People just don’t value their credit cards as actual money,” says Gary Symington, 35, president of Debt-Free America, a nonprofit debt management and consumer credit counseling organization that helps people in debt crisis. “Before they know it, they get themselves in a lot of problems.” Debt-Free America’s mission is to help get them out of trouble.

Symington has been working in the company since age 15 and became president in 1999 when his father, Paul Symington, retired. His short-term goal is to open three Financial Literacy Education Centers by the end of next year — in San Diego, Kansas City, Mo. and in Dallas. The centers would be free resource places where consumers could work with budgeting software tools, attend workshops and have access to other materials to help them avoid debt crisis and build personal wealth. The organization, which serves between 2,800 and 3,200 clients a year, is considered among the top 15 percent of the more than 700 like agencies in the country.

Outside of work, Symington has supported a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Epilepsy Foundation of San Diego County, Kash Kids Money Camp 2008, Santana National Little League, Enrichment Works and the Avon Foundation.