American College Names New President

An accomplished author on wealth management and portfolio management topics will soon be leading one of the nation's largest financial planning schools.

The American College of Financial Services Board of Trustees named Robert R. Johnson as president and CEO on Wednesday. Johnson, who takes over the Bryn Mawr, Pa.-based school on Oct. 1, has written numerous books on wealth management, portfolio management, asset valuation and monetary policy. He currently serves as a finance professor at Creighton University's Heider College of Business and serves on the board of RS Investment Management in San Francisco.

Johnson will replace Mike Davidson, who has served as acting president and CEO since Feb. 1 following the retirement of Larry Barton, who assumed the role of chancellor at the Philadelphia area school. The presidential appointment of Johnson comes six months after the American College tapped Linda S. Need, senior vice president and managing director of life insurance at Wells Fargo Advisors, as chairwoman of the board of trustees.

Johnson co-authored the books Strategic Value Investing, The Tools and Techniques of Investment Planning and Investment Banking for Dummies. He says that a major goal of his is to increase the visibility of the American College's offerings in the financial planning area.

"The need for financial education, especially financial planning education, is critical now," says Johnson, who also co-authored a book slated to be released this December called Investing by Fed. "We can provide financial advisors and financial professionals with the tools to do their job well."

The American College has more than 5,000 advisors enrolled in a new program launched a few years ago for the Retirement Income Certified Professional credential program. The school , which enrolls 27,500 students, also launched a Ph.D. for retirement and financial planning.

"The American College is very well known in the insurance side of the business, but I think we are less well known on the investment management side," says Johnson, who held senior executive positions at CFA Institute from 1996 to 2011. "I hope to expand the school's reach across the entire financial services field."

Need said in a statement that the American College's search for its next president included "an extensive search" for someone who would bring the school to the next level.

"Dr. Johnson stood out from all of the other highly qualified candidates because of his track record of success in leading academics who provide professional education for those in the financial services industry," said Need. "Dr. Johnson will be an outstanding, transformative leader as The College enters a period of significant growth.”

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