About
Dr. Jim Petersen PhD, CFP®, CLF®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, WMCP®, CRPC®, CAP®, ChSNC®, AEP, CPMBC, CPBC
is a leadership coach, military officer, professor, author, and financial services industry executive who has over four decades of experience. His coaching experience is extensive as he served in many leadership and financial services positions.
Dr. Petersen is the The American College of Financial Services (TAC) Roger Hull/James S. Bingay Chair of Leadership and the Chartered Leadership Fellow (CLF) Program Director. Jim is one of the more versatile teaching professors at TAC due to his extensive background in Financial Services and Military Leadership.
Jim is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founding Principal of Diversified Professional Coaching, LLC. (DPC) As a former financial services executive, he is committed to leading a company that coaches business executives, leaders, advisors, and clients to pursue their financial goals and lifetime dreams by bringing sound business acumen, financial knowledge, and trustworthy advice to a lasting relationship with each person he serves.
In addition, Jim is the President and Owner of the Professional Business Coaches Alliance, LLC (PBCA), which is committed to training and supporting the future of professional business coaches. As a Professional Master Business Coach, Jim has expertise in training and coaching business coaches, executives, leaders, business owners, and those who want to take their businesses to the next level. He is also certified to assist in succession and exit planning.
He entered the financial services industry in 1983 while continuing almost a twenty-two-year career in the United States Navy and United States Navy Reserve. He served as a submarine officer and retired with the rank of Captain (0-6). As a commissioned officer in the US Navy, he served on active duty as a nuclear submariner for seven years. His military expertise included many aspects of nuclear propulsion and submarine warfare.
At the end of 2018, Jim retired from the financial services industry, having served in multiple positions in both the field and the home office. A seasoned executive with more than forty years of experience in the investment and financial services industries, he is an expert in the fields of financial planning, retirement planning, and leading large financial-planning organizations.
Jim graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree, and he earned Master of Science degrees in Management and Financial services from The American College of Financial Services, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
On June 1, 2017, he became the first financial services manager to be awarded a PhD in financial and retirement planning from The American College. As an Adjunct Professor, Jim became the Roger Hull/James S. Bingay Chair of Leadership in 2021 at The American College.
He and his wife, Louise, have three children and two grandchildren.
Education, Certifications, and Boards:
Education
2013-2017 The American College of Financial Services, King of Prussia, PA
Doctor of Philosophy, Financial and Retirement Planning
2010-2011 The American College of Financial Services, King of Prussia, PA
Master of Science, Management
2009-2010 The American College of Financial Services, King of Prussia, PA
Master of Science, Financial Services
1972-1976 The United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD
Bachelor of Science, General Engineering/ Management
Professional Certifications and Licenses
2023 CEPA, Certified Exit Planning Advisor | Exit Planning Institute
2021 CPMBC, Certified Professional Master Business Coach | Professional Business Coaches Alliance
2019 CPBC, Certified Professional Business Coach | Professional Business Coaches Alliance
2018 ChSNC®, Chartered Special Needs Consultant | The American College for Financial Services
2017 CRPC®, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor | College for Financial Planning
2017 WMCP®, Wealth Management Certified Professional | The American College for Financial Services
2017 CAP®, Chartered Advisor for Philanthropy | The American College for Financial Services
2016 RICP®, Retirement Income Certified Professional | The American College for Financial Services
2009 AEP®, Accredited Estate Planner | National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
2008 CLF®, Chartered Leadership Fellow | The American College for Financial Services
2006 CLU®, Chartered Life Underwriter | The American College for Financial Services
2006 ChFC®, Chartered Financial Consultant | The American College for Financial Services
2006 CASL®, Chartered Advisor for Senior Living | The American College for Financial Services
2006 CFP®, Certified Financial Planner | CFP Board
Areas of Expertise
Professional Business and Executive Coaching, Professional Business and Executive Coaching, Financial Planning, Risk Management, Entrepreneurial Endeavors, Ethics, Exit/ Succession Planning, and Leadership
Dr. Petersen received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Naval Academy and Master of Science Degrees in Financial Services (MSFS) and Management (MSM) from The American College of Financial Services. On June 1, 2017, Jim became the first financial services manager to be awarded a PhD in Financial and Retirement Planning from The American College. He has numerous professional services designations. Jim is an adjunct professor at The American College of Financial Services, a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA), Financial Services Institute (FSI), GAMA International, and the Fort Worth Estate Planning Council. He is also a Past President and Emeritus of the Alumni Board of The American College, Chairman of The American College Penn Mutual Center for Veterans Affairs (PMCVA), and, previously, a Trustee and Ambassador for the GAMA Foundation. He served on boards for Texas Christian University (TCU) and the University of Tampa (UT). Jim has widespread training experience and teaches leadership for GAMA and is certified by the CFP Board to teach the CFP curriculum.
Jim currently teaches the Capstone Course and Qualified Retirement Plans for the MSFS degree, Organizational Behavior for the MSM degree, and is the Ethics Professor for graduate degrees at the American College. He also teaches the Essentials of Leadership and Management course (ELM 2.0) for GAMA International as well as a facilitator for the Study Groups.
As an author, Jim’s first two books From Combat to Client Service and From Combat to Corporate Life deal with hiring veterans in business. His third book about the life of a Vietnam POW is due out during the third quarter 2020.
He and his wife, Louise, have three children and two grandchildren. They currently have residences in Fort Worth, TX and Orlando, FL.