Best of PSNC 2017

Speakers

  • Earle Allen (New York)

    Partner, Cammack Retirement Group, Inc

    Earle manages the relationships with several of our public and private academic institutions, as well as other non-profit organization employers in helping them fulfill their fiduciary responsibility to their plan and achieve best practices in plan administration. He also acts as a senior level resource to a number of other Cammack Retirement clients. In his executive role, he is responsible for the development, implementation and management of strategic initiatives in the overall delivery of services to defined contribution plan clients. He oversees the procedures for production of Cammack Retirement Group’s quarterly Due Diligence reports and the recordkeeper searches we conduct via a Request for Proposal process. He also leads the team that responds to requests for our advisor services. Earle works out of our New York City office. EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION Earle joined Cammack Retirement Group in 1990 and has over 25 years of experience providing consulting and advisory services to defined contribution plan sponsors. Earle has spent his career with Cammack Retirement Group, holding various positions both as part of the account servicing teams as well as leading the teams for the New York City office. Earle received his Bachelor’s Degree from Dartmouth College and his Master’s of Business Administration degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

  • David Altimont (Dallas)

    Senior Vice President, Lockton Retirement Services

    David founded the retirement practice at Lockton’s Dallas office in 2004. He holds degrees in both economics and law, and has over thirty years of professional experience working directly with investments and retirement plans. His experience encompasses a wide variety of areas specific to institutional retirement plans – including investments, administration, trust/custody, compliance, fiduciary and employee education – as each area specifically relates to 401(k), 403(b), 457, profit sharing, defined benefit, and non-qualified plans.

  • Sean Bjork (Chicago)

    Founder, Bjork Asset Management

    Sean Bjork founded Bjork Asset Management with the goal of providing disciplined, independent fiduciary guidance to institutions sponsoring retirement plans and their employees. As the firms President and a recognized leader in the retirement plan industry, Sean has over 20 years experience working specifically with qualified retirement savings plans and plan participants and holds AIF® and CIMA® designations. Sean earned his MBA in Finance from The University of Chicago and earlier graduated with a BA from St. Lawrence University where he was Captain of the NCAA Division I Alpine Ski Racing Team. Beyond family and his work at Bjork Asset Management, Sean enjoys cycling, skiing, flying and spending time in the outdoors. In his community Sean volunteers as a Firefighter/EMT with the Lake Bluff Fire Department and serves as a Dive Rescue Technician with the MABAS Division 4 & 5 Specialized Response Team.

  • Drew Carrington (Dallas)

    SVP, Head of Institutional DCIO, Franklin Templeton Investments

    Drew Carrington is a Senior Vice President, and leads Franklin Templeton’s defined contribution business within the U.S. institutional large market segment. His responsibilities include presenting the firm’s capabilities to existing and prospective DC clients and their consultants, as well as understanding and communicating the complex, evolving regulatory landscape of DC plans. Prior to joining Franklin Templeton in 2013, he served as head of the Defined Contribution and Retirement Solutions Group at UBS Global Asset Management, focused on developing investment solutions for large DC plans, particularly in the target date and retirement income categories. He joined UBS in 2005, as a senior fixed income client portfolio manager for UBS, where he worked closely with their Asset-Liability Investment Solutions team to design and implement the fixed income and duration overlay portions of asset-liability management strategies. Before joining UBS, he was a principal at Mercer Investment Consulting, where he worked with both public and private DB and DC clients. He began his career in the financial services industry in 1988.

  • Kerrie Casey (Boston)

    Retirement Plan Consultant, SageView Advisory Group

    Kerrie joined SageView Advisory Group’s Boston team in 2015 as a Retirement Plan Consultant and has 21 years of financial services industry experience centered on defined contribution participants and plan sponsors.  In her roles, she has helped clients with plan design, plan compliance, fiduciary governance, investment selection and employee engagement as she has partnered with them to oversee and manage their retirement plans.  Kerrie works with her clients to ensure their retirement plans are aligned with the organization’s culture and philosophy to help their participants plan for a successful retirement.  Kerrie began her career at Fidelity Investments as a participant service representative in 1996 after interning at Fidelity in her final year at Bentley College.  She left Fidelity to work for Trust Consultants where she was responsible for the administration, reporting and compliance of approximately 60 plans.  She returned to Fidelity to travel the country providing employee education seminars and group meetings to plan participants.  She joined Tofias, a third-party administrator, in 2000 to provide administrative and compliance support for approximately 50 clients and later worked at Sentinel Benefits where she managed the implementation and legal teams for all new incoming retirement plan business. Prior to joining SageView, she had spent the past eight years as a senior consultant at Marsh & McLennan Agency focused on helping clients manage all aspects of their retirement plans to ensure plan sponsors meet their fiduciary duties and provide an effective and powerful savings vehicle for their employees. Credentials: Bentley College, B.S. in Finance, UMass Boston, M.A. in English, FINRA Series 7 and 66 registered, Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA); Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC)

