Ferguson to Retire; National Search Under Way for New CEO
Richard L. Ferguson, ACT CEO and chairman of the board, has announced plans to retire this year.
“The board is extremely grateful to Dick for his nearly four decades of service,” said Mark Musick, lead director. “His contributions, leadership, and vision have been critical to expanding ACT’s influence and impact.”
Ferguson joined ACT in 1972 as a research psychologist and was appointed executive vice president in the early 1980s. He became president in 1988, and then CEO and chairman of the board in 2002.
Ferguson has guided the development and implementation of the variety of programs and services ACT offers to support college and career readiness. Under his leadership, the organization has touched the lives of millions of students and adults throughout the nation and around the world, including more than 1.5 million 2009 U.S. high school graduates who took the ACT® test. The workforce services implemented under his direction include the WorkKeys® system and the rapidly growing National Career Readiness Certificate program. Ferguson has also expanded ACT’s international presence, from a handful of contracts to a wide range of programs in more than 30 countries.
“Dick will be leaving the organization in excellent shape and poised to make even stronger contributions to education and workforce development in the future,” said Musick.
ACT’s Board of Directors has engaged Spencer Stuart to conduct a nationwide search for a new CEO for ACT.
ACT’s Annual Meeting: Celebrating Legacy and Embracing the Future
As participants gathered to celebrate ACT’s 50 years of helping people achieve education and workplace success, they agreed that we’ve come a long way since 1959—and we can go much further.
ACT’s board of directors, advisory board members, and staff, plus state representatives and distinguished guests, met October 19–20 in Iowa City for ACT’s 50th annual meeting. Presentations, discussions, and celebrations revolved around the theme of “ACT at 50: Celebrating Our Legacy, Embracing Our Future.”
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The new foundation will facilitate and fund education and workforce development initiatives.
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ACT Scholars Program Established at The University of Iowa
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