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Show Jul 1999 Pacesetter ! 1 i 1'; 3V ; Mike Hansen, Coordinator of Benefits for GOOD Neighbor Neigh-bor Association and member of the ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce Pacesetters organization. ' ments on bills. We negotiate a bet- By Patricia Knoell - - ter pay schedules arid payout re- Times Reporter ductions as an alternative to bank- Mike Hansen, Coordinator of Benefits for GOOD (Get Out Of ; Debt) Neighbor Association, revels : ''in bis jofc; "My job is to tell any individual or small business that comes in about all the services we offer" he said. - The first service, and the one that supplies the name, is helping small businesses and individuals . get out from under the burden of debt, whether its just a minor problem prob-lem with overspending on your credit cards or a major debt that requires the Association to take over payments, the GOOD Neighbor Neigh-bor Association can help you. ; . : "We offer three different levels of assistance low, medium and high Hansen said. "At the low level, we help a person lay out a strategy, help them with a projection projec-tion that allows them to get out of debt on their own. The medium level is where we step in and help do adjustments on debt and pay- . f"" COPY WRITTEN BY: I f CT H J O PatKnoell J ChristaTady J fO J ) MaryannAndrus JO J J V Marilyn Meacham w Spotlight ruptcy. The high level is where we actually take over bill payments and the dispersement of funds, We coordinate all this through a major, interstate bank, using electronic transfers." For this high-end help, the Association As-sociation charges just two percent of the money saved by the person . or business it is helping. , V Also under the umbrella of the GOOD Neighbor Association are a non-profit charitable organization; a debt reduction branch that helps people refinance their mortgages or take out second mortgages; and insurance services. "The charitable organization funnels all donations it receives for aid given to schools, Scouts and other organizations)" Hansen said. "Are! the our ckUreouction branch " goes beyond just refinancing. We ' have found that once people get out of debt, they fall right back into the same habits that got them into trouble so we try to help them learn cheaper ways to live. We call it 'decreasing the cost of living to increase the standard of living.'" ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce Monthly But of all the services GOOD Neighbor Association provides, perhaps the one that excites " Hansen the most is the insurance. "Right now, our main customer for our insurance plans are small businesses," he said. "We have dynamite dy-namite insurance plan. We have fantastic rates on auto, property, , life, liability, casualty and health insurance. We generate the policy right in our office when you enroll, en-roll, you leave with all the stickers and the paperwork in hand." Among the distinctive elements ele-ments of the policies the Association Associa-tion offers are a car insurance policy that includes a clause that replaces a windshield if any damage is done after it has been declared in good shape and a tax deductible medical medi-cal savings account that puts a small amount from the holders pre-tax pay check into a medical account that can be used when need. As this account grows, the holder can use it to reduce the deductible de-ductible and therefore reduce the ' rate. ;' ' ' ' '-.:" ' : '' ' "Right now, the main client for our insurance is small businesses," Hansen said. "We have a cafeteria plan for employers that allows, for example, a business to take the money it is required to pay a working work-ing mother to help get her kids to preschool out before taxes, then give that money as kind of a tax- . free bonus to the mother each month. It's a great deal." The insurance benefits are offered of-fered through three of the top 10 nationwide insurance companies and coverage is complete no matter mat-ter where you might be in the United States. . .. " '. . Association members get two bonus benefits as well. First, - there's the community Club Card, . with offers set discounts at over 200 businesses around the valley and second, is free income tax preparation, prepara-tion, done by Hansen himself. - v "We've also retained the ser-vktf ser-vktf alawyerwhocctxhictffBemi-nars alawyerwhocctxhictffBemi-nars every month to help people learn about estate planning and living wilk and such," Hansen said. "Hell then help anyone who wants to put something together." It's obvious that Hansen enjoys hisjob and that he's good at it be- ' cause he believes in the services the Association offers. - Another thing the Orem resi- ,. dent enjoys is being a part of the Pacesetters organization. Since ' joining this welcoming arm of the Newsletter ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce Com-merce in January of 1995, Hansen has found his experience with the group to be a good one. "I've always been a firm believer be-liever in giving back to the community com-munity and I see service in the Pacesetters as doing just that," he said. "It's a great way to network . our business with the new businesses busi-nesses coming in and help give them stability and an anchor. We see what they do and tell others about them and tell them where they can turn to for help they need. " Keep your company ahead of the curve Grant Thornton G A ProvoOrem Chamber of Commerce Member Firm With local experience, national international presence, Grant Thornton helps companies create the future, not just predict it. Accounting and auditing Tax planning Management consulting Capital formation " Cost Classification Estate planning State & local taxes ' Mergers & acquisitions Due diligence SEC ' Grant Thornton is a leading accounting and management consulting firm providing a broad range of professional services to growing entrepreneurial organization. Partners R. Brent Anderson Stevenson G. Smith Call us Todavl Tel: 801-802-9200 Fax: 801-802-7721 an But its not just the new business busi-ness owners he meets through the ribbon cuttings and open houses that make Hansen appreciate the Pacesetters organization. . "The group is really wonderful," he said. "At our luncheon meetings every two months, we have a chance to find out what each of us knows and help each other." Hansen, and his wife Charlotte, live in Orem. The have four children chil-dren (three boys and one girl) and are active in many community programs. pro-grams. i resources and an Provo Office 5252 N. Edgewood Drive Suite 350 Provo, Utah 84604 |