New Office of Older Americans in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be Led by Skip Humphrey
Task is improving the financial decision-making of seniors and preventing unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices targeted
at senior citizens
Oct. 19, 2011 - The newly established Office of Older Americans in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has its first
leader - Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey III. The former Attorney General of Minnesota has worked on behalf of senior citizens as president of the
Minnesota AARP and was recently on the AARPs national board.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directs the CFPB to create an office within the agency to
address the needs of older Americans, defined as those 62 and over. This office is tasked with improving the financial decision-making of
seniors and preventing unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices targeted at seniors.
The central mission of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is to make markets for consumer financial products
and services work for Americans - whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer
financial products.
I am honored and excited to bring my experience in consumer protection and my work with seniors to the CFPB to help
educate seniors about fair practices and how to make financial decisions that are right for them, said Humphrey. A well informed consumer is
the best protection against fraud and deceptive practices especially if that knowledge is backed up by tough regulatory enforcement.
Skip Humphrey, 69, is the son of former Vice President and U.S. Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey, Jr.
As baby boomers join the ranks of the retired, their hard-earned savings should help them realize opportunities, not
serve as the target of deception and fraud, noted Raj Date, the Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the CFPB.
Skips experience as a state Attorney General and state Senator, and his work with seniors in his home state of
Minnesota as well as on the national front, make him a perfect fit to lead the Office of Older Americans.
Seniors have been hit hard by the economic crisis. Even if they planned well, theyve seen their retirement savings and
home equity shrink. Making it worse is the growing epidemic of elder financial abuse that puts their savings and homes at risk.
The Office of Older Americans will help seniors navigate these financial challenges by:
● Educating and engaging seniors about their financial choices in the area of long-term savings, retirement planning,
and long-term care;
● Reaching out to and coordinating with senior groups, law enforcement, financial institutions, and other Federal and
state agencies to identify and prevent scams targeting seniors;
● Using information from the field along with direct input from seniors to identify trends and bad practices in a
timely and effective way; and
● Protecting seniors from fraud and deception in financial counseling services.
Skip Humphrey has broad management and policy experience. He served in Minnesota for nearly three decades, as state
Senator for 10 years and state Attorney General for 16 years.
After leaving elective office, Mr. Humphrey returned to the private sector where his roles included senior vice-president
at Tunheim Partners, a communications and public affairs management company, and teacher and advisor for graduate level courses at the
University of Minnesotas School of Public Health, Law School, and the School of Public Policy.
Mr. Humphrey also served as former State President and national board member of AARP, the nations largest consumer
senior nonprofit organization.
His public and private sector experience have honed a deeper interest in advancing both protections for older Americans
and helping them obtain the necessary skills through consumer education to allow them to protect themselves.
Humphrey has advocated consumer education as an important part of tough, effective enforcement measures. As Attorney
General, he initiated broad-ranging educational initiatives that helped reduce crime targeting consumers, especially those who are older and
more vulnerable.
Oct. 19, 2011 - The newly established Office of Older Americans in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has its first
leader - Hubert H. (Skip) Humphrey III. The former Attorney General of Minnesota has worked on behalf of senior citizens as president of the
Minnesota AARP and was recently on the AARPs national board.
Hearing to Focus on Aftermath of Recession on Older Adults and Ways to Provide Economic Assistance