Nationwide’s JJ Perez Believes in the Power of Education
We are shaped by those who came before us and, in turn, we help shape the lives of those who come after us.
Nationwide’s Juan José (JJ) Pérez knows this all too well.
He grew up watching his father attend law school at night while working two jobs, making sacrifices while Perez and his siblings were young to not only better provide for their family in the long term but also be an example of what they could achieve.
Those lessons continue to resonate with Perez today, both as president for Nationwide Financial’s Corporate Solutions and as a mentor for Latino youth in the Columbus community. He’s a fierce advocate for educational opportunity and empowering young Latinos to view education as a tool for leadership and advancement.
Education changed the trajectory of his father’s life, and Perez knows it will be a catalyst for the Latino community in Ohio and beyond.
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About Our Guest
JJ is president of Nationwide Corporate Solutions, a portfolio of businesses that offers a unique and broad range of products and services for employers, employees and consumers. Corporate Solutions delivered $8.1 billion in sales in 2024.
- Nationwide Business Solutions Group (NBSG) is a nationally recognized leader in the corporate owned life insurance (COLI) industry, and a top product provider in that market with more than $30 billion in assets.
- Nationwide Pension Risk Transfer allows plan sponsors to de-risk their pension plans by transferring liability to Nationwide.
- Nationwide Pet is the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the U.S., with plans that cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries.
- Nationwide Securities-Backed Lending distributes our Smart Credit product, giving advisors’ clients ready access to capital and allowing advisors to manage both sides of their clients’ balance sheet.
- Nationwide Specialty Insurance delivers innovative employee benefit and accident and health solutions to businesses and their employees to help them live more secure lives.
Prior to this role, JJ was a vice president in Finance at Nationwide. JJ began his career with Nationwide after completing law school in 2009. Since joining, he has worked in General Counsel, Strategy, and Operations. In 2015, he was selected to serve as chief of staff for the president of Nationwide Financial. Prior to joining Nationwide, JJ interned at Abbott Labs for four summers, then worked at a start-up software company before attending law school.
He holds a dual bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and business administration from Lee University and a Juris Doctor from Hofstra University.
He is active within the community as a co-founder and board member of The Overcomer Foundation, a former board member for Heartland High School, Mount Carmel College of Nursing, and Big Brothers Big Sisters, a founding member and former president of the Columbus Chapter of Prospanica, and an advisory board member and volunteer with the Latino and Latin American Space for Enrichment and Research (LASER) mentoring program at The Ohio State University. He and his wife Sarah reside in Columbus, Ohio with their three children, Elena, Esmé and José.
