Chao Announces DoL Advisory Panel Appointments

March 10, 2005 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Department of Labor (DoL) Secretary Elaine Chao on Thursday tapped five new members for the department's 2005 Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans.

New appointees to the 15-member panel, which advises the department on a variety of retirement savings and benefit plan issues, include:

  • Kathryn Kennedy of Illinois, representing the general public. Kennedy is associate professor of law and director of the Center for Tax Law and Employee Benefits at the John Marshall Law School, where she oversees graduate degree programs in employee benefits.
  • Richard David Landsberg of Ohio, representing the insurance industry. Landsberg is a benefits lawyer and Vice President of Nationwide Financial Services, who advises clients on life insurance, annuity and pension issues, and investments.
  • James McCool of Ohio, representing employers. McCool is President of Schwab Corporate Services and is responsible for the management of over $7 billion in retirement plan and other assets.
  • Willow Prall of Washington, DC, representing employee organizations. Prall is a lawyer with DeCarlo & Connor where she provides legal counsel for single and multiemployer pension plans.
  • Christopher Rouse of Georgia, representing the accounting field. Rouse is a principal in the accounting firm of Windham Brannon, P.C.

The 2005 Advisory Council leadership includes R. Todd Gardenhire of Chattanooga, Tennessee as the chair and Sherrie Grabot of San Jose, California as vice chair.

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