  • Emily S. Costin (Boston/New York)

    Partner, Alston & Bird LLP

    Emily Seymour Costin is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Alston & Bird LLP, where she focuses her practice on the defense of employment and employee benefits disputes and counseling employers, plan sponsors and fiduciaries on litigation avoidance strategies.  Emily represents plan sponsors, insurers and fiduciaries in individual, mass action, and class action litigation over claims for benefits and breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA. She has experience litigating various types of ERISA disputes, including those involving 401(k)/employer stock, employee stock ownership plans (ESOP), benefit termination, investment/fee matters and individual benefit claims. She also represents clients in connection with government investigations for civil and criminal violations of ERISA.  Emily is the chair of the ABA’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice, Employee Benefits Committee and the Chair-Elect of the ABA’s Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB).  She is also a member of the editorial advisory board of the Benefits Law Journal.  She graduated with high honors from George Washington University Law School, where she was a member of the Order of the Coif.

  • Mark Davis (Newport Beach)

    Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST Advisors

    Mark joined CAPTRUST in 2009 as senior vice president, financial advisor and is responsible for providing retirement plan advisory services to corporate fiduciaries. Prior to joining the firm, Mark served as founding principal and vice president, financial advisor at Kravitz Davis Sansone and as well as president of Mark A. Davis Consulting, Inc. He has worked in the industry since 1991. Mark has worked with members of the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and the Government Accountability Office on a variety of retirement plan issues related to plan sponsors and plan participants. Mark has testified before both the House Ways & Means and Education and Labor committees.

  • David de Tagyos (Chicago)

    Director of Investments, Strategic Retirement Partners

    David de Tagyos is Director of Investments for Strategic Retirement Partners. David is responsible for the selection, monitoring, and ongoing due diligence of client investment menus. He is a specialist in asset allocation, diversification, and alternative investments. David collaborates with plan sponsors and participants to build a customized plan that helps provide each employee a clear path to a successful retirement. Before joining Strategic Retirement Partners, David spent eight years at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. While in their Retirement Services Group, David worked with top consultants to provide investment solutions aimed at diversifying risk and improving long-term outcomes for retirement plan clients. On their Institutional Client Service team, David was relationship manager for numerous corporate treasury departments and provided daily support for their balance sheet cash investments. Prior to his time at Goldman Sachs, David taught high school math and physics and coached freshman basketball for five years. Dave earned his MBA from the University of Chicago – Booth School of Business, and Masters in Education and BS in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame. He is an investment advisor representative.

  • Barbara J. Delaney (New York)

    Founder and Principal, StoneStreet Advisor Group, LLC

    An innovative entrepreneur and respected business leader, Barbara J. Delaney has been navigating the financial world since 1981. Barbara’s firm was named Advisor Team of the year in 2008, and she was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011 and the recipient of the 2017 NAPA Leadership award. Financial Wellness is an integral part of StoneStreet’s educational programs. As a thought-leader in the industry, StoneStreet is playing an active role with industry leaders in the development of “Income for Life” solutions for participants. StoneStreet oversees $3 Billion in plan assets representing over 50 clients and 65 plans.

  • Terry Dunne (Chicago, New York, Newport Beach, Dallas)

    SVP, Managing Director, RS Sales - Retirement Services, Millennium Trust Company

    Terry brings over 35 years of sales and marketing experience in the financial services industry to his role developing the firm’s comprehensive automatic rollover product. Before joining Millennium Trust, he served as director of marketing and client service at Harris Associates, and also held positions at Chicago Title and Trust, Arthur Andersen, and Harris Trust and Savings Bank. Terry has written on a number of retirement plan topics including plan terminations, search efforts for missing plan participants, uncashed checks, and bankruptcy and abandoned plans. His work has been published by the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), Sage’s Compensation & Benefits Review, International Foundation for Employee Benefits Plans, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, and Thomson Reuters’ Westlaw Journal. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame, an M.B.A. in accounting and finance from the University of Chicago, and a master’s degree in taxation from DePaul University. He has previously held the Certified Public Accountant®, Certified Financial Planner® and Personal Financial Specialist® designations.

