Linda S. Need, CFA®, CFP®, CAP®, Named Chair of Board of Trustees at The American College

BRYN MAWR, Pa., Feb. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College announced today that Linda S. Need, CFA^®, CFP^®, CAP^® has been named Chair of the Board of Trustees at The American College of Financial Services.  Need is currently Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Life Insurance for Wells Fargo Advisors and the Head of the National Life Insurance Practice for Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.

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"Linda represents a significant bridge for The American College as we extend our deep financial services expertise into banks and brokerage firms," said Mike Davidson, MSM, CLU^®, Acting President & Chief Executive Officer of The American College.  "Our educational offerings are broader than ever before, including the launch of a PhD program in financial and retirement planning, CFA^® (Chartered Financial Analyst^®) exam prep, and programs in philanthropy, special needs planning, core advisor training, and advanced retirement planning.  Companies are increasingly discovering the depth of our resources and using them to achieve a competitive advantage."

The American College is the top educator of financial planners, providing the respected CLU^® (Chartered Life Underwriter^®), ChFC^® (Chartered Financial Consultant^®) and RICP^® (Retirement Income Certified Professional^®) credentials.  The American College is also a main provider of education leading to the CFP^® (Certified Financial Planner™) certification and has provided professional education to more than 20% of the personal financial advisors, planners, insurance agents, and wealth managers in the United States today.

"Banks, wealth management firms, and other financial services providers are often surprised at the quality and breadth of resources The American College offers," said Need.  "Since 1927, this non-profit institution has been all about knowledge, professionalism, and ethics for financial professionals.  It's an honor to lead this Board and this institution now, when those ideals have never been more important."

Need graduated from Williams College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Economics.  She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, a Chartered Financial Analyst^® (CFA^®), a Certified Financial Planner^® (CFP^®), a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy^® (CAP^®), and a registered general securities principal. 

In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for The American College, Need also serves on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts Hornets' Nest Council.  She also volunteers with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and has served on the Consumer Bankers Association Graduate School of Retail Bank Management faculty.

In her current role, Need is responsible for building Wells Fargo's life insurance platform and expanding the practice across the company's various distribution channels.  She joined Wells Fargo in 2011. 

Previously, Need worked for Bank of America, where she held several leadership roles in insurance and investment management.  Most recently she represented Bank of America's broker-dealer on the Merrill Lynch transition team.  Prior to Bank of America, Need held various insurance and annuity sales, marketing, and actuarial positions at Morgan Stanley, Allstate, Tillinghast, and Northwestern Mutual.

About The American College of Financial Services

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 since 1927.  The American College's faculty represents some of the financial services industry's foremost thought leaders.  For more information, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu.

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Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP (with flame logo)® in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP® Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.

SOURCE The American College