About Dr John McGrath

Throughout the course of his career, Dr. John J. McGrath has proven himself an astute educational expert and business entrepreneur. Up until 2015, McGrath served as the Chairman, CEO and President of EVCI Career Colleges Holding Corp. He is also the former CEO and President of TCI College of Technology in New York City, one of the only two-year proprietary colleges to be accredited by both the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and the Regents of the State of New York.

Today, Dr. McGrath is the Chairman, CEO and President of American Collegiate Acquisitions, Inc. (ACA), whose mission is to seek and acquire underperforming proprietary colleges and then restructure the academic and financial operations to create financially healthy institutions of higher education. ACA employs aggressive turn-around strategies to create realistic and financially attractive business models that provide positive returns on investment.

Dr. McGrath is also the President of Empire Education, which owns Mildred Elley College with campuses in New York and Massachusetts. As President, McGrath works with the Chair of its Board of Directors with respect to the academic, administrative and financial operations of the parent company and the college.

Chairman, CEO and President of EVCI

McGrath was instrumental to EVCI’s significant growth as it became a national leader in videoconferencing undergraduate and graduate degree programs. To tackle financing, McGrath raised over $120 million in capital. Additionally, he personally negotiated and executed long term contracts for educational videoconferencing with some of the biggest financial institutions. These included Merrill Lynch Global Training and Development, Citibank North America, American International Group, and Lockheed Martin Corporation, among others.

Dr. John McGrath Bell Atlantic
Dr. John J. McGrath speaking at a Bell Atlantic press conference announcing Merrill Lynch and Notre Dame as part of the EVCI Telecommute to College Program.

Dr. McGrath then executed an agreement with Bell Atlantic to meet the need for the telecommunications leader to partner with respected colleges and universities to videoconference undergraduate and graduate degree programs. These institutions included the University of Notre Dame, Saint John’s University, Manhattan College, and the College of Insurance. McGrath also executed an agreement with Intel, who built proprietary properties for EVCI’s videoconferencing platforms.

With these components all in line, EVCI was uniquely positioned to transform the higher education space. Its Telecommute to College Program quickly became Bell Atlantic’s second largest marketing initiative on the east coast of the United States. EVCI went public on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in 1999. Its stock rose from $12 a share at the Initial Public Offering to over $40 a share within one year. Additionally, EVCI was ranked the #1 public company in Westchester County (suburb adjacent to NYC) in 2003 based upon increase in shareholder value compared to all other publicly traded stocks.

When trends and markets began to change, McGrath had the foresight to transition EVCI into a pure post-secondary education company by acquiring and operating colleges. Under that new corporate vision and mission, EVCI acquired three colleges and significantly enhanced their operations and profitability.

Higher Educational Expert and Academic Administrator

John McGrath accepting the Visionary Vanguard Award from TCI College Chairman Philip M. Getter

John McGrath’s leadership is grounded in a thorough understanding of academic, administrative and financial operations of colleges. He has been a Professor, Distinguished College Professor, Department Chairman, Campus Dean, Assistant Vice President, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board of Directors for multiple colleges.

Dr. McGrath has opened and supervised more Extension Centers than any other college administrator in New York State. Moreover, he has secured partnerships with Superintendents who oversee more than 180 high schools in New York City to create pathways for higher education for economically disadvantaged students. Throughout his distinguished career, John has opened the door for tens of thousands of minority college students, including working adults and single parents. For his efforts, John was honored with the Program of the Year Award in New York State.

Dr.-John-McGrath-Education-e1439585526482-225x300John’s father’s favorite saying was: “The person who knows how will most likely have a job – but the person who also knows why – will most likely be the boss.” John has direct leadership experience in evaluating college operations and utilizes his professional business acumen to execute highly successful creative strategies.

College regulatory compliance is also one of Dr. McGrath’s core competencies. In 2014, he was a member of a professional panel, including attorneys from the law firm of Ritzert and Leyton, who gave a high level legal presentation to college leaders at the annual meeting of the Association of Proprietary Colleges, Schools and Universities on guidance, rules and laws with respect to compliance with the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr. John McGrath with Former President of Notre Dame Edward Malloy
Dr. John McGrath with former President of Notre Dame Edward Malloy

John McGrath’s business and educational expertise is rivaled only by his strong academic qualifications. After earning his Bachelor’s Degree from Long Island University (summa cum laude), he continued at LIU to earn his Master’s Degree. John then earned his Ph.D. with highest honors from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Fordham University.

Dr. John J. McGrath engaged in postdoctoral work in Entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dame and then further continued his qualifications at Harvard University through its Graduate School of Education’s Program for Experienced College Presidents.

For more information regarding College Presidencies, please contact Dr. John J. McGrath.