Sharen L. King, MSM, Named Executive Director of the Northwestern Mutual Granum Center for Financial Security at The American College

BRYN MAWR, Pa., June 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American College, the nation's leading educator of financial services professionals, announced today that Sharen L. King, MSM, has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Northwestern Mutual Granum Center for Financial Security. 

King received her Master of Science in Management (MSM) with an Emphasis in Leadership degree from The American College in 2007. She has an extensive management and field distribution background and has held several key leadership positions at Northwestern Mutual, including more recently Director - Field Vertical Growth and Director - Practice Management and Field Training. 

"The American College is fortunate to have an academic of Sharen's caliber joining us," said Dr. Larry Barton, CAP®, President and CEO of The American College.  "Her superb managerial skills and in depth understanding of financial services will enhance our efforts to make the Granum Center synonymous with innovation and professionalism." 

The Center is named for O. Alfred Granum, CLU®, a legendary financial representative and field leader from Northwestern Mutual. Through strategic thought leadership, original research and education, the Center serves as a tribute to Granum's passion for lifelong learning and the pursuit of excellence in financial products and services. 

With an eye to the future, King will be instrumental in shaping an agenda that allows The Northwestern Mutual Granum Center for Financial Security to forecast emerging trends, identify and address industry opportunities and pressure points, and elevate the public's understanding of insurance and financial services.  The Center will focus on the delivery of relevant, actionable research along with innovative best practices pertaining to the changing face and needs of the marketplace.

King's appointment to the Northwestern Mutual Granum Center for Financial Security is one of many professional accomplishments.

For fifteen years, King worked at Northwestern Mutual, known as one of Fortune magazine's "World's Most Admired Life Insurance Companies," both in the field and at its corporate headquarters.  During this portion of her career she was actively engaged in distribution growth and led initiatives associated with recruitment, retention, productivity, training, practice management, team selling and succession planning. During her time with the company she led teams of more than 50 employees and had oversight and responsibility for budgets up to $15 million -- including specialty projects.

King has been a featured platform speaker at numerous company and industry events and has authored a variety of training and program materials for field leaders and representatives that are still in use today.  She is known for bold idea generation, her ability to articulate a compelling vision, identifying success metrics, inspiring action, and attracting and developing emerging leaders.

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual) – among the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2012 according to FORTUNE® magazine – has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 155 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual has no shareholders. The company focuses solely and directly on its clients and seeks to deliver consistent and dependable value to them over time.  Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

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 85 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