George Nichols III
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George Nichols is the 10th president and CEO of The American College of Financial Services. He comes to The College after a 17-year career with New York Life, most recently serving as executive vice president in charge of the office of governmental affairs, reporting to the CEO and chairman, which encompasses all state, federal and international legislative, regulatory and public policy issues at the company. He also was a member of New York Life’s executive management committee, which is comprised of the company’s senior executive leadership and assists the CEO in setting policy for the company.
Nichols’ extensive career serving the financial services profession, both in the public and private sectors, makes him uniquely qualified to lead the country’s largest accredited, nonprofit educator dedicated to the financial services profession.
Prior to joining New York Life, Nichols was the commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Insurance, where he regulated the state’s $10 billion insurance industry and was recognized for his expertise in health insurance reform and financial services integration. Before that, he was the executive director of the Kentucky Health Policy Board, vice president of marketing for Athena of North America, executive director of product development of Southeastern Group, Inc. (dba Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kentucky), executive officer of Central State Hospital in Louisville, and executive assistant to the commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Mental Health/Mental Retardation Services.
He was Kentucky’s first African American insurance commissioner (1995), the first African American president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (2000), the first African American elected to New York Life’s Executive Management Committee (2006), and the first African American to lead The American College of Financial Services (2018).
Because of his bold leadership in The American College Center for Economic Empowerment and Equality’s launch of a Four Steps Forward plan to promote upward mobility and wealth creation for Black America, he was recently honored as one of Forbes’ “Culture 50 Champions”, was awarded the inaugural Alonzo Herndon Award (named in honor of the founder of Atlanta Life), and made Savoy’s list of “2021 Most Influential Black Corporate Directors.” He had previously made the list of “Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America” in 2018 and 2012.
He currently resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife Cynthia Jean (CJ). They have three adult children, Courtney, Jessica and George IV.
