King of Prussia, PA, Oct. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- George Nichols III, President and CEO of The American College of Financial Services, announced today that James A. Roy, PMP®, Senior Executive and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (Ret.), has been named Executive Director of The American College Center for Veterans Affairs. In his position, Chief Roy will oversee the Center for Veterans Affairs’ research, programs, and outreach to provide educational support and career opportunities to eligible service members, veterans, and their spouses.
“Throughout his career, Chief Roy has proven himself to be a driven leader who is passionate about helping others, from the members and veterans of our armed forces to the public at large, both within the U.S. and around the world,” said Nichols. “This is the vision and value set that’s needed to give back to our honorable communities of service members and their loved ones. Chief Roy’s service record and professional qualifications speak for themselves, and he’s the kind of leader we want on our team.”
Established in 2012 by a generous gift from the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, the vision of the Center for Veterans Affairs is to empower deserving service members, veterans, and military spouses with career opportunities, thereby infusing the financial services profession with a talent pool of determined, mission-minded individuals who will be vital to the economic integrity and sustainability of the financial services profession in the 21st century.
The Center for Veterans Affairs recently hit a major milestone by awarding their 1,000th scholarship, a program built to grant deserving professionals access to The College’s keystone designation programs, including the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®), graduate degree programs, and others that give them an edge in finding a new career in financial services, along with the benefits of The College’s vast support and alumni network. The Center also holds yearly events to drive awareness of veterans issues and to raise money for further scholarships, as well as the profiles of those who have courageously served—most notably through the annual Clambake & Soldier-Citizen Award event.
“I’m always seeking new ways to serve the people of this great nation, including my fellow veterans, military members and families. The opportunity to lead a Center of Excellence like this and work for an institution like The College that sets the gold standard of financial services education is an honor for me, personally and professionally,” said Chief Roy. “I look forward to collaborating with my peers across The College and the financial services industry to bring renewed attention to the challenges facing military members and families and recognition for all that they do on behalf of this country and all of us.”
As Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Roy represented the highest level of leadership among noncommissioned officers in the U.S. Air Force—only the 16th service member appointed to such a position—and in his role provided direction for enlisted men and women, as well as representing their interests to the American public and all levels of government. He served as the personal advisor to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of enlisted forces. In his business career, Chief Roy also most recently served as Chief Operating Officer for Silotech Group, a small company focused on advanced cyber, intelligence, IT, and modernization solutions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Roy brought on 20 new employees to the firm, expanded to three new business sectors as part of his vision to grow Silotech beyond small business status, and brought in nearly $20 million in annual revenue.
Chief Roy grew up in Monroe, MI, and entered the Air Force in 1982. He has been stationed in places including Guam, South Korea, Kuwait, and Japan, as well as Hawaii, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Virginia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in engineering management from Park College and a Master’s degree in human resource management from Troy State College, and has worked a variety of civil engineer duties. His military background includes roles at squadron, group, numbered Air Force, and combatant command levels, as well as serving as Senior Enlisted Leader and advisor to the U.S. Pacific Command.
A charismatic speaker and presenter with a strong background in effectively leading high-performance teams and implementing organizational change, Chief Roy’s passion for education and helping others serves as a through-line from his time in the military to corporate roles. He has overseen diverse projects, including professional development of enlisted forces at home and abroad, designing a strategic development model to grow the next generation of Air Force enlisted leaders through an Enlisted Development team that provides guidance and mentorship to 25,000 senior NCOs. In addition, he worked to promote programs ensuring National Guard and Reserve forces are trained to the same standard as their active-duty counterparts.
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The American College of Financial Services was founded in 1927 and is the nation’s largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated one in five financial advisors across the United States and offers two graduate degree programs, along with prestigious financial planning designations such as the Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®), Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®), Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®), Chartered Special Needs Consultant® (ChSNC®), Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®), and education leading to the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) certification. The College’s faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services profession. Visit TheAmericanCollege.edu and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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