BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Kessler Group (TKG) announced today the appointment of Carl Rutstein as President of the company. He will be working closely with Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard Kessler in overseeing day to day operations of the business starting January 5, 2015.

“As our company and our industry continue to grow and change, Carl’s leadership and experience will be a welcome addition in helping lead us toward future success,” Mr. Kessler said. “We look forward to having him as part of our dynamic team of experienced professionals.”

Carl Rutstein brings over 25 years of deep, relevant experience, most recently holding the position of Senior Partner and Managing Director of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). BCG is the preeminent consulting firm helping its clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results for over 50 years. His role included leading the North American Payment Practice as well as Private Equity efforts in the Midwest and Canada, Financial Institutions Strategy Practice globally and alumni relations in North America. At BCG, he worked closely with all of the major banks in the U.S. and Canada, payment networks and acquirers.

“BCG has been my home for over 20 years and I will always bleed BCG green. While it was a tough decision to leave I could not miss the opportunity of a lifetime to work with such a gifted leader and his talented team at the Kessler Group,” President Carl Rutstein said. "I am extremely grateful for the incredible experience and wealth of knowledge I gained working there and will bring those lessons with me as we build-up the Kessler organization to realize the full growth opportunities for our clients.”

The Kessler Group brings more than three decades of experience and results in credit card optimization and affinity marketing for our financial services brand partners worldwide. We specialize in partnership marketing and affinity credit cards, helping our partners forge relationships, market assets, develop strategies and execute tactics with one overriding goal: maximize portfolio value. In his role as President, Mr. Rutstein will continue this work in advancing the Kessler Group’s relationships and reputation as a leader in the industry -- a leadership built on completing over 500 transactions with over $70 billion of assets.

Mr. Rutstein holds a MBA with High Distinction in Analytical Finance from the University of Chicago, worked in investment banking at Salomon Brothers, and holds a BS in Economics from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania.