The College Earns Top Workplaces Award for Third Year in a Row
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The Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC and media outlets such as The Philadelphia Inquirer. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, to name a few.
“Our people are what make us great," said George Nichols III, CAP®, President and CEO of The College, "and we strive to ensure The American College of Financial Services provides a positive work environment and supportive culture for our workforce of exceptionally talented individuals.”
The successive awards for workplace quality have come after a concerted effort to improve employee engagement at The College.
A Mandate for Cultural Change
In 2019, The College conducted internal surveys to measure employee engagement and take the temperature of its faculty and staff. The results showed low engagement and uncertainty, so College leadership committed to addressing areas of concern.
Recognizing the need for improvement, College leaders immediately implemented a three-point plan for cultural change.
First, they shared the survey results with the entire College in the interest of greater accountability and transparency. Next, they began the process of forming a Culture Committee with representation from non-supervisory faculty and professional staff, including an HR representative with facilitation from an external consultant, to recommend improvements in the workplace environment. Lastly, they solidified cultural improvement as an ongoing strategic initiative for The College, making building a better culture one of its highest priorities.
Improvement in Key Areas
The results were seen quickly – and as Deborah Eskridge Glenn, MA, MSM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Vice President of Administration and Chief Human Resources Officer attested, they spoke for themselves.
“In 2020, our engagement score with employees improved by 38%, and since then, we’ve continued to perform above local and national engagement rates,” she said. “Due to our elevation of cultural change as a strategic initiative, employees at The College now use words like ‘inclusive,’ ‘evolving,’ ‘engaging,’ ‘transparent,’ and ‘positive’ to describe our culture.”
When compared to its peer organizations, The College can now be found in the top 5% of surveyed employers in the Philadelphia area in terms of work-life balance and clued-in employees. It also ranks in the top 25% when looking at qualities such as supportive managers, trusted leadership, strong values, open-mindedness, innovation, employee appreciation, and company direction.
The most visible effect of The College’s cultural shift, however, was its identification as a Top Workplace in the region by The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2021. And as confirmation that real change had taken place, The College was recognized again in 2022 and now in 2023.
A Place Where Employees Do Meaningful Work
The Culture Committee, which includes representatives from every department, has focused on improvement by seeking employee feedback in three primary areas. The first is meaningfulness: Do you feel the work you do is important? The second is interdepartmental cooperation: Are we all working together and collaborating as effectively as we can? The third is execution: Are we doing what we say we’re going to do in regard to following the recommendations we make?
Listening to employee feedback has allowed The College to identify issues, develop action plans, and implement those changes. As a result, employee engagement, alignment, and satisfaction have remained high.
“Working at The American College of Financial Services has taught me that small institutions can do big things! Working with and learning from such a talented group of people has been my privilege.”
– Leah Selekman, Academics Program Coordinator
“The College has given me the guidance necessary to grow into the professional I am today, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have made many friendships and professional relationships that will last me a lifetime.”
– Jeannette McGuire, Digital Communications Manager
“The College was the first company I worked for, and I hope this is where I retire. I have committed my entire professional life to The College because I believe in its mission, values, and ability to serve students. I could not imagine working anywhere else.”
– Rich Scottoline, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management
Building on our recent success, it's our goal to continue to make The College a great place to work.
FinServe Summit Heralds Increased Amplification of The College’s Mission
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A group of 16 financial professionals with diverse backgrounds, fields of expertise, and positions in the industry, the FinServe Network is a new initiative by The College to utilize those in its network to amplify The College’s mission within their spheres of influence. Membership in the FinServe Network is an exclusive invitation extended to practitioners who embody lifelong learning and are passionate about advancing the profession to be more diverse and inclusive.
With 14 of the 16 members of the FinServe Network’s inaugural class represented at the Summit, held in-person at The College’s offices, faculty, staff, and influencers engaged in two days of team-building, panel discussions, coffee talks, and more designed to bring them together, inspire them, and equip them with the tools they need to spread the word about The College to their communities.
A Powerful Introduction
The FinServe Network ambassadors arrived at The College on Monday from hometowns all across the country–some even from as far away as Alaska and California. They joined in the excitement felt by The College’s professional staff as Chief Marketing Officer Jared Trexler led the unveiling of The College’s reimagined brand, a sneak peek at its new website, and an overview of the “Your Life’s Work” campaign meant to introduce diverse communities to the multitude of opportunities available to them at The College.
