Jason Ramage

If ever someone could personify the notion that young people can and should invest, it would be Jason Ramage.

We have been watching his active participation in NAIC's on-line "I-Club"-a very active Internet forum in which investors share their views, ask questions of their peers, and nurture new investors. His astute contributions display not only a commendable understanding of long term, fundamental investing, but such an ability to express his thoughts in a lucid, and light-hearted manner, that we decided to invite him to join Inve$tWare as a regularly published columnist. We are pleased to be able to bring you those thoughts in a context that's bound to convince you that you can do it too.

Jason is, indeed, living proof that a motivated young person, focusing on the basics, can learn to be a successful investor. Starting at the age of 14, he managed to scrape enough money out of his saved-up birthday money, lawn mowing, serving as kitchen help at a local Boy Scout camp (he just became an Eagle Scout), and a regular job in a grocery store, to make occasional stock purchases. Jason lives in Paducah, Kentucky, and will turn 19 in November. He just graduated from high school and intends to study accounting or finance when he attends the University of Louisville in the fall.

He's an ardent college basketball and professional baseball fan and is suffering a bit of discomfort as he looks ahead to changing his loyalties from the U of K to the U of L. Golf also claims some of his time-more, as he works at breaking 100.

In addition to starting his own portfolio, he joined NAIC a year ago March as a member of the West Kentucky Stockpilers investment club and has been an active participant since.

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