  • Jodi Epstein (New York)

    Partner, Ivins, Phillips & Barker, Chartered

    Jodi Epstein is a partner in Ivins, Phillips & Barker’s Employee Benefits practice. She focuses on qualified plans, with particular expertise in integrations after acquisitions, setting up benefit platforms, and advising qualified plan committees regarding their fiduciary duties. Jodi’s practice includes day-to-day compliance issues, such as assisting with implementation of new legislation and regulations, trouble-shooting when glitches arise in plan operations, and helping qualified plan committees monitor plan investments and plan vendors. Her practice also includes the one-of-a-kind issues that can arise, usually in connection with M&A activity. Jodi is well-versed in the complexity and challenges raised by large controlled groups. Clients appreciate Jodi’s ability to manage projects involving multiple plan vendors, often on a tight timetable. Jodi received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University (with distinction) and her law degree from Harvard Law School (cum laude).

  • Janet Ganong (Dallas)

    Partner-Retirement Plan Consultant, The Keickhefer Group

    Janet has been in the retirement industry for over 20 years, and joined The Kieckhefer Group in 2004.  She has worked in multiple areas, plan operations and administration, relationship management, participant education and a 401(k) participant call center.  She has been a problem solver and innovator on all sides of 401(k) plan management. With her many roles, she has a unique position to understand retirement plans from the perspective of the plan sponsor, participant and back office administrators.  Janet earned a Master of Business Administration in Industrial Management from the University of Dallas, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  She has also obtained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) and PLANSPONSOR Retirement Professional (PRP) designations. Janet has been in the retirement industry for over 20 years, and joined The Kieckhefer Group in 2004.  She has worked in multiple areas, plan operations and administration, relationship management, participant education and a 401(k) participant call center.  She has been a problem solver and innovator on all sides of 401(k) plan management. With her many roles, she has a unique position to understand retirement plans from the perspective of the plan sponsor, participant and back office administrators.  Janet earned a Master of Business Administration in Industrial Management from the University of Dallas, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.  She has also obtained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) and PLANSPONSOR Retirement Professional (PRP) designations.

  • George Michael Gerstein (Dallas)

    Counsel, Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young

    George Michael Gerstein concentrates on the fiduciary and prohibited transaction provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), including the DOL Fiduciary Rule. He has advised banks, trust companies, broker-dealers, investment managers and advisers, as well as plan sponsors, in their responsibilities under federal law when dealing with plan assets. In addition to broad experience, he also advises on specific areas relevant to fiduciaries and service providers, such as foreign exchange (FX), climate change (ESG) risks and market structure issues, such as custody and execution. Gerstein also has advised governmental plans on governance and fiduciary responsibilities, as well as numerous financial institutions on compliance with the rules applicable to governmental plans. He is routinely interviewed by the financial press, and has most recently been quoted in the Wall Street Journal regarding DOL regulatory developments. He also recently penned an op-ed for Pensions & Investments regarding the importance of fiduciaries to be aware of the new FX Global Code, and has authored a detailed analysis in Bloomberg BNA on the fiduciary implications of climate change. Gerstein has previously worked at State Street Bank and Trust Company (State Street Global Markets – FX) and Deutsche Bank (Global Prime Finance).

  • Spencer A. Goldstein (Newport Beach)

    Principal & CIO, StoneStreet Equity, LLC

    Spencer has over 10 years in the financial services industry. Prior to joining StoneStreet Equity in 2011, he was an analyst, trader, and portfolio manager, specializing in energy equities and commodities. He has also worked as an independent consultant providing due diligence and investment commentary/attribution for mutual fund managers. He holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 registrations with LPL Financial, and is a CFA Charterholder. Spencer earned his Master of Finance and BS in Management from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business in New Orleans, LA.

  • David Hinderstein (New York)

    President, Strategic Retirement Group

    David Hinderstein leads Strategic Retirement Group’s consulting practice, which assists plan sponsors and participants in responding to the many challenges in managing their retirement programs. David has extensive background and significant expertise in helping not-for-profit, corporate, healthcare, and higher education plan sponsors meet their fiduciary responsibilities and manage and optimize their investment provider relationships. As a retirement benefit veteran, David has been recognized by several industry organizations for his leading experience and expertise. He is also a frequent keynote speaker at industry conferences, and an instructor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management Executive Education TRAU- The Retirement Advisor University, where he instructs on the not-for-profit retirement marketplace. Prior to starting Strategic Retirement Group, David spent almost 12 years in various management and consulting positions with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Most recently, he was President of GBS Retirement Services, Inc. (the retirement division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.), with responsibility for consulting and servicing large defined contribution and defined benefit plans and overseeing all facets of Gallagher’s regional retirement services practice. Previously, David held multiple positions with CitiStreet (formally the Copeland Companies), where his emphasis was consulting and servicing large defined contribution plans for healthcare and not-for-profit institutions. David earned his BS degree in Finance from The American University in Washington, D.C., and has achieved the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation. He also is an Investment Advisor Representative of Strategic Retirement Group, Inc., an SEC Registered Investment Advisor and a Registered Representative with LPL Financial.

  • David Kaleda (Chicago)

    Principal, Groom Law Group, Chartered

    David Kaleda is a Principal with Groom Law Group. His broad range of experience includes handling fiduciary matters impacting plan sponsors, investment and other fiduciary committees, investment managers/advisors, recordkeepers, broker-dealers, banks and other financial services firms. Mr. Kaleda is a frequent speaker and author on a range of employee benefits-related topics. He authors the bi-monthly “Compliance Consult” column for PlanAdviser magazine and is a regular contributor of articles to The Investment Lawyer. His articles have also appeared in Employee Benefit News, Employee Benefit Adviser, Plan Sponsor, Employee Benefits Law Journal, Plan Consultant, and others. He has presented on ERISA-related topics for number of organizations such as SIFMA, NSCP, Asset International, Society of Actuaries, International Retirement Resource Center, ASPPA, ABA Tax Section, ABA Business Law Section, IAML, and FIRMA. He has been quoted in numerous publications such as On Wall Street, PlanSponsor Magazine, PlanAdviser Magazine, Investment News, Pensions & Investments, and Financial Adviser.

  • Michael W. Kozemchak (Chicago)

    Managing Director, Institutional Investment Consulting (IIC)

    Mr. Kozemchak is a Managing Director at Institutional Investment Consulting (IIC), a national provider of institutional investment consulting services. IIC’s engagements cover Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit, Nonqualified Deferred Compensation, Equity, HSA, Total Rewards, ESOP, and Treasury Investment programs with engagements totaling over $75billion in assets.  Mr. Kozemchak and IIC have been recognized annually as one of the nations leading consulting firms by publications including PLANSPONSOR Magazine, Plan Advisor, Pension and Investments, and 401(k) Wire. Member of:  The Employee Benefit Research Institute, The Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) and Board Member, The Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA), Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), The Association for Financial Professionals (AFP).  Michael Kozemchak possesses the AIF® (Accredited Investment Fiduciary) designation, the PRP (PLANSPONOR Retirement Plan Professional) Designation. Mr. Kozemchak is a founding lecturer at UCLA Berkley’s Anderson School of Management, within The Retirement University program and a recipient of their C(k)P Certification which denoted he is a Certified 401(k) Professional.

  • Scott Liggett (Dallas)

    Director of ERISA Oversight, Prime Capital Investment Advisors

    Scott Liggett is an attorney with Prime Capital Investment Advisors’ Qualified Plan division. As a member of the 401(k) team, Scott offers over 25 years of financial services legal experience and provides legal and consulting services for 401(k), profit sharing, pension, ESOP, KSOP, cash balance, and non-qualified executive benefit retirement programs nationwide. Scott is a proponent of fiduciary training for plan trustees and decision makers. He also is a leader in developing effective communication, education and investment advice programs for participants to help them better understand their retirement program benefits. Scott’s experience includes preparing and presenting quarterly and annual retirement plan reviews together with plan modification studies and recommendations; negotiating and preparing plan documentation, including trust documents, adoption agreements, resolutions, amendments, and related correspondence; reviewing nondiscrimination testing results and making applicable recommendations to plan sponsors; researching and interpreting IRS, DOL, and ERISA statutes, regulations and precedent; presenting annual actuarial valuation study results to defined benefit pension plan sponsors; conducting enrollment and educational meetings with plan sponsors and participants and preparing and reviewing requests for proposal submissions (RFPs).

