[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) today announced the appointment of Bob J. Alig as executive vice president, School Products, effective July 1, 2014. Alig will lead a new GMAC division dedicated to the development of new products for GMAC‘s school members and clients, as well as enhancing and expanding GMAC’s professional development services and products for school admissions professionals. GMAC is the association of leading business schools that administers the GMAT exam and promotes management education worldwide.

Alig comes to GMAC having served as vice president of the College Board's middle states regional office, where his team promoted college and career readiness for all K-12 and higher education students. Alig joined the College Board in 2007 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he held numerous positions including assistant vice president of alumni relations and director of MBA admissions and financial aid at the Wharton School.

“Bob‘s background and success in both higher education and in the private sector mean that GMAC is gaining a very experienced leader to carry forward our objective of enhancing GMAC’s value to schools,” said Sangeet Chowfla, GMAC‘s president and CEO. “GMAC’s reach is more global than ever, and Bob is the best person to market our diverse suite of products to students and schools around the world.”

“When I was a new MBA admissions director, nearly 20 years ago, GMAC was a catalyst for my personal and professional growth. It‘s a privilege to return to an organization and colleagues I care deeply about as we endeavor to expand access to graduate management education in partnership with our global membership,” said Alig. “I am energized to build on GMAC’s momentum, anchored in our products and services to support students and schools around the world.”

Between his time at Wharton and alumni relations at the University of Pennsylvania, Alig worked at the Conshohocken, Pennsylvania-based investment advisory and consulting firm Katalyst, where he was a principal. He has also worked in the real estate and financial industries as property and project managers for commercial real estate projects.

Alig earned his bachelor's degree in American history from the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from the Wharton School, where he concentrated in finance and entrepreneurial management.

Alig is a competitive long distance runner, having completed 15 marathons over the past decade, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas and Boston. He and his husband, Dr. Gwenn-ael Danet-Desnoyers, live in Philadelphia with their two daughters.