FOX Business Anchor and Former U.S. Comptroller General to Headline Knowledge Summit in New York City

BRYN MAWR, Pa., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College, the nation's leading financial services educator, announced today that veteran business journalist and FOX Business Network anchor Stuart Varney and former Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) David M. Walker will be two of the featured presenters at this year's Knowledge Summit in New York City on December 6, 2010.

Varney, who is also known for his hosting and anchoring contributions to CNBC and CNN, will present "Another Economic Depression?" as part of the 2010 Engle Lecture Series on Economic Security.  The Engle Lecture aims to stimulate objective study of the economic life of the United States in the global economy, with particular emphasis on the social and economic impact of private and public economic security mechanisms.  The American College has been sponsoring this lecture series annually for the past 33 years.

Walker, the President and CEO of the Comeback America Initiative (CAI), an organization dedicated to engaging the public and promoting solutions to our country's fiscal problems, will deliver the 2010 Liddy Leadership Lecture, "We're Bankrupt: What Must Be Done to Prevent Economic Collapse."  Prior to leading CAI, Walker was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and starred in the acclaimed documentary I.O.U.S.A.   The Liddy Leadership Lecture is named for Richard A. Liddy, CLU®, retired Chairman, President and CEO of the GenAmerica Financial Corporation.  The lecture is designed to share high performance insight with students and alumni of The American College enrolled in the institution's Master of Science in Management (MSM) with an emphasis in Leadership degree program as well as annual Knowledge Summit attendees.

"The economic observations and analysis of Varney and Walker are respected and admired by millions of Americans.  This year's Knowledge Summit attendees will have a fascinating opportunity to learn more about our nation's potential fiscal future and the possible impact it will have on both financial services professionals and their clients," stated Larry Barton, Ph.D., President and CEO of The American College.

Stuart Varney joined the FOX News Channel (FNC) in January 2004.  He serves as a business contributor and substitute host for FNC's "Your World with Neil Cavuto." Varney also contributes to the network's weekday and weekend business programming including: "Your World with Neil Cavuto," "Bulls & Bears," "Cavuto on Business" and "Cashin' In."

Before joining FNC, Varney served as the host of CNBC's "Wall Street Journal Editorial Board with Stuart Varney." Before that, he was a co-anchor of CNN's "Moneyline News Hour." Varney helped launch CNN's business news team in 1980 and hosted many of their financial programs including, "Your Money," "Business Day" and "Business Asia." His reporting and analysis of the stock market crash of 1987 helped CNN earn a Peabody Award for excellence in journalism.  He is a graduate of the London School of Economics.

From 2008 - 2010, David M. Walker served as the President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.  In this capacity he led the Foundation's efforts to promote federal financial responsibility in order to create more opportunity in the future.

Prior to that, Walker was the Comptroller General of the United States.  He served in this capacity from November 1998 until March 2008.  As Comptroller General, Walker was the nation's chief accountability officer and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), a legislative branch agency founded in 1921. GAO's mission is to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people.

Before his appointment as Comptroller General, Walker had extensive executive level experience in both government and private industry.  Walker has served as the Chair of the Center for Continuous Auditing, and as a principal of the U.S. Joint Financial Management Improvement Program. He has also been on the Board of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) and various educational and not-for-profit entities. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration; member of the National Academy of Social Insurance; and an active member of various professional, public service, and other organizations, including the Sons of the American Revolution.

Walker is a CPA and has a B.S. degree in accounting from Jacksonville University, a Senior Management in Government Certificate in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Bryant College and an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Lincoln Memorial University.

The American College's annual Knowledge Summit is the premiere educational event of the year for financial professionals at any stage of their career. The conference offers insight from the top thought leaders in the industry and the highest quality continuing education. Held in a different location each year, the 2010 Summit will take place in the Ben Feldman Auditorium at the New York Life Insurance Building, 51 Madison Avenue, Manhattan on December 6, 2010.  The registration fee for this year's one-day information-intensive event is $175.  For more information or to register, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu/KS2010/2010KS_home.html

The American College is the nation's largest non-profit educational institution devoted to financial services.  Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has served as a valued business partner to banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and others for over 83 years.  The American College's faculty represents some of the financial services industry's foremost thought leaders.  For more information, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu

SOURCE The American College