Former Public Affairs Director John Nester to Retire from SEC

The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that John Nester, formerly the Director of the Office of Public Affairs, is retiring from the agency at the end of this month after nearly 25 years of SEC service. Since April, Mr. Nester has been helping the Office of the Chief Operating Officer prepare the agency and staff for success in a post-pandemic environment.

"It's been an honor and privilege to work alongside so many smart and dedicated people who are committed to providing investor protection in the most dynamic securities markets in the world," Mr. Nester said. "I will especially miss my former colleagues in the Office of Public Affairs whose achievements, expertise, and creativity are nothing short of amazing."

"John has played a key role in the agency's initiatives to serve investors for more than two decades," said SEC Chief Operating Officer Ken Johnson. "We will miss John's expertise, good humor, and strong commitment to the SEC and its critical mission. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

As Public Affairs Director from 2006 until April 2021, Mr. Nester led teams that leveraged digital technology to modernize the agency's external and internal communications. Those efforts doubled the agency's web traffic for corporate filings and other documents and helped make the SEC's work more accessible and accountable to investors.

Mr. Nester first came to the SEC as a member of the SEC's investor education office in 1997, where he conceived and helped organize a national financial literacy campaign backed by state securities regulators and nearly three dozen government agencies, public service organizations, industry associations, and educational groups.

During his time at the SEC, Mr. Nester received many agency awards and citations, including the SEC Distinguished Service Award, which is the agency's highest employee honor. Mr. Nester was also cited for his efforts to serve Main Street investors, effectively manage resources, and promote diversity and inclusion.

Prior to joining the SEC, Mr. Nester was an on-air TV reporter who covered Capitol Hill for more than a dozen network affiliates nationwide. He later served as a corporate communications executive at AARP. Mr. Nester graduated from George Mason University with a degree in speech communication.