Empower Promotes Joe Smolen to President of Workplace Solutions

Joe Smolen

The Empower Annity Insurance Co. of America promoted Joe Smolen to president of its workplace solutions business, effective January 21, according to a firm announcement. Smolen, who most recently served as Empower’s executive vice president and head of core and institutional market segments, will oversee the organization’s growth, product, relationship management and strategy. Rich Linton previously led the workplace solutions unit as part of his duties as Empower’s president and chief operating officer.

Ken Munro, who previously served as Empower’s senior vice president and national sales director, will succeed Smolen as leader of the core and mid-market segments. Munro will continue to report to Smolen, and Smolen will continue to report to Linton. Edmund Murphy remains Empower’s president and CEO.

“Joe is a proven leader who consistently delivers results while keeping clients and partners at the center of everything he does,” Linton said in a statement. “His deep understanding of the workplace retirement landscape, combined with his ability to lead high-performing teams, makes him exceptionally well suited to lead our Workplace Solutions business as we continue to innovate and grow.”

Smolen was named leader of Empower’s core markets segment in 2017, adding mid-markets to his purview in 2024. He first joined Empower in 1999 as a regional sales director.

Additionally, Smolen recently completed a one-year tenure as the governing board chair for the Society of Professional Asset Managers and Recordkeepers.

Empower’s workplace solutions business served more than 61,000 employer-sponsored retirement plans with more than 18.8 million participants and administered approximately $1.9 trillion in assets as of September 30, 2025, according to the announcement of Smolen’s promotion.