Rev. Joseph A. Galante has appointed Moorestown resident Jeffrey J. Nick president of Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill.
Nick succeeds Rev. Monsignor Andrew E. Martin, who retires June 26. Martin will continue as president emeritus.
“It is with a spirit of deep gratitude that I commend Msgr. Martin for his lasting contributions to Camden Catholic,” Galante said. “At the same time, I am pleased to appoint Mr. Nick to this important position, confident that he will draw on his strong educational qualifications, more than two decades of senior executive and management experience and a strong community-minded focus to continue Camden Catholic’s program of academic excellence and its success in forming students in the faith.”
As president, Nick will serve as the school’s chief executive officer, with oversight for the school’s personnel, budget, business affairs and strategic planning, as well as educational and development programs. He will work closely with Thomas J. Kiely, principal of the diocesan Office of Catholic Schools, and Camden Catholic’s Board of Trustees to advance the school’s mission among students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and the surrounding community.
“We look forward to collaborating with Mr. Nick to advance the mission of Camden Catholic High School, to ensure that it continues as a leader in Catholic secondary education, and to help our students reach their fullest potential,” said Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, chair of the Camden Catholic Board of Trustees.
“We are thrilled to be working with someone of Mr. Nick’s calibre and ethics,” said Mary P. Boyle, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Camden.
For 10 years (1989–1999), Nick served in senior management positions at Lincoln National Corporation, including president and CEO of Lincoln National Investment Companies. Before that, he served in senior management positions at Xerox Financial Services, Chase Investment Bank, Crocker National Bank and Chemical Bank.
Most recently, Nick served as an advanced placement and honors physics teacher at The Pennington School, an independent, coeducational school serving approximately 500 day and boarding students in grades 6 through 12.
He earned his B.S. in astrophysics from Rutgers University (2005), an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Chicago (1977) and an A.B. in English from Princeton University (1975). Before leaving to pursue teaching, he was a candidate for a Ph.D. in astrophysics at Rutgers (2006–2008) and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Nick has a long history of involvement with education, having served as a trustee of LaSalle University in Philadelphia, The American School in London and Uxbridge College (Uxbridge, Middlesex, England).
He is an active parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Moorestown, where he serves as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and instructor in the parish’s religious education program. He also is a member of the Finance Committee of the Western Province of the Congregation of the Mission, commonly known as the Vincentians, a Catholic community of priests and brothers founded by Saint Vincent DePaul.
“The 22 years I spent in the business world have given me an appreciation for the role that management processes can play in providing a framework within which educational institutions can realize their full potential. We will strive always to exceed the expectations our students and parents hold for Camden Catholic High School,” Nick said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the entire school community to ensure that everything we do is for the spiritual, academic and social benefit of students.”
