College News Roundup: Week of March 11 2024
WealthManagement.com | Getting into the Game: How Private Equity Funds Have Jumped into Professional Sports
March 12, 2024
FinServe Network ambassador Padric Scott, AEP®, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, WMCP®, CCFC, CAP®, MSFP explains the appeal and upside possibilities of investing in the world of sports, including rights and sponsorships.
College News Roundup: Week of March 4, 2024
Financial Advisor | When Retirees Give Away Too Much Money
February 27, 2024
Professor of Practice Steve Parrish, JD, RICP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP® discusses the reasons some retirees may give away too much of their nest eggs and how advisors can balance clients’ desire to be charitable with sound planning for the future.
Barron’s | Annuity Sales Are Soaring Because of Higher Payouts. What You Need to Know
March 3, 2024
The College’s experts discuss the benefits and opportunities surrounding annuity products in retirement planning, as well as whether advisors should consider them as part of their strategies.
Rethinking65 | Ex-Marine’s New Mission: U.S. Retirement Readiness
March 5, 2024
College Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) and CFP® Certification Education Program Director Chet Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF® discusses his journey from military service into financial planning, as well as how he’s using his career to support financial security efforts for veterans and all Americans.
Yahoo Finance | Is This a Good Time to Invest in Bitcoin?
March 8, 2024
Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®) Program Director Michael Finke, PhD, CFP® shares his thoughts on recent surges in crypto-asset prices, specifically Bitcoin, and why some advisors and companies may be hesitant about becoming involved with these assets.
Robert Moldoff Appointed Chief Information Officer at The American College of Financial Services
![Bob Moldoff headshot](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-pressrelease-robertmoldoff.jpg)
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA – March 12, 2024 – The American College of Financial Services announced that Robert Moldoff has been named as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. In this role, Moldoff will be responsible for aligning technology strategy and operations to support The College’s Strategic Plan and vision.
"Bob's leadership and integrity, coupled with his expertise in information technology make him the perfect leader to continue to elevate and innovate information technology at The College,” said George Nichols III, CAP®, president and CEO of The American College of Financial Services. “We look forward to continuing to ensure our IT is at the forefront for higher education and the financial services professionals we serve.”
Moldoff comes to The College with over 30 years’ experience creating and leading information technology (IT) strategy, enterprise application development, IT operations, and cybersecurity. Throughout his career, he has worked as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to executive leadership, guiding design and implementation of complex technology systems.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues at The College to forward the mission of uplifting the financial services profession and society,” said Moldoff. “Technology is at the core of how we deliver value to our students and alumni, and I’m excited to continue to innovate and collaborate to support the systems that deliver our offerings.”
Prior to joining The College, Moldoff served as Chief Information Officer at CGFNS International, Inc., a non-profit serving the global healthcare market with comprehensive credentialing and assessment products. In that role, he had overall responsibility for all technology strategy, application development, security, and information technology operations. Before that, Moldoff was Director of Technology at 4R Systems, Inc., a market leader in retail inventory profit optimization. There, he managed the development, production operations, and cloud migration of large-scale analytical database systems. He also spent over 20 years in different technology roles at SCT and SunGard managing the development, implementation, and support of administrative technology solutions for non-profit higher education institutions.
Moldoff has an Executive Master of Business degree from the Fox School of Business of Temple University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Systems from Widener University. He served for nine years in the U.S. Coast Guard and is a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans.
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ABOUT THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.
Contact:
Sarah Tremallo
908-967-0381 / stremallo@jconnelly.com
Lindsey Allumbaugh
678-643-1310 / lindsey.allumbaugh@theamericancollege.edu
College News Roundup: Week of February 26, 2024
Baron’s | Equity Market Outlook 2024
February 2, 2024
In this article, College assistant professor of financial planning Audrey Snell, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP® discusses the impact of a “soft landing” from recent inflationary worries as well as what may still be to come from markets in 2024.
Yahoo Finance | 401(k) Millionaires Grew in Late 2023: How to Save Like One
February 27, 2024
In this article, a pair of financial services thought leaders discuss the timely takeaways of The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Survey with journalists from Yahoo Finance.
