Ghanaian named COO of The Africa America Institute.

The Africa-America Institute’s President Mora McLean has announced the appointment of Kofi A. Boateng, CPA as Chief Operating Officer, effective August 18, 2003.

“Mr. Boateng will play an invaluable and much needed role for AAI,” Ms. McLean said. “He will work in close partnership with me to build upon AAI’s programmatic excellence and our reputation as a thought leader on African issues, and he will help us attract the resources to further diversify our financial base. He will strengthen the organization’s operation and strategic planning, and will help us expand our external relationships.”

Mr. Boateng joins AAI as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary by launching its most ambitious effort to enlarge the pool of educated people in Africa with the skills to lead. The AAI Education Partnership Campaign: 50,000 New Leaders in 5 Years will educate and train 50,000 more Africans over the next 5 years.

“I am delighted to be joining AAI at this exciting and critical moment in its history, and look forward to helping it take its rightful place in achieving great things for Africa and Africans,” said Mr. Boateng.

In his new role, Mr. Boateng will have managerial oversight of AAI’s operations, and will further develop the financial infrastructure that enables AAI to expand programs while maintaining rigorous fiscal accountability. He will lead AAI staff in continuous process improvement as AAI expands its portfolio of programs both in Africa and the United States.

Previously, Mr. Boateng was Executive Director of the National Puerto Rican Forum, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides employment and training services to Latinos and other minorities. From 1985 to 1994, he was Founder and President of Rising Sun Financial Services, a firm that sold small businesses and provided CPA services. From 1979 to 1985 held several executive posts at the Prudential Insurance Company. As Treasurer of Prudential’s Eastern Home Office he was responsible for $1.5 billion a year in premium collections and short-term investments. From 1976 to 1979 he was a Staff Accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick.

Mr. Boateng earned a B.S. degree in Economics and Administrative Sciences from Yale University and an M.S. degree from Northeastern University Graduate School of Professional Accounting. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC). He also is fluent in French and conversant in Spanish.

Headquartered in New York with a presence in 50 countries, AAI’s mission is to promote African development, primarily through education and training, and to bring American and African policy makers together around issues of mutual concern.