DECATUR - Alexi Giannoulias is asking Illinois voters to have faith in a young man with energy and ideas as he campaigns to win the March 21 Democratic primary election so he can run in November for Illinois state treasurer.

Standing in Giannoulias' way are a lack of name recognition and Knox County State's Attorney Paul Mangieri, 47, the candidate slated by the state party to run for treasurer. Mangieri has the backing of Democratic Party of Illinois Chairman and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Those facts don't appear to daunt Giannoulias, 29, a community banker from Chicago who will celebrate his 30th birthday five days before the primary. Trained as an attorney, he opted after law school to join the Broadway Bank, a business his Greek immigrant parents started in the late 1970s, where he has practiced money management for the past four years.

He is hopeful the endorsement of his candidacy by U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., will influence voters to consider him favorably.

Giannoulias stopped in Decatur on Wednesday for an informal breakfast chat with the nine local Democrats curious enough about his views to show up at the Holiday Inn Select Hotel and Conference Center.

"My parents always taught us to give back to the community," Giannoulias said. "I've loved public service and politics for a long time."

His nonprofit charity, the A.G. Foundation, donates money to treat children's diseases and supports efforts to curb world poverty and help with disaster relief such as with Hurricane Katrina, Giannoulias said.

During his campaign trip this week, Giannoulias is calling for a compliance, management and program audit of the Bright Start College Savings Program run by the state treasurer. While he said he does not know of anything wrong with the program, Judy Baar Topinka's impending departure from the office next year makes this a good time to review the program's performance before a new treasurer takes over.

Also, some people who have invested money in the program to pay future college costs have expressed displeasure to him about the rate of return on the program's $1.6 billion trust fund, claiming returns are better for similar programs run by other states, Giannoulias said.

If elected, Giannoulias said he would reinvigorate the Link Deposit program initiated by Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn when he was state treasurer. He said the program would provide loans to small businesses and help create jobs and boost the economy.

Niantic farmer Ed Leonard said he attended Wednesday's session because he served on the Illinois Finance Authority board with Giannoulias' brother and has known the family slightly. He said he liked Giannoulias' energy but wondered if he can win.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@;herald-review.com or 421-7973.