Wealth Solutions Report | WSR Pathfinder Awards – Top Black Industry Leaders Of 2024
February 27, 2024
In this piece, College President and CEO George Nichols III, CAP® is placed among an industry list of the top Black leaders of 2024 in financial services in celebration of Black History Month.
Plan Sponsor | New Income Planning Tool To Advise Retirees on How Much to Withdraw
February 27, 2024
In this article, College thought leader Michael Finke, PhD, CFP® and Tamiko Toland announce the launch of IncomePath — a tool to help retirees visualize what they can spend in retirement, while factoring in investment risk, annuity options, and life expectancy.
Smart Money Circle | How to Make Educated Decisions
February 28, 2024
In this podcast episode, College FinServe Network ambassador Heather Welsh, CFP®, AEP®, MSFS shares her insights from years in the profession on how to help advisors and clients make educated decisions about financial matters.
2024 Center for Military and Veterans Affairs Initiatives
![2024 Planning Calendar](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-militarycenter2024initiatives.jpeg)
2024 Center for Military and Veterans Affairs Initiatives
With a successful 2023 behind them, the Center for Military and Veterans Affairs is looking forward to advancing its strategic priorities and initiatives in 2024.
First, the Center will be focused on engaging more individual donors and corporate and foundation partners to advance its mission of providing scholarships to active duty, guard, reserve members, veterans, and their spouses.
The Center will continue to award scholarships for the Wealth Management Certification Program® (WMCP®) focused on transitioning personnel to the civilian sector or into financial services and its cohort program to aid in its scholars’ success.
The Center will work to host future Military Resource Group (MRG) webinars and provide educational and professional development opportunities for its scholars and MRG members at both events for the Center and The American College of Financial Services. In 2023, the Center developed a Military Consumer Financial Education Program through partnerships with military financial educational foundations and this year will work to increase participating companies.
College News Roundup: Week of February 19, 2024
Baron’s | Social Security, Medicare Trouble Ahead? Money Pros Weigh In
February 7, 2024
This article examines the perennial topic of the insecurity of Social Security and other government benefits, including in the realm of healthcare, and includes expert opinions from College thought leaders on what the future may hold.
Baron’s | Do Financial Advisors Really Improve Retirement Readiness? These Surveys Say “Yes”
February 16, 2024
This piece explores a pair of recent industry studies on retirement readiness, including The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study, to show that quality advice from financial professionals has a measurable impact on how well clients do in retirement.
ThinkAdvisor | 8 New Findings on What Americans Don't Know About Retirement Income
February 16, 2024
In this slideshow piece, ThinkAdvisor takes a look at key insights from The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study and the takes of College experts on what they mean for the industry.
Plan Sponsor | Financial Literacy Quiz Reveals Americans Lack Understanding of Retirement Income
February 22, 2024
In this article, Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP® talks through some of the key results of The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study and how advisors can help consumers in need of more knowledge – along with taking a look at how artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT figure in.
Baron’s | Here’s Evidence That Advisors Make a Difference for Retirement
February 23, 2024
In this article, Baron’s takes a look at the results of The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study – with a particular emphasis on takeaways that show partnering with knowledgeable advisors can be a key factor in better retirement outcomes for clients.
Yahoo Finance | Can You Pass This Retirement Literacy Quiz?
February 24, 2024
In this piece, Yahoo Finance invites readers to take The College’s Retirement Income Literacy Study quiz to discover how much knowledge they have about basic retirement planning concepts.
WalletHub | Best Online Savings Accounts
February 26, 2024
In this article, Chet Bennetts, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLF®, RICP® shares his opinions about online savings accounts, their uses and value in retirement planning, and how savvy savers can maximize their value.
Honoring 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee, Paul Vignone
![Paul E. Vignone receiving award](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-2023halloffameinductee.jpeg)
Alumni Hall of Fame: Paul E. Vignone, CLU®, ChFC®, JD, LLM
The American College of Financial Services’ Alumni Hall of Fame was established in 2005 to recognize graduates of The College's designation, certification, and degree programs who have made extraordinary contributions in time, treasure, effort, and energy to the institution, their community, and the financial services industry as a whole. The College is proud to announce Paul Vignone as the 2023 inductee.
