The expansion points to continued growth in the college investment sector
CollegeWell, a comprehensive college savings and financing advisory organization and the sponsor of the Private College 529 Plan (PC 529), announced the appointments of Connor Swan as its Manager of Partner Success and Kim Gavrilles as its Manager of Customer Engagement, furthering CollegeWell’s commitment to supporting its partner institutions and families as they seek innovative approaches to college financing.
With more families seeking investment options for their children’s higher education, these appointments align to strong trends in the college financing space. In a recent report, the combined assets of all 529 Plans were $508.3 billion, an increase of 7.87 percent since the end of 2023. Additionally, savings plans held $483.7 billion, while prepaid plans – such as Private College 529 – accounted for another $24.6 billion.
CollegeWell provides guidance to families on myriad financing options for all income-backgrounds, how to balance saving for college and saving for other milestones, such as retirement and estate planning. As sponsor of the Private College 529 plan, CollegeWell offers families the opportunity to secure a percentage of tuition at nearly 300 colleges and universities nationwide.
“We are excited for Connor Swan and Kim Gavrilles to further CollegeWell’s mission of helping families navigate how to pay for their children’s post-secondary education,” said Bob Cole, President and CEO of CollegeWell. “Connor and Kim will lend critical support to our member institutions and to the families we serve by adding new options to the plan, seeking innovation within college financing, and illustrating the importance of early and balanced college savings and planning.”
Swan joins CollegeWell with experience helping organizations achieve their goals by building and maintaining strategic partnerships. In his previous role as a gift officer with the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Swan oversaw the nonprofit’s fundraising program. In his role as Manager of Partner Success at CollegeWell, he will drive engagement with PC 529’s nearly 300 member colleges and recruit new universities, maximizing university options for students.
Kim Gavrilles joins CollegeWell with extensive experience in client engagement and relationship management, primarily working with educational products and services in the K-12 and higher education spaces. As CollegeWell’s Manager of Customer Engagement, Gavrilles will guide prospective and current PC 529 Plan customers through each phase of their journey by helping them understand the value of saving early and often for college.
“The Private College 529 plan is positioned for strong, strategic growth with these hires, ensuring our member institutions receive the support they need and families receive the detailed guidance they need to navigate the college experience. These additions will ensure CollegeWell continues to be a financial resource for families and a means to introduce them to private college options they may have otherwise overlooked,” said Audrey Smith, Board Chair of CollegeWell. “With their extensive experience in member and customer support, we know Connor and Kim will contribute significantly to CollegeWell’s success.”
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