Meet CFFC member owner Mike Finley. Mike was born in Jamaica, Iowa in 1963. He joined the U.S. Army in 1982, retired from that organization in 2009, and moved to Cedar Falls because of the lovely community and UNI. He went to college and picked up a degree in Criminology while furthering his real interest, which was financial literacy. He started the financial literacy club at UNI in 2011 as he started teaching classes on money to community members. During that time, he started writing and by the time he finished, he had written four books, Financial Happine$$, What Color is the Sky, Graduation!, and Now What?. Mike continues his mission to bring a financial education to all who are ready and willing to take control of their money and their life!
What Mike likes most about Cedar Falls is the environment. He has lived in many places within the United States and Europe and has never found a better place than Cedar Falls when it comes to the people and what the environment offers. Mike and his partner Michelle enjoy the many bike trails and wildlife.
Mike believes the CFFC will bring a sense of community and healthy living to its members. The connection between food and health is undeniable and Mike congratulates the CFFC for bringing that message to the community.
Mike spends his days helping people develop a better relationship with money so they can spend more of their time doing the things they love and less time worrying about how the bills will get paid. It’s all about creating a meaningful life as you better understand how to spend, save, and invest every dollar that enters your life. He believes this leads to having more opportunities to give back to our community and that is something we can all embrace.
Mike’s favorite meal is anything Michelle makes him. They focus on healthy eating at every meal and take a simple approach to living– focus on your health every day and your life will pay you back in kind.
Fall is Mike’s favorite season. He loves the colors, the weather, and the football.