Paul is an estate and business planning consultant for The Gaber Group. He spent much of his career with Penn Mutual as a managing partner and then an executive consultant. Throughout his distinguished career, he earned many of Penn Mutual’s employee awards, including its most prestigious, the National Chairman’s Award. In addition, the General Agents’ and Managers’ Association has consistently recognized his contributions to the industry, including honoring him with its coveted First-in-Class Award and 13 Master Agency Awards.
Prior to his work with Penn Mutual, Paul served as general manager for Phoenix Home Life and general manager for Prudential, and from 1974 to 1977, he was a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Active in the industry, Paul is a member of the FINSECA Board of Directors. He is a past president of the New York City Chapter of Financial Service Professionals and served as a past president of the New York City General Agents’ and Managers’ Association, as well as the Northern New Jersey General Agents’ and Managers’ Association.
A past 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Paul is a Vietnam veteran and earned a Bronze Star for Valor during his service. He graduated from LaSalle University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University Law School and was awarded a master’s degree in tax law from New York University.
With this honor, Paul joins a distinguished group of The College’s alumni and partners, and it is an honor for The College to grant him this recognition.
Recognizing the 2023 NextGen Financial Services Award Recipients
![2023 NextGen Award Recipients](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-2023nextgenfinancialservicesawardlrecipients.jpg)
NextGen Financial Services Professional Award
The NextGen Financial Services Professional Award honors young professionals under the age of 40 who made a significant impact in the financial services industry and have shown outstanding performance and leadership in their careers, with a desire to give back to the community.
The winners from 2023 include:
Michael Acosta, CFP®, CSLP, ChFC®
Michael is a Certified Financial Planner® (CFP®) at Genesis Wealth Planning, LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina. A first-generation Colombian-American, he attended Wingate University on a lacrosse scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and a minor in Economics. Michael spent the first four years of his career working for a wealth management platform before transitioning into his current role as a financial advisor.
Kay Blunck, CFP®, ChFC®, CAP®, CRPC®
Kay is a wealth advisor with Inspired Wealth Advisors at Thrivent Financial. She enjoys creating holistic and individualized financial plans for each client’s unique circumstances. Kay also serves on the board of a local nonprofit, Military Missions. She finds joy in meeting with nonprofits and teaching their board members about different gifting strategies her clients are adopting and how they can incorporate these strategies into their fundraising efforts. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky.
Akeiva Ellis, MSFP, CPA/PFS, CFP®, ChSNC®
Akeiva is a CFP® Board Ambassador whose financial expertise has been quoted in numerous media outlets, including Refinery 29, NPR, Business Insider, and CNBC. As the co-founder of The Bemused (with her husband), she has helped tens of thousands of young adults improve their finances through online video content and coaching programs. She has been recognized by the AICPA with a Standing Ovation Award in Personal Financial Planning, been named an industry Rising Star by Financial Planning magazine, been identified as a Luminary in Diversity and Inclusion by ThinkAdvisor, and she is the youngest person to be named to Investment News’ prestigious 40 under 40.
Hannah Kanstroom, CAP®, MSW
Hannah is a Senior Vice President and philanthropic strategist for the National Consulting and Advisory Practice at Bank of America Private Bank, based in Boston, Massachusetts. In her role, Hannah delivers customized consulting and advisory services to nonprofit clients’ boards of directors, investment committees and senior leaders. Her areas of focus include strategic planning, mission advancement, next gen engagement, nonprofit governance, and board dynamics. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston College and a Master’s in Social Work with a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility and Nonprofit Management from Columbia University.
Padric H.B. Scott, AEP®, CFP®, CAP®, ChFC®, CLU®, WMCP®, CCFC
Padric graduated from Florida A&M University (FAMU) with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Cell Biology. He then began his Master's at FAMU, until he stopped to accept a contract to play in the
NFL for the Arizona Cardinals. Padric's professional football career spanned five years, with stops in the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League. Today, Padric serves as both CEO and Founder of Crossroad Capital Partners, a full-service equity and estate planning practice founded in 2018 that serves as an umbrella organization for his consulting engagements, partnered with Northwestern Mutual. Based out of Tallahassee, Florida, Crossroad is currently licensed in 43 states.