  • Randy Long (Newport Beach)

    Founder and Managing Principal, SageView Advisory

    Randall Long is founder and Managing Principal of SageView Advisory Group, and is also a member of SageView’s internal Investment Committee. He started SageView in 1989 by assembling a team of seasoned financial advisors and investment specialists. Randy has over 30 years of experience in retirement plans and has provided consulting and fiduciary advisory services to over 250 major corporations in the area of plan design, investment consulting, record keeping, compliance, employee education, and communication. He has extensive experience in the oversight and operations of retirement plans advising and assisting plan fiduciaries in their fiduciary responsibilities. Randy earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University and the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies-University of Pittsburgh. He is also a member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries.

  • Dan Peluse (Dallas)

    Director of Retirement Plan Services, Wintrust Wealth Management

    Daniel J. Peluse joined the firm in 2013 as Director of Retirement Plan Services and has been working in the financial services industry since 2001. He began his career at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, where he specialized in retirement plans—specifically in the areas of Defined Contribution and Defined Benefit plans. Dan has been recognized for multiple honors by PLANSPONSOR Magazine, including being named a finalist for ‘Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year’ (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017), one of five finalists for ‘Retirement Plan Adviser Team of the Year’ (2011), as well as one of their ‘Top 100 Advisers’ from 2010-2017. Dan graduated from Elmhurst College with a degree in Finance and has earned the designation of Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P) from The Retirement Advisor University and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS) from the College of Financial Planning, Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) from the Center for Fiduciary Studies, and Certified Behavioral Finance Analyst (CBFA) through Allianz Investments and Professor Shlomo Benartzi of the Anderson School of Management at UCLA. Dan holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 65 Licenses, as well as Illinois Life and Health Insurance Licenses.

  • Michael C. Ribich (Chicago)

    Vice President – Retirement Benefits Consultant, Merrill Lynch

    Mike’s entire financial services career has been with Merrill Lynch beginning as a college intern in 1999. In his current role as a senior financial advisor and a retirement benefits consultant with The J&R Group, Mike helps organizations develop and execute best-in-class retirement plans.  He is focused on client relationship management and the implementation and monitoring of investment strategies for corporations and nonprofit organizations.  He also co-leads the team’s marketing efforts. He was named as one of PLANADVISER’s Top 100 Retirement Plan Advisers from 2011 through 2016, was listed in the Financial Times Top 401 Retirement Plan Advisors in 2015 and 2016, National Association of Plan Advisors Top 50 Under 40 in 2014, 2015 and 2017, and most recently named to the Forbes/Shook “America’s Top next-Generation Wealth Advisor” List in 2017.  In his free time, he enjoys boating and spending weekends at his Michigan lake house. Mike and his wife, Kimberly, and their children, Jack and Daniel, live in the western suburbs of Chicago.

  • James F. Sampson (Boston)

    Director, Retirement Advisory Services, Hilb Group Retirement Services

    Jim Sampson is Director, Retirement Advisory Services of Hilb Group Retirement Services (formerly Cornerstone Retirement Advisors), and has served the retirement plan industry for more than 20 years. Jim has received numerous industry awards and recognitions, including being named a PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Finalist in 2008 & 2012 and PLANADVISER Top 100 Retirement Plan Adviser 6 times, from 2012 through 2017 Jim has appeared on the FOX25 Morning News in Boston on their weekly Manage Your Money segment, has been quoted on retirement plan issues in The Boston Globe, Providence Business News, PLANSPONSOR Magazine, WSJonline.com and Employee Benefit Advisor Magazine, and has been a speaker or panelist at a number of industry conferences. Jim has earned the ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY™ and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designations and earned a BS in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

  • Robin Solomon (Chicago)

