When Junior Achievement opens its new Inspiration Center in Moline later this year one of its featured program spaces will honor the memory of one of the local JA’s most devoted supporters.
Junior Achievement of the Heartland announced on JA Day, Thursday, April 4, that it is naming its acclaimed JA Finance Park as the Jim Victor JA Finance Park. The late Mr. Victor, a prominent Quad Cities financial advisor and tireless volunteer, was a force behind the Quad Cities’ JA organization. He died at age 71 in July of 2018 in a race car accident.
In a news release Thursday, JA leaders said “We are delighted to announce this naming that commemorates the outstanding contribution and commitment of local entrepreneur, Jim Victor, to the mission of financial education and youth empowerment through Junior Achievement learning experiences.”
The new JA Inspiration Center is being built at Vibrant Credit Union’s new headquarters in Moline. It will house some of JA’s programming including two capstone programs, Jim victor JA Finance Park and JA BizTown. Now under construction in the former Sam’s Club warehouse, the new center is expected to be open in October.
According to the release, JA held a special place in Mr. Victor’s heart especially in its work to empower young people with financial literacy tools and knowledge. “In JA, he saw how the basic financial tools of life and business were presented, encouraged, and made achievable at every age for those who participated and were eager to learn.”
The nonprofit organization described Mr. Victor as “a catalyst for JA” as well as “a genius in the financial industry, and a friend to all. He was the epitome of an entrepreneur and humanitarian,” the release said.
Over the years, Mr. Victor was a JA board member, donor and volunteer. He served on JA’s Free Enterprise Foundation board and was instrumental in helping secure the Folwell Education Center for Free Enterprise, which houses JA’s offices in Moline. In 2023, he was inducted posthumously in the Quad Cities Area Business Hall of Fame. He also was the title sponsor of the Jim Victor Golf Classic, which now is known as the Jim Victor Memorial JA Golf Classic. He also won the Gold Star award from JA USA, the highest honor a JA volunteer or donor can receive.
JA of the Heartland President and CEO Dougal Nelson added: “During his life, Jim’s unwavering support of JA and local students was instrumental in our efforts to provide students with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in today’s economy.”
At the new JA Inspiration Center, students participating in the Jim Victor JA Finance Park will have hands-on experiences in budgeting, saving and making informed financial decisions. The facility will reach 3,000 middle school and junior high students each year with the transformative learning environment. JA said it expects to expand its reach an impact with the opening of the new facility along with forged partnerships with schools, businesses and volunteers.
“The Jim Victor JA Finance Park will continue his legacy of educating youth for generations to come about the importance of things like savings, budgeting and investing for their futures,” Mr. Nelson said.
When the JA Inspiration Center is completed, JA will relocate its hands-on learning programs BizTown and Finance Park from their current downtown Davenport location. The local JA serves 24 counties in eastern Iowa and western Illinois. For more information, visit here.
Upon entering Jim Victor JA Finance Park, students will be provided with a tablet with a randomly generated “life persona” – a personal profile with the details of their “adult life.” They will be assigned a job title, annual salary, age, marital status, debt, savings and credit score. Assisted by volunteers, students visit life-like storefronts and explore the advantages and disadvantages of the line items in their monthly budgets.
The interactive program prompts them to make choices on transportation, groceries, buying or renting a home, obtaining loans, insurances, savings accounts, investments and charities. Participants are tasked with balancing up to 22 expenses without exceeding their budget. The simulation shows students firsthand how the decisions they make about education and career will impact their potential income and quality of life.
The new name comes as JA continues its efforts on a capital campaign to raise $3.25 million for the new JA Inspiration Center. To date, JA has raised $2.46 million toward the fundraising goal. To donate and learn more about investing in students’ lives, visit https://heartland.ja.org/campaign/ja-inspiration-center-capital-campaign.
