Comm'r  George S. Mentz, JD, MBA, CILS

Founder & Global Pioneer of Professional Coaching and E-Coaching Certification Standards

Commissioner Professor George S. Mentz, JD, MBA, CWM, ChMC, CFC, CILS, MFP  is internationally recognized as one of the earliest architects of structured, standards-based professional specialized coaching certification and a global pioneer in e-Coaching education.

For over 30 years, Mentz has worked at the intersection of law, business, education, and credentialing — helping build one of the first internationally structured life coaching certification systems integrated with ISO-aligned educational standards and global accreditation frameworks.  Through his leadership, coaching moved beyond informal mentoring and into a recognized professional discipline supported by standards, ethics, structured curriculum, competency models, and international portability.

Pioneer of Structured Life Coaching Certification

Long before online learning became mainstream, George Mentz was developing structured distance-learning models for coaches, consultants, and executive advisors.

He helped design:

• One of the early internationally distributed Certified Life Coach programs
• Competency-based coaching education models
• Ethics frameworks aligned with global accreditation standards
• Digital delivery systems for professional certification
• Cross-border recognition pathways in more than 40 nations

His model emphasized:

• Practical coaching psychology
• Communication mastery
• Behavioral accountability systems
• Structured goal achievement frameworks
• Ethics and professional responsibility

This approach helped elevate coaching from an informal skillset to a professional designation with standards and accountability.

Commissioner George Mentz has been recognized with awards as a global thought leader across multiple disciplines, earning distinction as a Top 100 Overall Thought Leader and Top 50 Thought Leader in North America, along with numerous subject-matter rankings. His awards include Top 25 in Finance and Project Management, Top 50 in Education, Economics, Cryptocurrency, GovTech, HR, International Relations, Lean Startup, Management, Social Impact, Sustainability, and Transformation, and Top 100 in EdTech and FinTech. These recognitions are based on a rigorous evaluation of published content, influence, original research, media contributions, and subject expertise. The national award system reflects Mentz’s interdisciplinary leadership spanning finance, governance, education, technology, and global strategy—highlighting his sustained impact as an author, professor, executive advisor, and architect of internationally recognized certification standards.

A Global Leader in E-Learning & Digital Coaching

George Mentz was an early adopter of online professional education at a time when few universities or certifying bodies had embraced distance learning.

He has:

• Taught over 300 graduate and professional courses globally
• Delivered instruction from the U.S., Asia, Europe, and the Middle East
• Helped design scalable online certification systems
• Expanded access to coaching education for working professionals, parents, veterans, and individuals with disabilities

His pioneering work in e-Learning allowed thousands of aspiring coaches to obtain professional credentials without geographic barriers.

Today, many standard features of modern coaching programs — modular online learning, competency tracking, global digital certification, and continuing education requirements — reflect the framework he helped pioneer.

Founder of Global Coaching Standards Infrastructure

As Founder and CEO of the Global Academy of Finance & Management (GAFM®) and affiliated standards boards, Mentz built one of the earliest multi-disciplinary certification bodies integrating:

• Wealth Coaching
• Life Coaching
• Executive Coaching
• Management Consulting
• Financial Consulting
• Project Leadership

His organizations were among the first education bodies in the EU and USA to achieve:

• ISO 21001 (Educational Organizations Management Systems)
• ISO 29993 (Learning Services)
• ISO 9001 (Quality Management)

By aligning coaching programs with international quality standards, he helped legitimize coaching as a professional discipline recognized alongside other regulated professions.

Professional Background & Academic Leadership

 Counselor Mentz holds:

• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• International Law Qualification (CILS)
• Multiple board certifications in finance, consulting, and management

He serves as a Graduate Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law and has held faculty appointments in law and business schools internationally.

His interdisciplinary background in law, economics, governance, and education uniquely positioned him to bring regulatory rigor and global portability to the coaching profession.

