2026 Service Stars

The PLANSPONSOR Service Stars program recognizes the retirement plan account representatives and relationship managers who, according to their plan sponsor clients, have demonstrated exemplary service.

Plan sponsors responding to the PLANSPONSOR Defined Contribution Survey single out their recordkeeper representatives by name and give specific examples of why they should be recognized. The PLANSPONSOR strategy and operations group reviews nominations and plan sponsor comments to select winners. Service Stars are chosen for their excellence in a range of service areas.

For the 2026 awards, 390 DC Survey respondents nominated individual client service representatives or client service teams. Seven individuals and seven teams were selected for recognition.

The 2026 PLANSPONSOR Service Stars will be recognized at the Excellence in Retirement Awards during the 2026 PLANSPONSOR National Conference in June in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 2026 Service Star award recipients are listed below.

Individual

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Paula Loeb

The Standard

Relationship Manager III

Taylor Lyons

Ascensus

Sr. Retirement Service Consultant

Hannah Morton

BOK Financial

Sr. VP, Relationship Manager

Hector Palacios

Milliman

Relationship Manager

Oliver Schulz

Voya

Relationship Manager

Marianne Thompson

Schwab Workplace Services

Client Service Manager

Lori Ussery

Transamerica Retirement Solutions

Client Executive, Workplace Solutions

Team

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From Empower Retirement

Keith Anderson

Managing Director, Relationship Management

Harsha Culver

Sr. Client Services Manager

From Fidelity Investments

Mike Safran

Director, Client Service Manager

Tom Woods

Relationship Manager – Tax-Exempt Market

From Nationwide

Lauren Kime

Sr. Relationship Consultant

Curtis Leuenberger

Sr. Relationship Consultant

Zack Sharp

Sr. Consultant, Retirement Plans Marketing

Jake Sours

Executive Program Director, Relationship Manager

From Principal Financial Group

Paul DeWitt

Sr. Client Services Manager

Nicole Windish

Sr. Client Services Manager

From Schwab Workplace Services

Timothy Krajcik

Director, Communication

Thomas Schafer

Client Service Manager

From The Standard

Julie Figueroa

Account Manager

Kimberly Temple

Account Manager

From Voya Financial

David Durfee

Regional VP, Client Relations

Patricia Keesling

Sr. Plan Manager