 13 (the valley’s ABC affiliate) and supervised Journal Broadcast Group stations in the western region of the United States.

Jim and his wife, Marcia, have 4 children and 3 grandchildren. They are active members of Faith Lutheran Community Church in Summerlin.

Shirley Rooker is the President of Call For Action, Inc., an international, non-profit network of hotlines serving consumers and small businesses.

Since 1976, Ms. Rooker has been fighting fraud and raising public awareness as Director and consumer reporter for WTOP AM & FM Call For Action.  She became the network President of CFA in 1989.  Under her direction, Call For Action has produced several award-winning brochures and has increased network outreach efforts to include the deaf and Hispanic communities.  Additionally, she has pioneered a movement to extend consumer assistance to small businesses.

Ms. Rooker is considered an expert on consumerism, working closely with private organizations as well as government offices, including the Federal Trade Commission, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and the White House.  She is frequently asked, as an authority on consumer issues, to provide commentary for national media such as CNN, AP Radio, CNBC, ABC Television, "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning," The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Ms. Rooker received the March of Dimes Achievement in Radio (Air) Award in the field of Maternal and Child Health for news stories on caffeine and folic acid during pregnancy.  She has also received the Chesapeake AP Broadcasters' Association Award for Outstanding Specialty Reporting as well as the American Bar Association's Gavel Award for public service.  Under her leadership, Call For Action was awarded the Betty Furness Consumer Media Service Award for 2003 by Consumer Federation of America.

Maxine Sweet served as vice president of Experian North America’s Public Education organization and led their consumer education, community involvement and corporate responsibility teams. She has a passion for helping consumers understand credit reporting and to use credit wisely to build positive references without taking on excessive debt. 

She has more than 36 years of experience in information services, including managing Experian’s National Consumer Assistance Center in Allen, TX, which provided services to more than 220 million credit active consumers.

She is perhaps best known for creating Ask Experian, the industry’s first online advice column. She was a founding partner of the Jump$tart Coalition and initiated the first Jump$tart national conference to prepare teachers for financial literacy curriculum. She was recognized for her achievements by receiving the NFCC “Making the Difference Award” which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to assisting consumers with financial literacy and awareness.

Her leadership included serving on the boards of directors of the Jump$tart Coalition and InCharge Debt Solutions, one of the nation’s leading credit counseling and education organizations. Maxine is pleased to continue her leadership and support to organizations dedicated to improving financial capability by serving on the board of directors of Call For Action, a national consumer help organization. 

In her community, she has served on the boards of the Allen Economic Development Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, Allen Community Outreach and United Way of Collin County. 

She is a Certified Personal Financial Counselor, a graduate of Henderson State University in Arkansas and holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Arkansas in Little Rock

William Wilcox is a 1961 graduate of Western State Colorado University with a BS Degree in both Business Administration and Accounting. He gained 13 years of retail credit granting experience when he was Corporate Controller and Treasurer of the Emporium Department Stores in Madison, WI. In 1985, he was asked to join the staff of the Credit Bureau of Madison, Inc. as Vice President and was appointed President on January 1, 1989. During his tenure as President, he initiated the purchase of two other credit reporting organizations as well as forming Home Mortgage Services and CBM Credit Services as separate divisions. The company name was changed to CBM Companies, Inc. to more accurately reflect the diversified business of the corporation. In 1999, Wilcox’s vision of an organization to promote the wise use of consumer credit and financial literacy was realized with the formation of the CBM Credit Education Foundation, Inc., as a 501©(3) educational foundation. When CBM Companies sold the credit bureau and mortgage reporting operations to the Trans Union Corporation in February 2000; all proceeds from the sale were used to fund the Foundation.

Wilcox is the 1996 recipient of the International Credit Association’s Merit Award “In Recognition of Outstanding Association Leadership in the Credit Industry.” He has received the Distinguished Service Award from both the International Credit Association (ICA) and ICA District V. Trans Union Corp. named him the 1991 “Credit Bureau Manager of the Year.” He has served on the Wisconsin Legislative Council’s Special Committee on Privacy and Information Technology, the “Governor's Task Force on Privacy” he served as co-chair of the “Governor's Task Force on Financial Education,” and currently serves as chair of the “Governor's Council on Financial Literacy.” In September of 2005 he was honored with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s “Friend of Education Award,” and has been recognized with the “Governor’s Financial Literacy Award.” Former Secretary of the Treasury, Lawrence Summers, appointed him to the “National Partners for Financial Literacy.” He is a past member of the Credit Industry Research Council, served on the Advisory Council of the Credit Research Center at Georgetown University and is a partner in the National Jump$tart Coalition for Financial Literacy. He is Chairman of the Board of Call For Action, serves on the Board of LifeSmarts and is 

Secretary/Treasurer of Dane County Junior Achievement. In December 2008 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Edgewood College in recognition of his support of Financial Literacy.

Mr. Wilcox is a Certified Credit Bureau Executive (CCBE) and one of 27 charter recipients of the Master Credit Executive (MCE) designation from the Society of Certified Credit Executives. He has written a number of articles and brochures, and with over 48 years of credit and management experience is a nationally recognized expert in the consumer credit industry.