By Kenneth Corbin

The CFP Board, which oversees the Certified Financial Planner credential, is promoting from within. The organization announced on Wednesday that it has chosen Chief Operating Officer K. Dane Snowden to replace Kevin Keller as CEO.

Snowden, who has served as COO since 2023, will take the top spot on March 16.

"After evaluating a broad field of internal and external candidates, including leaders from the financial services and wealth management industry as well as association executives, our board determined that K. Dane Snowden was best positioned to lead CFP Board forward," says Terri Kallsen, chair of the board of directors of CFP Board. "His selection reflects both the strength of our internal leadership pipeline and his unique readiness to guide the profession through its next phase of growth and impact."

Snowden has deep experience in the tech sector. He previously served as president and CEO of the Internet Association; COO at NCTA, a powerful trade group representing the cable sector; and held leadership roles at CTIA, which advocates for wireless communications providers.

He was also a George W. Bush appointee to head the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission, where he helped guide the creation of the Do Not Call registry.

The board chose Snowden after a year-long process of evaluating candidates that it conducted with Spencer Stuart, an executive search firm. It notes that elevating the COO to the top spot will allow for continuity in the transition, and Kallsen says Snowden's "vision is anchored in evolution, not revolution."

Keller has been the face of the CFP Board for nearly two decades. Over that time, the ranks of CFP holders increased from around 50,000 to more than 107,000. He helped lead a multiyear marketing campaign to promote the CFP designation as the gold standard of financial services credentials.

Keller says that leading the board was "the privilege of my career," and praises Snowden's "deep institutional knowledge, demonstrated leadership performance, and clear vision for the future."

Snowden became affiliated with the CFP Board in 2017 when he joined its board of directors as a public member. As COO, he worked closely with Keller and oversaw the organization's core functions, such as CFP certification, marketing and public relations, and human resources.

"Kevin has created an exceptional foundation, and I'm committed to advancing that success while positioning our organization for the future, " Snowden says. "My focus is straightforward -- build on what works, sharpen what needs improvement, and find new opportunities to strengthen impact."

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January 21, 2026 14:57 ET (19:57 GMT)

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