Trexler and other members of The College’s Marketing and Communications team emphasized how this trifecta of changes would enhance the ability of those present to share The College’s story with others and communicate the value of its programs, not just as a leader in financial services education, but as a difference-maker that seeks to better the profession and society through financial knowledge.
To that end, faculty members Timi Joy Jorgensen, PhD, and Valencia Gabbay presented the latest iteration of Know Yourself, Grow Your Wealth: The College’s consumer financial education program designed to help those in underserved communities to grow in personal finance knowledge. Jorgensen and Gabbay highlighted the program's benefits to advisors, encouraging them to share the news of its availability to their networks.
Breaking the Ice and Building Community
Following the informational sessions, Senior Director of Marketing and Media Relations Lindsey Allumbaugh sought to grow the group’s team spirit by having the FinServe ambassadors engage in a few fun activities. In the first game, ambassadors were given a choice between two opposing sides–coffee or tea, vacations at the beach or in the mountains, etc.–to lighten the mood of the gathering and allow them to get to know a bit more about each other. In the second, the ambassadors were encouraged to speak about their “superpower”: not a power they would like to have, but one they already possessed.
Many ambassadors spoke about their power to connect disparate ideas and different people to foster growth through community and connections, especially ones that might not be expected or commonplace. A few testified to their powerful personalities, from sunny optimism to grounded realism, as what helps them to sway clients and convince them to consider alternatives to their preconceived notions about financial planning. Still others referred to their backgrounds from diverse communities as a force that drives them to serve others or a passion for giving back.
These talents were the focus of the day’s last activity, an inspirational conversation with Deirdre Van Nest of Crazy Good Talks®. In her session, Van Nest testified to the power of personal stories and emotional connection as the key to effective speaking. Rather than simply trying to convince or sell their clients on ideas by presenting facts, Van Nest shared her own highly affecting story of losing her mother in a car accident to prove the point that emotional appeals are at the core of creating relationships based on trust–an especially important skill for FinServe ambassadors to have.
A Meeting of the Minds
The FinServe ambassadors reconvened Tuesday morning for coffee and a discussion session with College President and CEO George Nichols III, CAP®. President Nichols painted a picture of how far The College has come in its nearly 100-year history and how far he envisions it going as it works to fulfill current strategic initiatives designed to set a new standard in the industry. While candid, President Nichols was full of enthusiasm and hope for the future–and his sentiments were shared by the ambassadors, who excitedly peppered him with questions about what they could do to help The College move forward in its mission.
Afterward, the ambassadors heard from The College’s leading faculty in a panel discussion distilling recent research initiatives and their results. Faculty members represented included: Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®) Program Director; Eric Ludwig, CFP®, Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®) Program Director; Chet Bennetts, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®, director of the CFP® Certification Education Program and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) Program; Keith Gatto, PhD, Assistant Professor; Sophia Duffy, JD, CPA, Associate Professor of Business Planning; and David Pierce, MSFS, MSM, MA, AEP®, CLF®, ChFC®, CLU®, Certified Financial Fiduciary®, Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) Program Director.
Ambassadors once again freely engaged throughout the presentation session and asked many impactful questions about the implications of the findings and how they saw The College’s programming evolving in the years to come.
Conversations and Connections
The late morning and the early afternoon saw ambassadors being split into smaller groups for the final activities of their visit: panel discussions.
Ambassadors were grouped by specialty and area of focus for several discussions capturing insights into retirement planning today, DEI in practice, and opportunities and challenges in philanthropic advising. A member of The College’s faculty or leadership team led and moderated each discussion.
In the first panel on retirement planning, Ludwig led a discussion with ambassadors Jason Austell, CFP®, MSFS, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, AEP®, CAP®, Nancy Du, RICP®, CFP®, Padric Scott, AEP®, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, WMCP®, CCFC, and Terry Parham, Jr., CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, WMCP®. Ludwig pointed out the two biggest disruptors in current retirement planning–inflation and market volatility–and asked the ambassadors about their strategies for handling them.
For the second panel, Finke headed a conversation focused on challenges facing independent advisors from RIA firms featuring ambassadors Andrew Tudor, CFP®, CAP®, Angie Ribuffo, CFP®, RICP®, ChFC®, CDFA®, CLTC®, WMCP®, Heather Welsh, CFP®, AEP®, MSFS, and Scott Winslow, MSFS, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, AEP®, CCFC. Finke pointed out that 2022 was an interesting year for advisors, especially those going independent, due to fluctuations in investment products and a rising number of clients needing retirement planning services.
The third panel, including and moderated by President Nichols, looked at diversity, equity, and inclusion in the financial services industry. Ambassadors Fatima Williams, FSCP®, Alanah Phillips, Centario Grier, and Marco Williams talked about their experiences as women and people of color getting started in the industry and advancing in the profession. They emphasized leaning into what makes you unique despite a culture that often browbeats people into fitting a mold.
Finally, the last panel on philanthropic advising included recent Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® graduate President Nichols and two ambassadors specializing in giving back: Rick Peck, CAP®, and Mary Fischer-Nassib, CAP®. Peck, a gift planner with a charitable foundation, and Fischer-Nassib, founder of her own organization focusing on making an impact through athletic programs, talked about current challenges, trends, and opportunities in philanthropic advising.
A Celebratory Conclusion
A final address from Trexler and Nichols and a champagne toast tied a bow on the inaugural FinServe Summit and sent the ambassadors on their way with inspirational words and the promise of an impactful collaboration to come–as well as new bonds of friendship and fellowship formed.
We thank all the members of our first FinServe Network class for their service to The College and dedication to advancing our mission to benefit society! Check out the recap reel below to view the Summit’s video highlights.
Admiral Michael G. Mullen Named as the 2023 Soldier-Citizen Award Recipient
A distinguished service member and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Presidents Bush and Obama from 2007 to 2011, Admiral Mullen embodies sacrifice, service, and selflessness.
“Admiral Mike Mullen truly exemplifies the values of a soldier and a citizen. As a soldier, he has given over 40 years of military service to our nation at the highest levels of leadership. As a citizen, he has done significant work in the financial services industry, held numerous board positions with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, taught national security decision-making policy as well as ethics and leadership, and has received a long list of distinguished awards. Much of his work with nonprofit organizations is related to assisting military veterans and their families. It was an honor to nominate Admiral Mullen for this award in recognition of his sacrifice, success, and service.”
~John M. Howard, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of The American College of Financial Services
Admiral Mullen served as the 28th Chief of Naval Operations from 2005–2007 and the 17th Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff for Presidents Bush and Obama from 2007 to 2011. He led the military during a critical time of change and transition, advancing the rapid fielding of innovative technologies, championing emerging and enduring global partnerships, and promoting new methods for countering terrorism. He spearheaded eliminating the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, ushering for the first time in U.S. military history the open service of gay and lesbian men and women.
After his retirement from the United States Navy in November 2011 after 43 years of honorable service, Admiral Mullen joined the corporate boards of General Motors from 2013–2018 and Sprint from 2013–2019. He continues to serve on numerous boards, including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Naval Academy Foundation, Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, Harvard Business School, and a wide array of nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving the growth, development, recovery, and transition of military veterans and their families.
Additionally, he taught National Security Decision-Making and Policy at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University from 2012– 2018 and continues to teach advanced ethics and leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Currently, Admiral Mullen is president of MGM Consulting, which provides counsel to global clients on issues related to geo-political developments, national security interests, and strategic leadership. Admiral Mullen is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a distinguished graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, a distinguished alumnus of Harvard Business School, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and served as a trustee at Caltech.
Kristi Martin Rodriguez Honored as 2022 Lang Dixon LEAD Award Recipient
Rodriguez has spearheaded multiple efforts across the industry to help diversify the industry and narrow the wealth gap, including leading the development of the Financial Alliance for Racial Equity (FARE), which is focused on increasing the number of black financial professionals entering the industry and filling the voids to help retain them.
The Philadelphia Inquirer Names The American College of Financial Services a Winner of the Delaware Valley Top Workplaces 2021 Award
Based solely on the feedback provided through an employee survey, The College has been named a Top Workplace in Philadelphia for midsized companies.
“Being recognized as a Top Workplace is about more than just offering great benefits and vacation time. Employees want to align with a company’s vision, be challenged by a high-performance culture, and feel that they are valued and that their voices are heard,” said George Nichols III, President and CEO of The College. “Through the advocacy and ideas of our culture committee, leadership training, frequent surveys, virtual social events, and a clear mission and vision to rally around, this success is all of our success and we take pride in effecting this kind of change.”
The Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, to name a few. The College also received specific badges for certain culture drivers ranked in the top 25% of organizations in our mid-sized company benchmark surveyed in the last 12 months, including:
- Clued-in Employees – Employees feel well-informed about the important decisions at The College
- Trusted Leader – Employees have confidence in the leader of The College
- Company Direction – Employees believe The College is going in the right direction
"During this very challenging time, Top Workplaces has proven to be a beacon of light for organizations, as well as a sign of resiliency and strong business performance," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward. Top Workplaces draw on real-time insights into what works best for their organization, so they can make informed decisions that have a positive impact on their people and their business.”
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.
ABOUT ENERGAGE
Making the world a better place to work together.TM Energage is a purpose-driven company that helps organizations turn employee feedback into useful business intelligence and credible employer recognition through Top Workplaces. Built on 14 years of culture research and the results from 23 million employees surveyed across more than 70,000 organizations, Energage delivers the most accurate competitive benchmark available. With access to a unique combination of patented analytic tools and expert guidance, Energage customers lead the competition with an engaged workforce and an opportunity to gain recognition for their people-first approach to culture. For more information or to nominate your organization, visit energage.com or topworkplaces.com.
Gwendolyn Hall Named Executive Vice President and Provost of The American College of Financial Services
As the chief academic officer for the nation’s largest regionally accredited, nonprofit institution dedicated to financial services education, Hall will be responsible for advancing The College’s mission and vision to provide best in class applied financial knowledge and education, and broadening its reputation as the leader in e-learning within the financial and business sectors.
“Gwen’s long-established career as a leader in higher education, government, and military service makes her the ideal choice to build upon The College’s recent significant growth in faculty thought leadership and investments that have transformed the delivery of our education and support to our students,“ Nichols said. “Her extensive experience with demonstrated success in academic organization and operations, strategic planning, and student success is pivotal in charting the way forward as we approach our centennial.”
Hall joined The College in March 2020 as Associate Vice Provost and Vice President to establish the first Student Experience Department by reorganizing the admissions and enrollment management function, creating a dedicated team for program advising to support students, adding an academic technology support function for students, and automating many registrar operations. In addition to being responsible for ensuring that students receive a high-quality experience, she has shown College-wide leadership as active member of the President’s Leadership Advisory Council, supporting the development of The College’s strategic planning process, providing guidance on the COVID-19 Task Force, and serving as an advisor to The College’s newest Center of Excellence, the Center for Economic Empowerment and Equality.
From 2005-2020, Hall held a number of leadership positions with American Public University System (APUS) serving over 80,000 online students, culminating to Senior Vice President and Vice Provost. Previous to that she held many roles of distinction at APUS including Chief of Staff, Office of the President; Associate Provost of Academic Effectiveness and Student Success; Senior Vice President, Academic Operations; Dean, School of Security and Global Studies; and Chair, Department of Homeland Security, and Transportation and Logistics Management.
“I am honored to be named Provost and given the opportunity to further serve this academic institution with its rich history of advancing the financial services profession for the benefit of society,” said Hall. “I look forward to working closely with our esteemed faculty and talented professional staff to expand the catalogue of exceptional offerings and ensure the programs continue to be relevant for the students and industries we serve, and The College remains at the forefront of online financial education.”
Hall’s career in government included consulting with the Department of Homeland Security on strategic planning, infrastructure planning, and resiliency planning. She also served as a professional staff member for the House Select Committee on Homeland Security responsible for maintaining the committee portfolio for all homeland defense issues. A retired Air Force Officer, Hall’s last assignment was Chief of the National Security Policy Division, Headquarters Air Force. Before arriving at the Pentagon in 2002, she was deployed as the Director of the Combined Forces Air Component Commander’s Action Group at Prince Sultan’s Air Base, Saudi Arabia. From 1999-2002, she was the Commander and Director of Operations of the Dean of Faculty Squadron at the United States Air Force Academy where she also served on faculty as a Professor of Political Science and President of the Faculty Advisory Group to the Dean of Faculty.
In addition to her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Hall holds a Master of Public Policy and a PhD in National Security Policy Studies all from the University of Maryland.
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.
Jared Trexler Named Chief Marketing Officer of The American College of Financial Services
Trexler brings to The College 16 years of marketing experience, including leadership roles in financial education, investment, assets, and wealth management. He will join The College on September 7, reporting directly to President Nichols.
