Editing Clark Howard

{{short description|Radio host, consumer advocate, author (born 1955)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{autobiography|date=May 2025}}
{{notability|bio|date=May 2025}}
{{Advert|date=June 2018}}
}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Clark Howard
| image              = Clark Howard RUMC JN-3 (8537086315).jpg
| image_size         = 
| caption            = Clark Howard (standing, left)
| birth_name         = Clark Brian Howard
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1955|6|20}}
| birth_place        = [[Atlanta, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_date         = 
| death_place        = 
| education          = [[American University]]<br>[[Central Michigan University]]
| occupation         = Syndicated [[talk radio]] host, consumer advocate, and author
| height             = 1.8 m
| spouse             = Lane Carlock Howard<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q_4DAAAAMBAJ&q=%22part+of+a+$17,000+trust+fund%22&pg=PA115|title=Kiplinger's Personal Finance|work=google.ca|date=March 2002|access-date=July 7, 2015}}</ref>
| children           = 
| website            = {{URL|clark.com}}
}}

'''Clark Brian Howard''' (born June 20, 1955) is an American author and radio/podcast host, focused primarily on personal finance, consumer protection, and related topics. He has hosted ''The Clark Howard Show,'' which began in 1989 and has lasted over 30 years as of 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last=Silva |first=Derek |date=October 26, 2021 |title=Clark Howard: Everything You Need to Know |url=https://smartasset.com/retirement/clark-howard |website=}}</ref>

==Life and career==
Clark Howard grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents, Bernard and Joy Garson Howard, were prominent members of Atlanta's Jewish community.<ref>{{cite news |title=Joy Chase Obituary |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/atlanta/obituary.aspx?n=joy-chase&pid=180241015 |access-date=7 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/blog/buzz/clark-howard-mom-joy-chase-has-died/2HCLPtlW3Ypk1KAoGc28YL/|title = Clark Howard's mom, Joy Chase, has died at 92}}</ref> Howard has three children, born in 1988, 1999, and 2005.

Howard's first career was in the travel agency business. Howard attended [[The Westminster Schools]] in Atlanta before graduating from the [[American University]] in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Government. He went on to receive his Master of Business Administration degree from [[Central Michigan University]] in 1977. During the Carter administration, Clark established his travel agency, which grew into a successful enterprise with multiple branches. Eventually, the business attracted the attention of a major financial firm, which expressed interest in acquiring it. In 1987, he retired to Florida for several years after the travel agency was purchased, before returning to his home state of Georgia. 

During his travels between Georgia and Florida, he was approached by a radio station to give travel advice to listeners. Not long afterward, he began giving travel advice in guest appearances on Atlanta radio. In 1991, Howard also became a consumer affairs TV reporter for [[WSB-TV]]. In 1993, he founded the Consumer Action Center to have volunteers answer consumer questions off the air. Howard's website followed in 1997, and in 1998 his radio show went into syndication.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/01/05/14834/ |title=News for Monday, January 5, 2009 |publisher=www.clarkhoward.com |date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=2012-02-03}}</ref> Howard's program advises listeners to "save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off." The Clark Howard Show was heard every day on more than 200 radio stations throughout [[North America]], and aired from News/Talk WSB, [[WSB (AM)|WSB AM]]/[[WSBB (FM)|WSBB FM]] in [[Atlanta]]. He is a frequent consumer expert guest on other talk, variety, and news programs.
[[File:Capt. Clark Howard Leads Annual Toy Drive (16004894446).jpg|thumb|right|Clark Howard taking the airwaves with WSB-TV news anchor Justin Farmer to raise awareness and donations for the 24th annual "Clark's Christmas Kids" campaign in 2014.]]

