About Us
About Out Of The Box (OOTB)
OOTB is a youth financial literacy program dedicated to educating students about banking and budgeting, credit management, entrepreneurship and investment through interactive and team-driven programs taught by leading corporate finance executives and business owners.
Partnering with school systems, non-profit organizations and youth organizations, OOTB offers one of few financial literacy curriculums that educate students with the necessary skills to master financial independence through workshops that addresses current situations that better develop sound financial decisions. Corporations and non-profit business owners serve as volunteers and share real-world successes and failures that empower students to take a more educated approach.
Aimed at reaching over 1 million students, OOTB has successfully graduated teens between 14-18 years of age in Metropolitan Atlanta, Harlem, Brooklyn and is expanding into other national markets. Students, parents and educators alike have raved at the programs’ intuitive 12 Financial Principles, its sound curriculum content and its ability to incorporate an environment that positively exudes self-empowerment, quality education and success.
OOTB - National 501c3 subsidiary of EECDC based in Fairburn, GA founded in 2004.
Program Vision
Our vision is to fill a financial literacy information gap for teens using an aspirational, educational and mentoring platform. Typically teens and at-risk youth today do not have quality financial literacy exposure through traditional school systems or from family members. Our philosophy is to ensure every student will gain valuable learnings, intellectual financial thinking and the self-confidence to succeed beyond any life-challenging situation they may face.
OOTB BOARD MEMBERS
Since the inception of the Out Of The Box Youth Financial Literacy Program in 2004, Marc and the OOTB Board has been charged with leading its growth, expansion and strategy. Marc is passionate about bringing financial literacy information to teens, particularly those teens that are at great risk of making poor financial decisions.
Marc recently stated, “We can impact so many lives by transforming the minds of teens by educating them about the power and importance of making sound financial decisions”
Marc is also a co-founder of Thanks Again, LLC (www.thanksagain.com) where he brings over eight years of specific operational experience and industry knowledge in effectively building, branding, and promoting marketing channels within fragmented industries. Prior to co-founding the company, Marc was CEO of Madison’s Bag, a branded promotional vehicle for a nationwide group of dry cleaners. Prior to his involvement in the dry cleaning industry, Marc was Vice President at Wachovia Securities Inc. and Chase Manhattan Bank, where he advised middle-market companies on their capital strategies.
Marc holds a B.A. in Finance from Morehouse College and an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from NYU Stern School of Business.
Marc is married to Gardy Ellis and they have three children Marc II, Kathleen and Sydney
Carl Lane, Assistant Executive Director
Eric Gilkesson, Partnership Director