    Partner, Ivins, Phillips & Barker, Chartered

    Robin Solomon is a partner with Ivins, Phillips & Barker, in the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practice group. Ms. Solomon brings 20 years of experience on a broad range of federal tax and ERISA issues, with particular focus on counselling employers and fiduciaries about their 401(k) and tax-qualified plans. She regularly advises clients of all sizes regarding their fiduciary duties with respect to plan operations, and she often helps qualified plan committees monitor plan investments and plan vendors. Ms. Solomon frequently counsels clients on day-to-day administrative compliance issues, such as trouble-shooting when glitches arise in plan operations and implementing new laws and regulations. She has handled dozens of operational corrections, often winning IRS approval for unique methods of correction for her clients. Ms. Solomon has been retained as outside legal counsel to assist with the implementation of de-risking initiatives and plan redesigns; to establish numerous brand-new qualified retirement plans (including defined benefit and hybrid plans, as well as 401(k) plans and ESOPs) in connection with a complex transaction; to advise on executive employment agreements and tax matters; and to advise on health & welfare plan and retiree medical plan redesign to comply with the Affordable Care Act. Ms. Solomon possesses particular expertise in counselling clients involved in M&A. Her specialty is advising on workforce and benefits integration after a large acquisition, and she is experienced with the unique problems faced by large controlled groups. She has handled a variety of benefits issues that arise in M&A transactions, including the preparation of employee matters agreements and the negotiation of vendor service agreements. Ms. Solomon’s client base covers a wide range of industries, including aerospace and defense, automotive, food service, healthcare, manufacturing, oil and gas, retail and technology. She is regularly quoted in national publications on benefits matters, such as the Wall Street Journal, U.S. News and World Report, and Fiduciary News. She is a frequent speaker at the Tax Executives Institute and the D.C. Bar Association. Ms. Solomon earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School and her B.A. from Stanford University. She clerked for Judge Benson Everett Legg in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. She is a member of the adjunct faculty at the Georgetown University Law Center’s L.L.M. program, where she teaches a graduate-level course on Retirement Plan Qualification.

  • Mike Stephens (Newport Beach, Dallas)

    Portfolio Consultant, John Hancock Investments

    Mike Stephens is a Portfolio Consultant for John Hancock Investments.  In his role, Mike provides consultative, analytical and educational portfolio construction guidance to financial advisors.  The portfolio construction guidance Mike delivers is informed by the broader John Hancock Investments organization which is a world-class provider of asset management solutions, utilizing a unique best-of-breed, “manager of managers” model with an asset allocation mindset. In a previous role at John Hancock, Mike was responsible for defining, articulating and promoting the value proposition and investment strategy of John Hancock’s alternative and asset allocation products ($8 billion in AUM) in both the Retail and Institutional marketplace.  In addition, Mike led the development of the firm’s messaging and education on the utilization of alternative investments.

    Previously, Mike was the co-founder of an RIA technology start-up that delivered customized asset allocation solutions on-line.  Prior to that, Mike spent 14 years at Fidelity Investments in a number of roles.  As a Portfolio Specialist for Fidelity’s Emerging Markets Equity Team, he supported both portfolio managers and distribution partners with portfolio analysis and asset class research.  Prior to that, Mike was an institutional investment consultant in Fidelity’s 401k distribution channel, where he provided fund analysis and plan design consultation for plan sponsors with an aggregate $4 billion in total net assets with Fidelity. 

    Mike holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the Boston Security Analysts Society and of the CFA Institute.  In addition, he holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation and is a member of the CAIA Association.

    Education: B.S. Finance & Economics, Miami University

    Joined Manulife Financial: 2011

    Began Investment Career: 1993

  • Karin Stouffer (Boston)

    SVP, Senior Relationship Manager, Sales - Retirement Services, Millennium Trust Company

    Karin brings over 15 years of corporate experience to the firm and has been a key component to our growth. As a Senior Relationship Manager, Karin is responsible for supporting our largest institutional clients. Prior to joining Millennium Trust, she held management roles at Harris Associates, Northern Trust, and several non-profit organizations. Karin holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin.