As the head of Marketing and Communications for the nation’s largest regionally accredited, nonprofit institution dedicated to financial services education, Trexler and his team of marketing and communications professionals will be charged with broadening The College’s position and reputation in the marketplace, expanding its brand in a rapidly-changing financial services profession, and driving enrollments and engagement that supports The College’s mission and vision to provide best-in-class applied financial knowledge and education.
“The College’s mission to benefit society is a noble pursuit that continues to deliver significant impacts across the financial services profession and communities at large. We achieve that mission by engaging with a wide range of audiences, keeping our finger on the pulse of the profession, and delivering experiences that educate and empower people to expand their knowledge,” Nichols said. “Jared has spent the better part of his career working directly with financial advisors and partner firms across insurance, broker-dealer, and RIA channels, as well as industry thought leaders and the financial media. He understands how best to position our story and our strategy and communicate it dynamically to more people in more places.”
Trexler’s marketing leadership has extended to several areas of financial services, from heading content and branding at Ed Slott and Company, LLC, the nation’s foremost leader in retirement distribution planning education and training, to creating and executing marketing strategies and driving assets under management (AUM) and assets under advisement (AUA) growth in investment and private wealth management.
Trexler also previously served as Director of Strategic and Executive Communications at The College, working with Nichols and The College’s leadership team to draft compelling narratives that best communicated strategic initiatives, new educational programs, and Centers of Excellence. He also drove an expansion of The College’s content marketing efforts, developed The Office of the President website, and supported The President’s efforts at industry meetings and events. He is a past recipient of the Mary Varner Award for Exemplary Service, The College’s highest honor for professional staff.
“I’m very excited to partner with talented professionals across The College and lead a department with so many compelling stories to tell,” Trexler said. “We’ll continue to focus on delivering exceptional experiences that excite, engage, educate, and empower. Applied knowledge has a ubiquitous influence on professional growth and the financial security of consumers and their communities. As brand stewards and business builders, our team is responsible for communicating the profession’s most universal value.”
Trexler holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State University, where he returned to author a book on Penn State football in the years following his graduation. He’s a twice-published author, former columnist, and has offered his insights on financial marketing’s transformation in InvestmentNews, Financial Planning, and at numerous industry events, including the New York State Society of CPAs and the Financial Services Institute National Summit.
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.
The American College of Financial Services Hosts 7th Annual Clambake to Raise Funds for Service Member Scholarships
The Clambake will be held virtually this year on September 9, 2021, featuring thought-provoking content and a moving, patriotic award ceremony. A key component of the event is The American College Soldier-Citizen Award, established in 2014 to recognize and celebrate the sacrifice and service of its recipients who have selflessly given back to society and their community. The 2021 Solder Citizen Award Recipient is Admiral Tom Fargo, USN (Ret).
"The Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs' goal is to empower deserving veterans and active-duty service members with career opportunities, and to infuse the financial services profession with a talent pool of determined, mission-minded individuals who are vital to the integrity of the profession,” said Ted Digges, Captain, SC, USN (Ret.), Executive Director of the Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs. "We are grateful for the support of so many to our scholarship program supporting those pursuing success in their second careers."
Amid preparations for the Clambake, the Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs hit a major milestone by awarding their 1,000th scholarship. Craig Martin, the 1,000th scholarship recipient from Niceville, FL, is an example of the caliber of the Center's scholars. Martin served in the Army Special Forces for 17 years before retiring in 2018 with 100% disability from combat service. He describes himself as a strategic planner, serial entrepreneur, mentor, and leader who is skilled at developing effective teams and accomplishing goals. He is known for honesty, flexibility, results-based initiatives, and loyalty, and is a great father to his children.
Martin successfully transitioned from the military to financial services, and is now a financial advisor and wealth manager servicing active-duty and retired military clients. He plans to obtain additional financial planning knowledge through the Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) program so he can provide exceptional service and experience-based recommendations to his clients. “Financial planning has been a seamless transition from my military experiences. My plans are at a fiduciary level and include problem-solving, risk reduction, and life contingency planning,” said Martin.
"At the heart of the excitement around the Clambake beats the mission of the Center: to provide educational support and career opportunities to men and women who have honorably served in the Armed Forces,” said George Nichols III, President and CEO of The College. “The Clambake's generous supporters have allowed more than 250 deserving veterans, active-duty service members, and their spouses to receive full scholarships to programs offered by The College in the past year alone.”
The Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs has experienced explosive growth since its launch in 2012 thanks to impressive support from corporate and private donors alike, as well as word-of-mouth advocacy from scholars. The annual Clambake continues to generate professional interest and garner financial support for the important mission of the Center.
If you would like to learn more about giving a unique opportunity to active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their spouses seeking a new direction through flexible distance learning and training, visit veterans.theamericancollege.edu/scholarships.
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.
The American College of Financial Services Announces 2021 Slate of Awards for Alumni, Partners, and Volunteers
The President’s Dinner will be the first in-person event The College has hosted since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, which forced the 2020 President’s Dinner to be held in a virtual format.
As in years past, The College is proud to honor several individuals at the year-end gala who have made significant and meaningful contributions to The College, its programs and initiatives, the financial services industry, and society at large. These include honors such as the Solomon S. Huebner Gold Medal, the President’s Award, the NextGen Financial Services Professional Awards, and the 2021 Alumni Hall of Fame induction.
“We’re incredibly excited to return to the tradition of our in-person President’s Dinner and recall why it’s one of our favorite times of the year,” said George Nichols III, President and CEO of The American College of Financial Services. “Getting to celebrate the connections, camaraderie, and commitment to the community that tie us all together is exactly what The College is all about, and I know I’ll be honored to be able to actually shake the hands of this year’s deserving award recipients.”
Presented annually since 1975, The College’s Huebner Gold Medal is named for Solomon S. Huebner—financial services, education, and insurance pioneer who founded The College in 1927—and is the highest honor bestowed by The College. Individuals receiving the Huebner Gold Medal are those whose leadership and support have advanced the mission of The College in significant ways. This year, The College will honor a pair of recipients with the Huebner Gold Medal:
- Michael Corey, Managing Partner of MJC Ventures, Advisory Board Member Emeritus for The American College Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs, past member of The American College Board of Trustees, past member of The American College Foundation Board, and member of The College’s President’s Roundtable
- James Meehan, MSM, Managing Partner at 1847 Financial, immediate past Chair and current member of The American College Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs Advisory Board, and current member and former Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Specifically, Corey and Meehan are honored this year for their leadership roles with The College’s Board of Trustees and The College’s Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs immediate past Chair and Advisory Board Member Emeritus respectively. Both men have played a vital role in helping The College and its Center for Veterans Affairs serve the military community, including active-duty, guard, and reserve service personnel, veterans, and their families with educational opportunities to find second careers in financial services.
Established in 2005, the Alumni Hall of Fame award recognizes graduates of The College’s programs who have made extraordinary contributions in time, talent, and treasure to the institution, their community, and the financial services profession. This year, The College recognizes Michael “Mickey” Rosenzweig, CLU®, ChFC®, AEP®, Founder, President, and CEO of Rosenzweig Financial Services and Trustee at The College, for his over four decades of dedication to the betterment of the financial services profession and stewardship of The College and its mission. Rosenzweig is a past member and Chair of The American College Alumni Association Advisory Board and past member of The College Foundation.
Conferred by the President and CEO of The American College of Financial Services, the President’s Award recognizes the extraordinary leadership and generosity of benefactors and volunteers for The College. The 2021 President’s Award recipient is Susan Cooper, MSM, RICP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CAP®, CFP®, Managing Director at Prudential Financial. Cooper has been a critical and valuable partner in many of The College’s initiatives and serving in many leadership roles including a current member of the Board of Trustees and past member of The College Foundation.
Intended to recognize the significant contributions made to the financial services industry by individuals under the age of 40, the NextGen Financial Services Professional Award is given each year to a group of talented and deserving young professionals making their mark on the industry. The 2021 group of award recipients include:
- Amie Agamata, CFP®, AIF®, RICP®, ChFC®, CLU®
- LeTian Dong, CFP®, RICP®, ChFC®
- Shellie Haluska, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, AAMS®
- Michael Sise, CFP®, ChFC®, CPFA®, AIF®, CRPC®
- Andrew Tudor, CFP®, RICP®
- Lauren Yamaoka, CAP®
To ensure the health and safety of event attendees, The College will adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines within the City of Philadelphia. Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus is encouraged. To learn more about the 2021 President’s Dinner or to register, visit here or call 610-526-1338.
The College is accepting President's Dinner tributes for those that want to offer congratulations to the 2021 honorees in the form of donations that will allow the institution to continue to serve the industry and benefit society.
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.