March 12, 2015 - Rich Pinola, a 1967 graduate of King’s College, has been selected as the second recipient of the Father James Lackenmier, C.S.C., Award for Achievement and Leadership.  The award will be presented at a ceremony to be held October 22 at the Union League in Philadelphia.

Funds raised at the dinner will benefit the King’s College Presidential Hope Fund, a critically important resource that supports deserving King’s students that are faced with unforeseen financial hardships that threaten their ability to complete their undergraduate studies.

The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the College’s annual McGowan School of Business Forum.  A highlight of Father Lackenmier’s 18-year presidency (1981-1999) was the establishment of the William G. McGowan School of Business at King’s in 1992.

“I am extremely proud to be selected to receive this honor from my alma mater,” said Pinola.  “It is especially gratifying to know that proceeds from this dinner will benefit future graduates of King’s College and supports my philanthropic interest in higher education.”

The recipient of a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King’s and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Pinola is a principal in GPS Investment Group, LLC, Investment Counselors and the retired chief executive officer of Right Management Consultants, a career transition and organizational consulting business  and a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. 

During Pinola’s leadership, the number of Right Management offices increased from 90 to more than 300 and the company established service locations in 39 countries.  The company was also named as one of the “200 Best Small Companies in America” by “Forbes” magazine and was included on a list of “100 Best Small Companies” by “Businessweek.”

Before joining Right Management, Pinola was president and chief operating officer of Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company.    After graduating from King’s, Pinola was a CPA with PriceWaterhouse and Co.

Pinola is a member of the board of Bankrate.com, the Visiting Nurses Association, and King’s.  He is founder and director of The Living Wills Archive Company and the Mutual Association for Professional Services.

The annual McGowan School of Business Forum provides approximately 80 King’s students each year an opportunity to be mentored by leaders in the business field, most of whom are graduates of the College.  The mentoring session is followed by a formal dinner, presentation of the award, and a speech by the recipient.  The award ceremony, like the McGowan School of Business Forum, rotates on an annual basis between New York City, Philadelphia, and Wilkes-Barre.

Various levels of sponsorships and program ads are available.  For further information, contact Tish Last at 570-208-6069.

Rich Pinola

Rich Pinola