From the looks of these five accomplished professionals, the next generation is here now, and the industry is in good hands.
Honoring the 2023 President’s Award Recipient, Mary Wright
![Mary Wright speaking at award ceremony](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-2023presidentswawardrecipient.jpeg)
President's Award: Mary M. Wright, CAP®
Conferred by The American College of Financial Services’ President and CEO, the President’s Award recognizes the leadership and generosity of select benefactors and volunteers. The College is proud to announce the 2023 winner: Mary Wright.
Mary Wright attended Yankton College in Yankton, South Dakota, where she met and married Charles R. Wright, known to many at The College and elsewhere as Chuck. Together, they were leading donors to the Center for Women in Financial Services and helped to establish the State Farm Women’s Chair. Mary’s years of service through philanthropy led her to complete her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® designation at The College, so she could explore more ways of helping others engage in philanthropic work, as well. Mary was honored to work with The College in not only funding but in creating the scope and direction for the work that became the Wright Fellowship in the Center for Women in Financial Services.
Mary is a special example of the enduring relationships The College has been fortunate to develop, and we are so pleased to be able to recognize what that relationship has meant and continues to mean to us and everything we do here.
Honoring the 2023 Huebner Gold Medal Recipients
![2023 huebner gold medal recipients](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cb15-2023huebnergoldmedalrecipients.jpeg)
In 1975, as The American College of Financial Services approached its 50th anniversary, the Board of Trustees decided to honor those whose role in the development of the institution was of special significance. The Huebner Gold Medal, named for The College's founder, Solomon S. Huebner, is The College’s most prestigious honor and is awarded to people who, through support and dedication to The College and its programs, have moved the institution forward in its mission.
The College awards the Huebner Gold Medal each year at its annual President’s Dinner. The 2023 President’s Dinner was held this past November at the Barnes Foundation, located in the heart of Philadelphia’s beautiful museum district.
Margaret I. Bradshaw, CLU® (posthumously)
This year, we celebrated two recipients. First, we remembered and paid tribute to the late Margaret I. Bradshaw, CLU®. Margaret was a trailblazer, a successful businesswoman, an exemplary advocate of ethics in the insurance industry, and so much more. In 1931, she became the first woman in the United States to earn the Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) designation. At that time, in the early days of The College, few agents recognized the CLU® —and fewer understood the value of applied knowledge in the insurance industry, or the significance of the designation. Over a relationship with The College that spanned seven decades until her passing at the age of 106 in 2011, Margaret often credited the CLU® for professionalizing the industry and elevating its practitioners in the eyes of the public.
Margaret broke down barriers and paved the way for other women to succeed in the insurance industry. At The College, she was known for the Margaret Bradshaw Lecture Series and generous investment in the Center for Ethics in Financial Services. She was a tireless advocate for ethics and professionalism. She believed that financial services professionals have a responsibility to put the needs of their clients first and she always led by example. She saw the potential of The College to make a difference in the industry—and the world.
Phillip C. Richards, CLU®, RHU®
We also recognized Philip C. Richards, CLU®, RHU®. Phil is the Executive Chairman and Founder of the North Star Resource Group and a member of The College’s Alumni Hall of Fame. Among his many contributions, he has helped drive The College’s growth as an alumnus, a board member, and a champion of our shared mission. In honor of his own mentor and a prior recipient of the Solomon S. Huebner Gold Medal, Phil helped create the annual endowed Maurice “Maury” L. Stewart Lectureship program. He also supported the One Person and Invest in the Future capital campaigns.
Phil embodies The College’s belief in the value of lifelong learning. North Star represents a fully integrated array of financial services and products for individuals and businesses of all sizes and has over 140,000 clients with offices in 22 states with client assets under administration exceeding $10 billion. In addition, he is an adjunct professor emeritus for the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and former adjunct professor at Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing.