The American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services is pleased to announce Dr. Kevin Gibson as the 2016 – 2017 Cary M. Maguire Fellow in Applied Ethics.

A professor of philosophy and business at Marquette University since 1995, Dr. Gibson brings to this fellowship over 30 years of academic concentration in the field of applied ethics that began with undergraduate studies at Sussex University in the United Kingdom and continued with graduate studies at both Harvard University and the University of Colorado, Boulder.

According to the Center's director, Julie Ragatz, "Kevin Gibson is a talented scholar whose work is respected by both the academic and business communities."

Dr. Gibson is no stranger to the Center for Ethics. In addition to attending its Forum on Ethical Leadership, he also served as a member of the Center's advisory board. "We have witnessed his commitment to quality ethics education as well as his capacity to engage with senior leaders in the financial services profession," Ragatz said.

When asked what he hopes to contribute as the Maguire Fellow, Dr. Gibson was quick to reply that he considers his new role a tremendous opportunity to act as a bridge between academic research and professional practice, bringing together the best of both worlds to complement and enhance each other.

"My sense is that the financial services industry is at something of a crossroads in trying to satisfy the many stakeholders, including investors, clients, employees and regulatory bodies. This is happening against a backdrop of change. The nature of the industry has shifted, client needs and financial products are becoming more varied, but there is a consistent demand for exceptional results. I believe that my experience will help members of the industry better frame some of the fundamental values questions, and highlight the purpose and benefits that sector brings to society."

Dr. Gibson went on to note that both personal and institutional values ultimately drive policies and decisions. "Clarifying those values is crucial to both levels, especially when there are pressures to perform while acting as a trusted fiduciary."

Approaching ethics across a range of disciplinary boundaries, Dr. Gibson has published widely, including articles in Business Horizons, the Harvard Negotiation Journal and the Hastings Center Report. He has co-authored with faculty in the areas of business, law and social sciences, and he has also consulted for Deloitte on ethical leadership. In addition to several awards and special recognition from Marquette's Executive MBA Program, Dr. Gibson received a grant from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

The Center's applied ethics fellowship program began in 2009 with a gift from the nationally recognized oil and gas industry leader, Cary M. Maguire, who later made an extraordinary $2.5 million commitment to support The College's expanded vision for the Center, whose mission is to raise the level of ethical behavior in the financial services profession.

About The American College of Financial Services

The American College of Financial Services 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 faculty represents some of the financial services profession's foremost thought leaders. For more information, visit TheAmericanCollege.edu.

About The American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services

As the only ethics center within an academic institution focusing exclusively on the financial services industry, The American College Cary M. Maguire Center for Ethics in Financial Services promotes ethical behavior by offering programs that go beyond the rules of market conduct to help executives and producers be more sensitive to ethical issues and think more critically about ethical solutions. To learn more about the Center, visitethics.theamericancollege.edu.