City Year Announces George Nichols III as New Board of Trustees Chair

Boston, Nov. 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — City Year, an education nonprofit that recruits young adults to serve as AmeriCorps members in public schools, is pleased to announce George Nichols III has been appointed as the new chair of City Year’s National Board of Trustees. 

Nichols currently serves as the 10th President and CEO of The American College of Financial Services, a private, nonprofit college focused on applied financial knowledge and education for financial professionals, nonprofit and for-profit executive leaders, systemically under-resourced communities, and consumers looking to improve their personal understanding and management of finances and wealth. He joined The College after 17 years at New York Life, a City Year National Partner, where he most recently served as executive vice president in the Office of Governmental Affairs and a member of the company’s Executive Management Committee.  

City Year’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Nichols as their new chair. 

“George was appointed because of his outstanding leadership, deep commitment to our mission, formidable professional accomplishments, and exemplary board service,” said City Year CEO Jim Balfanz. “The high esteem in which he is held by trustees and staff alike make him the ideal trustee to lead our national board for the next phase of our work.” 

“I’m excited to take on this new role for an organization I deeply believe in,” Nichols said. “Every day, thousands of AmeriCorps members are serving our students as student success coaches—tutors, mentors and role models who partner with teachers and support student holistic growth and well-being. The work of the organization – especially City Year’s long-term partnerships with schools and communities – has never been more important.  I am inspired by City Year’s strategic vision to create the conditions for the students farthest from opportunity to meet their potential and to develop diverse leaders who can work across lines of difference.” 

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. 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.

City Year’s immediate past chair, David L. Cohen, was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Canada and was therefore required to step down from all board positions. 

“We congratulate longtime City Year champion David Cohen on this well-deserved honor,” said Balfanz. “We thank him for his support of our organization and national service, which started decades ago when he worked for the Mayor’s Office in Philadelphia and continued throughout his stellar career at Comcast Corporation.”  

“We are very grateful to David Cohen for his dedicated service and are delighted to welcome George Nichols as chair,” said City Year Board Chair Emeritus and Charter Trustee Jonathan Lavine.  “George is an extraordinary leader and he is deeply committed to supporting City Year’s mission, corps, students and schools.”

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About City Year

City Year helps students and schools succeed, while preparing the next generation of civically engaged leaders who can work across lines of difference. Diverse teams of City Year AmeriCorps members provide support to students, classrooms and the whole school. Schools that partner with City Year are up to two to three times more likely to improve in English and math assessments, and the more time students spend with AmeriCorps members, the more they improve on social, emotional and academic skills— skills that help students thrive in school and contribute to their community. A proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, City Year is supported by AmeriCorps, local school districts and private philanthropy. City Year partners with public schools in 29 communities across the U.S. and through international affiliates in the U.K. and South Africa. Learn more at www.cityyear.org, City Year’s Facebook page, on Twitter and LinkedIn.

CONTACT: Tasha Booker City Year +1 (614) 586-4546 [email protected] 

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