Thursday, November 19, 2020

When:

11.19.2020
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Where:

Virtual Program

How to Harness Philanthropy's Power for Tangible Impact

George Nichols III has been a change agent in financial services for three decades, and that experience, married with realities lived through hils childhood in the segregated South, has shaped his journey to deliver sustainable change for underserved communities. George will discuss his perspective on areas of immense need, the vision that is guiding philanthropic initiatives at The American College of Financial Services, and the recent research on donors of color that highlights the needed shifts in mission-minded community funding.

CFREThis program has been approved for 1.5 CFRE credits.

 

 

Handout

George Nichols IIISpeaker: George Nichols III, President & CEO, The American College of Financial Services
Speaker Bio: George Nichols III currently serves as the 10th President and CEO in the storied history of The American College of Financial Services. He continues to take motivation from founder Solomon S. Huebner's pioneering vision in 1927, while empowering The College to usher in the next century of excellence.

A life of private sector experience and public service brought Nichols to The College, where he shares its commitment to benefitting society by educating and influencing the financial services profession.

He joined The College after a 17-year stint at New York Life, where he held principal roles in sales, strategic initiatives, and public policy. He most recently served as executive vice president in the Office of Governmental Affairs, which encompasses all of the legislative, regulatory, and public policy issues at the company.

In 2006, Nichols was named to the company's Executive Management Committee, a group of senior executives tasked with assisting the CEO in setting company policy.

Prior to joining New York Life, Nichols was Kentucky's first African-American insurance commissioner, leading the regulation of the state's $10 billion insurance industry through his expertise in health insurance reform and financial services integration. He gained this knowledge through stints as the executive director of the Kentucky Health Policy Board, vice president of marketing for Athena of North America, executive director of product development with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kentucky, CEO of Central State Hospital in Louisville, and executive assistant to the commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Mental Health/Mental Retardation Services.

Along with his role as Kentucky's first African-American insurance commissioner, Nichols was the first African-American president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (2000) and the first African-American elected to New York Life's Executive Management Committee (2006). He has twice made the list of "Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America," (2018 and 2012), an honor given by Savoy, the leading African-American business and lifestyle magazine.

These accolades were born from opportunities that he is passionate about extending through The College's diversity initiatives. Because of his bold leadership in launching a Four Steps Forward plan to promote upward mobility and wealth creation for Black America, Nichols was recently honored as one of "The Ten to Watch in 2021" by WealthManagement.com. Nichols currently sits on the Boards of City Year, a non-profit organization committed to partnering with teachers and school leaders in urban areas to provide high-impact student, classroom, and school-wide support, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Main Line Health, and Republic Bank, a regional bank originated in Nichols' home state of Kentucky. He is also a member of the Board of Regents at one of his alma maters, Western Kentucky University.

Nichols received his Associate's degree from Alice Lloyd College, a faith-based liberal arts school in eastern Kentucky, before earning his Bachelor's degree from Western Kentucky University. He began his career in financial services after receiving his Master's Degree from the University of Louisville.

He continues to lean on the love of his family—wife Cynthia Jean "CJ" and three children—and his unyielding faith to navigate the journey that brought him to this distinguished institution.

Dien YuenSpeaker: Dien Yuen, JD/LLM, CAP®, The Christopher Blunt and Gretchen Nickel Professor in Philanthropy; The American College of Financial Services
Speaker Bio: Dien Yuen is holder of the Blunt-Nickel Professorship in Philanthropy, and a designated instructor for the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) program. Her research and instruction for the CAP® program is informed by her experience as a philanthropic consultant, nonprofit gift planner, trust officer, and wealth advisor.

Before joining The College, Dien was Managing Director and Fiduciary Advisor for Evercore Wealth Management, LLC, where she engaged with high net-worth families and charitable institutions. Prior to that, she was principal and founder of a research and advisory firm serving the philanthropic needs of families, businesses, and organizations in the U.S. and Asia. Her former positions include Chief Philanthropy Officer at Give2Asia, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at U.S. Trust, Executive Director at IIT Bombay Heritage Fund, Vice President at Asian Pacific Fund, and Planned Giving Director at the American Cancer Society (Ohio).

Dien currently serves on the boards of The American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA), The 1990 Institute, and Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. She serves on the advisory boards of GlobalSF, Asia Society of Northern California, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, and Arowana Impact Fund. Dien is also on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force of the National Association of Estate Planning Councils (NAEPC.) Previously, she served on the boards of the Northern California Planned Giving Council (NCPGC), Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), and AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP).

Dien is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®). She received her LL.M. in International Law at Golden Gate University, Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of Toledo College of Law, and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science from Adrian College.