Howard explained on air that he was joining the [[Georgia State Defense Force]] (an unarmed, non-federal branch of the [[Georgia Department of Defense]]) following the [[September 11 attacks]]. He attended monthly training workshops around the state as part of his service, and performed medical evacuation work in New Orleans following [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schroder |first1=Chris |title=Clark Howard's teenage Moment changed his life and saved millions |date=January 2, 2012 |url=https://saportareport.com/clark-howards-teenage-moment-changed-his-life-and-saved-millions/ |access-date=4 September 2020}}</ref>

In 2009, Howard announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He gave a public announcement on WSB-TV on February 18, 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clark Howard Battling Prostate Cancer |url=http://www.wsbtv.com/health/18674893/detail.html |publisher=WSBTV |date=February 9, 2009 |access-date=February 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301162351/http://www.wsbtv.com/health/18674893/detail.html |archive-date=March 1, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> He gave another update three months later on his website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2009/05/29/15874/ |title=News for Friday, May 29, 2009 |publisher=www.clarkhoward.com |date=May 29, 2009 |access-date=2012-02-03}}</ref>

In August 2017, Howard described how he escaped a car backing towards him at a parking lot, by jumping into the air.<ref name="caraccident">{{Cite web|url=http://clark.com/health-health-care/clark-howard-hit-by-car/|title=This is how Clark escaped injury after being brushed by a car|first=Mike|last=Timmerman|publisher=Clark.com (Clark Howard official website)|date=August 8, 2017|access-date=September 23, 2017}}</ref>

His daily two-hour radio show was syndicated by [[Westwood One (current)|Westwood One]] until the end of 2020.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://radioink.com/2020/12/01/clark-howard-ending-radio-show/ | title=Clark Howard Ending Radio Show | date=December 2020 }}</ref> That year Howard retired the daily radio show, but maintained a shorter daily podcast and made regular appearances on WSB. 

===Other appearances===
From 2012 to 2013, Howard was a co-host of [[HLN (TV network)|HLN]]'s ''[[Evening Express (Portland, Maine)|Evening Express]]'', a daily news and lifestyle roundup that aired weeknights.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CNN Programs - Anchors/Reporters - Clark Howard |url=https://edition.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/howard.clark.html |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=CNN}}</ref>

Several years earlier, in 2009, Howard hosted a weekend program on HLN. The format was similar to Howard's radio show, in that the host gives advice to callers and provides tips on saving money.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/clark.howard/ | title=Show Pages | date=August 20, 2012}}</ref> In 2012, he became one of several anchors on the daily HLN show "Evening Express," which aired from 5 to 7:00pm ET. Howard has also appeared elsewhere on HLN such as on ''[[Morning Express with Robin Meade]]''.

Howard continues to regularly appear on WSB-TV in Atlanta, which is occasionally broadcast by other [[Cox Television]] stations nationwide. His TV appearances offer consumer scam warnings and consumer tips. 

He started several civic programs in the community, such as Atlanta Volunteer Action, Volunteer Action, Inc., The Big Buddy Program, and Career Action.

With help from his listeners, Howard began teaming up with [[Habitat for Humanity]] in 1996 to build houses around the Atlanta area. The year 2010 marked the 15th-anniversary build and "Team Clark" completed its 39th house together.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clarkhoward.com/liveweb/shownotes/2010/03/19/18001/ |title=News for Friday, March 19, 2010 |publisher=www.clarkhoward.com |date=March 19, 2010 |access-date=2012-02-03}}</ref> In 2013, he built his 50th home for Atlanta Habitat for Humanity. In 2018, Team Clark completed its 75th Habitat home.

In 2001, Howard created the WSB Radio Care-A-Thon which raises funds each July for the AFLAC Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at [[Children's Healthcare of Atlanta]].

