Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping low- and moderate-income Americans thrive in an ever-changing economy, today announced that its Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant will be honored with a proclamation declaring February 17 as “John Hope Bryant Day” in the State of Georgia. The recognition celebrates Mr. Bryant’s decades of entrepreneurial leadership, unwavering commitment to financial literacy, and transformative impact on economic empowerment across Georgia and the nation.

In conjunction with Georgia’s Youth Entrepreneur Day at the State Capitol, Georgia State Senator Randal Mangham will declare John Hope Bryant Day from the Senate floor on February 17, 2026 at 10:30amET. Mr. Bryant will deliver remarks to the Georgia State Assembly as well as approximately 70-80 young business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs who will gather for the event.

“I am deeply honored and grateful to Senator Mangham and the State of Georgia for this recognition,” said Mr. Bryant. “This proclamation further affirms the mission of Operation HOPE and the importance of empowering individuals – especially young people – with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to become entrepreneurs, build wealth, and transform their communities.”

For more than 30 years, Bryant has championed the power of free enterprise and financial literacy as vehicles for economic mobility. Founded in 1992, Operation HOPE has grown into a leading nonprofit dedicated to financial dignity and inclusion, serving millions of individuals through credit counseling, small business development, youth financial literacy programs, and community-based economic initiatives.

A nationally recognized thought leader on financial inclusion and economic empowerment, Mr. Bryant is a CNBC and TIME contributor, as well as a bestselling author. His books include Financial Literacy for All and his forthcoming seventh book, Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America, which will be released March 31. In 2025, he was named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Leaders in Business. Bryant has advised multiple U.S. presidents, Fortune 500 CEOs, and global institutions on issues of financial inclusion, leadership, and economic growth. In 2016, his advocacy was instrumental in inspiring the U.S. Treasury to rename the Treasury Annex as the Freedman’s Bank Building.

“Youth Entrepreneur Day represents the future of Georgia’s economy,” Bryant added. “When we equip young people with entrepreneurial skills and financial knowledge, we are preparing them to lead, innovate, and create generational opportunity.”