NW Valley Times

Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee addressed students at Grand Canyon University (GCU) as part of the T.W. Lewis Speaker Series, sharing insights from her career and emphasizing the importance of financial literacy. Speaking at the Colangelo College of Business lobby, Yee recounted a personal story about her grandfather's grocery store, highlighting how building trust and relationships contributed to its long-term success.

Yee emphasized, "But because he built relationships with those people, he remembered them by name and trusted them... The store wouldn’t have stayed in business for 63 successful years had that not happened." She further explained how her grandfather extended credit to customers who couldn't immediately pay for groceries, reinforcing the value of community ties.

During her talk, Yee also discussed Arizona’s Education Savings Plan (AZ529), which she advocated moving under the treasurer's office for better promotion. The plan has seen significant growth with 57,200 new accounts opened in recent months. Yee noted that 40% of these accounts are from out-of-state participants.

As Arizona’s chief banking and investment officer, Yee manages $31.6 billion in assets and oversees a $64.7 billion state budget. She stressed the importance of financial literacy among students: "We just don’t hold that money as if it were sitting in an account."

Yee reflected on her journey through politics, including becoming the second woman elected as Arizona Senate majority leader after Sandra Day O’Connor. She shared an anecdote about an older senator welcoming her to the senate with a patronizing remark, to which she responded assertively.

Vera praised Yee's ability to build trust and confidence in others during their discussion. Reflecting on her future after her term ends in 2026, Yee expressed a desire to continue serving Arizona: “I love the state of Arizona. I hope to continue to serve.”