Advocate for Ethical & Standards-Based Coaching

Throughout his career, Mentz has emphasized:

• Ethical accountability
• Competency verification
• Structured curriculum
• Professional designation integrity
• Continuing education standards
• Global mobility for certified professionals

He has consistently championed coaching as a discipline grounded in responsibility, structure, and measurable impact — not merely motivational speaking.

Expanding Access Through Scholarships

Over a 20-year period, Mentz and affiliated institutions have facilitated more than $100 million in scholarship benefits worldwide, helping expand access to professional education — including coaching — for:

• Veterans
• Peace officers
• Disabled professionals
• Emerging market leaders
• Underserved communities

This access-driven philosophy remains central to CertifiedLifeCoach.org.

A Lifelong Commitment to Education & Human Potential

At its core, George Mentz’s work reflects a singular mission:

To professionalize coaching.
To globalize access.
To standardize excellence.
To elevate human potential through structured learning and accountability.

Through decades of public service, academic leadership, global accreditation reform, and educational innovation, Commissioner George S. Mentz has helped shape modern professional coaching into an internationally recognized and standards-based field.

Recognition: The first EU-USA professional certification Body to achieve triple ISO educational recognition.

George Mentz GAFM® and The Boards of Standards he has founded have delivered executive programs, certification frameworks, and strategic collaborations with leading global institutions including HSBC Private Banking, Commercial Bank (MENA region), Thomson Reuters, Pearson and Pearson VUE, National Underwriter, LexisNexis, the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA Dubai – UAE), SCATC UAE Financial Markets Training, the China Banking Association, the Asian Bankers Institute, The Arab League's Academy, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (training approvals referenced), and BNSP – Indonesia’s National Certification Bureau. These collaborations have included collaboration for: certification initiatives, wealth and risk  training, project management programs, compliance programs, governance programs, business coaching programs,  regulatory-aligned continuing education, and graduate executive development initiatives across international markets.

Mentz's companies have been been listed, disclosed, or referenced within various governmental and regulatory frameworks. These include inclusion in U.S. Department of Labor occupational resources, NASD / FINRA regulatory references, and listings within the United Nations Civil Society Registry. Mentz's Pioneering Certification Programs have further been recognized within licensing and ministry systems across India, China,  the UAE, Indonesia, UAE, Arab League, and Southeast Asia which is about 1/2 of the world population.  All certifications are structured in alignment with international accreditation principles and regulatory best practices.

GAFM® maintains articulation agreements, accreditation alignment, and partnership relationships with SIS Certification, ACBSP Accredited Business Schools, ABA Accredited Law Schools,  Commission for Higher Education Quality Standards, ECLBS (European Council of Leading Business Schools), QAHE (Quality Assurance in Higher Education), MACCA Accreditation Agency, the Arab Academy for Banking & Financial Sciences, the Asia Pacific School of Business, Engineering Society (France and Singapore), and the University of Business & Technology (KSA). Through these articulation and accreditation alliances, GAFM® certifications have been integrated into executive and graduate programs at more than 1,000 business schools worldwide.

The IBS™ International Board of Standards operates under ISO 21001 Educational Organization Management Systems, ISO 29993 Learning Services, and ISO 9001 Quality Management standards, positioning GAFM® among the first EU-USA professional certification bodies to achieve triple ISO recognition.

In-house executive certification and graduate training programs have been delivered globally across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, India, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Bahamas, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Greece, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and other emerging markets.

GAFM® certifications and advisory contributions have been referenced in international media outlets including the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, Associated Press, MarketWatch, Black Enterprise, The Economic Times, Arab News, South China Post, The China Daily, and others.

Through structured certification standards, ISO-aligned education systems, and cross-border professional alliances, GAFM® and IBS™ continue to develop globally portable credentials for leaders in finance, wealth management, risk management, project management, consulting, human resources, strategic planning, fintech, e-commerce, and executive leadership.