===Author===
Howard is the author of several books on consumer tips and bargains. His most recent book: "Clark Howard's Living Large for the Long Haul: Consumer-Tested Ways to Overhaul Your Finances, Increase Your Savings, and Get Your Life Back on Track"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clark.com/clark-books/|title=Clark Howard: Books}}</ref> contains tips to help navigate the economics of life in the US. Other books include his 2011 title ''Living Large in Lean Times''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clarkhoward.com/book-countdown/ |title=Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times |publisher=www.clarkhoward.com |date=April 20, 2011 |access-date=2012-02-03}}</ref> This book features 250+ ways to "save more, spend less, and avoid rip-offs." Other books include ''Clark Smart Real Estate'' (2006), ''Clark Smart Parents, Clark Smart Kids'' (2005), ''Clark's Big Book of Bargains'' (2003) and ''Get Clark Smart: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Rich From America's Money-Saving Expert'' (2002). Howard's ''Get Clark Smart'' made it to No. 6 on ''[[The New York Times]]'' "Best Seller" list for "How-To Books." And his ''Big Book of Bargains'' made it to No. 7 and No. 11 on ''The New York Times'' "Best Seller" list for "Business Books".

==Honors==
In 2011, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs, California, [[Palm Springs Walk of Stars|Walk of Stars]] was dedicated to him.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20121013165655/http://www.palmspringswalkofstars.com/web-storage/Stars/Stars%20dedicated%20by%20date.pdf Palm Springs Walk of Stars by date dedicated]}}</ref> In 2015, Howard was voted into the [[National Radio Hall of Fame]], to be inducted November 5.<ref name="halloffame">{{cite news|url=http://radiotvtalk.blog.ajc.com/2015/09/01/clark-howard-inducted-into-national-radio-hall-of-fame/|title=Clark Howard inducted into National Radio Hall of Fame|first=Rodney|last=Ho|date=September 1, 2015|access-date=September 1, 2015|newspaper=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]}}</ref> In 2016 he was a recipient of the "Good and Faithful Servant Award" from the Peachtree Christian Hospice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://peachtreechristianhospice.com/clark-howard-recipient-of-2016-good-and-faithful-servant-award/|title=Clark Howard Recipient of 2016 "Good and Faithful Servant" Award {{!}} peachtreechristianhospice.com|website=peachtreechristianhospice.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414082119/http://peachtreechristianhospice.com/clark-howard-recipient-of-2016-good-and-faithful-servant-award/|archive-date=April 14, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Books==
* {{cite book | year=1999 | title=Clark Howard's Consumer Survival Kit III | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet Pr | isbn=1-56352-506-2 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/clarkhowardscons0000howa_w8t7 }}
* {{cite book | year=2000 | title=Get Clark Smart : The Ultimate Guide for the Savvy Consumer | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet Pr | isbn=1-56352-629-8 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/getclarksmartult0000howa }}
* {{cite book | year=2002 | title=Get Clark Smart: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Rich from America's Money-Saving Expert | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet | isbn=078688777X | url=https://archive.org/details/getclarksmartult00howa }}
* {{cite book | year=2003 | title=Clark's Big Book of Bargains : Clark Howard Teaches You How to Get the Best Deals | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet | isbn=0-7868-8778-8 | url=https://archive.org/details/clarksbigbookofb00howa }}
* {{cite book | year=2005| title=Clark Smart Parents, Clark Smart Kids : Teaching Kids of Every Age the Value of Money | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet | isbn=0-7868-8779-6}}
* {{cite book | year=2006 | title=Clark Smart Real Estate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate | edition=Paperback | publisher=Longstreet | isbn=140130785X | url=https://archive.org/details/clarksmartreales00howa }}
* {{cite book | year=2011 | title=Living Large in Lean Times | edition=Paperback | publisher=Penguin Group | isbn=978-1-58333-433-1 | url=https://archive.org/details/clarkhowardslivi00howa_0 }}
* Each book was written with coauthor Mark Meltzer.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.clark.com/ Clark Howard's website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180108072345/http://www.getclarksmart.com/ Clark Howard's official book site]

{{Westwood One}}
{{HLN}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Clark}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American talk radio hosts]]
[[Category:American finance and investment writers]]
[[Category:American male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Jewish American non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:American television talk show hosts]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from Atlanta]]
[[Category:Television personalities from Atlanta]]
[[Category:American University alumni]]
[[Category:Central Michigan University alumni]]
[[Category:Cox Radio]]
[[Category:The Westminster Schools alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:Jews from Georgia (U.S. state)]]