By Gavin Giem
When you sit down with Professor George Morgan, you quickly realize that you are speaking with someone who has lived many lives in one. George has been a banker, an investor, and a world traveler, and today he has found a new calling as an educator. He is currently one of the leading figures behind the Math Lab and the CIS University Investment Club. George not only brings a warm, approachable personality to the classroom, but also decades of international experience that help guide his students, both financially and personally.
At CIS University, George’s classes combine his professional experience in the financial world with his strong mathematical background. He also brings that expertise directly into the CIS University Investment Club.
“Since 1974, I have been a registered investment advisor in the United States, England, and several other countries,” he explains. “Much of what we do in the Investment Club is based on mathematics. We’ve held sessions on compound interest, and we’ll soon be offering others on how to interpret mathematical movements in the financial markets.”
George also collaborates with former colleagues from Merrill Lynch, the international wealth management and investment firm, to prepare presentations for students in the CIS University Investment Club, giving aspiring investors valuable professional insight into the industry.
His goal is to continue expanding the club and encouraging more students to get involved.
“We’re trying to provide young people who have never invested before with a basic education in investing. That’s our mission,” he says.
But beyond the numbers, George dedicates much of his time and energy to developing his students’ confidence, curiosity, and character.
“A lot of what I teach here is personal. CIS University isn’t about mathematics. CIS University is a family. If we have students who are learning how to manage their lives, it’s not simply about earning good grades in a class; it’s about asking themselves what they want to do with their lives in the future,” he explains.
“In my classes, there’s a lot of what I call simple philosophy. I like to ask them, ‘What are you doing, and why are you doing it?’ It’s not just about grades. It’s much more than that. It’s your health. It’s your family. It’s your future.”
His words show that he values his students’ sense of purpose just as much as their academic performance, reminding them that learning extends far beyond the classroom. As he puts it:
“I want every student in my class to succeed in whatever they truly want to do.”
Before joining CIS University, George built an impressive international career that began after earning his engineering degree from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania.
“When I finished engineering school, my father asked me what I wanted to do with my life,” he recalls. “I didn’t know, so I interviewed at several business schools and eventually ended up studying at IESE in Barcelona.”
He proudly recalls being the first American student ever to graduate from IESE Business School.
“That was me,” he says with a smile.
That achievement marked the beginning of a 32-year career in international finance. Throughout his career, he managed hundreds of millions of dollars for families and corporations, serving as both a banker and regional manager for firms such as Merrill Lynch, with assignments in cities including London, Paris, and Geneva. He later moved to Miami, where he worked as a broker and specialized in business related to Latin America and Europe.
“The most rewarding part of my career was working with teams and helping younger professionals grow,” he says.
That same collaborative spirit has become one of the defining characteristics of his teaching. For his students, and for anyone considering a similar professional path, George’s message is both simple and powerful:
“Do what your heart truly tells you to do.”
A simple philosophy that reflects George’s remarkable character and genuine commitment to helping others.