  • Jania Stout (New York)

    Managing Director, Co-Founder, Fiduciary Plan Advisors

    Jania Stout, Managing Director, Co-Founder of Fiduciary Plan Advisors at HighTower, brings over 20 years of experience in ERISA plan consulting to the organization. She was named the 2016 Plan Adviser of the Year by Plan Sponsor Magazine. Jania began her career at ADP’s Retirement Services Division and spent 10 years in management positions. Jania then became a Senior Account Executive for Fidelity Investments. While at Fidelity, Jania advised on retirement plan solutions for mid-market companies. Jania gained tremendous exposure to the challenges plan sponsors face and their need to have a fiduciary partner. This exposure led her to leave Fidelity and form a team of consultants that had a unified focus on helping plan sponsors with their fiduciary responsibilities. Jania has been featured in the Washington Post, Investment News, RIA Biz and Plan Sponsor Magazine. Her team won one of the most prestigious awards in the industry in 2013; the 401(k) Advisor Leadership Award sponsored by National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA). Ms. Stout was appointed to the Leadership Council of National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) in spring of 2014. The Council is charged with setting the strategic direction and making policy decisions on all matters related to NAPA’s mission. She is a regular speaker at the Plan Sponsor National Conference as well as a contributor to many National industry publications and specifically writes about the topic of Financial Well Being. Jania holds her FINRA Series, 7, 6, 63 and 66. Ms. Stout was a two sport Division 1 athlete and graduated with a double major from Hofstra University. She is a 2008 graduate of the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC) Leadership program and a board member of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. In her free time she coaches girls’ lacrosse. She resides in Phoenix, MD with her two daughters Hannah and Sophie.

  • Sam Valeo (Chicago)

    Corporate Retirement Director, Morgan Stanley

    Sam Valeo is a Senior Vice President and Corporate Retirement Director at Morgan Stanley. For over 25 years, he has been providing institutions with Retirement plan guidance and oversight. Working with Morgan Stanley, one of the top 401(k) consulting firms, Sam provides fiduciary services to plan sponsors. His focus is on Investment Policy, plan design and employee engagement.   Publications and Speaking Engagements include Day at the Races Benefits conference speaker and organizer for 8 years. He has been a frequent speaker for many Fortune 500 companies on the topics of participant engagement. Featured speaker at the SHRM Illinois Conference and IL CPA Society on the topics of 401(k) oversight, and produces The Plan Sponsor Insights Newsletter. He presents regularly, nationally attended, fiduciary training webinars for plan sponsors. Education and Certifications Include: Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) Wharton School of Business; Certified Financial Planner (CFP); Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS); Bachelor of Science in Finance Eastern Illinois University. Sam was named to the Financial Times list of Top Retirement Plan Advisors for 2016 and 2017.

  • Christopher G. Venuti (Newport Beach)

    Senior Vice President, Wealth Management, Morgan Stanley, Graystone Consulting

    Chris brings 22 years of investments experience to Graystone Consulting. Prior to joining Graystone, Chris was a Senior Institutional Consultant at UBS Financial Services and was a member of the Investment Committee for UBS’s own 401(k) and defined benefit plans. He currently serves on the Advisory Council for Morgan Stanley Graystone Consulting. He holds the Chartered Investment Management Association (CIMA) designation and speaks regularly at national conferences on various topics affecting the retirement industry, including 3(38) Investment management at the Barron’s and PLANADVISER conference this past year. In the early 90’s Chris was the host of “Morning Market Call” on KWHY and was a Theater major at SUNY Fredonia. Chris has coached many sports teams through the years, is a regular cantor at St. Mel Catholic Church, and previous served as the Chair of the Finance Council in Woodland Hills where he and his three children live.

  • Gabe Vincenzo (Chicago, Boston, New York)

    Portfolio Consultant, John Hancock Investments

    Gabe Vincenzo is a Portfolio Consultant for John Hancock Investments. In his role, Gabe provides consultative, analytical and educational portfolio construction guidance to financial advisors. The portfolio construction guidance Gabe delivers is informed by the broader John Hancock Investments organization which is a world‐class provider of asset management solutions, utilizing a unique best‐of‐breed, “manager of managers” model with an asset allocation mindset.

    Previously, Gabe spent over five years at Natixis,  where he helped to build out the firm’s Portfolio Consulting capabilities in the U.S. and abroad.  As a Portfolio Consultant at Natixis, he conducted meetings with financial advisors to provide customized analysis of their model portfolios.

    Prior to joining Natixis, Gabe spent 10 years at Fidelity Investments in various roles.  Chief among them was his work as the investment specialist for the firm’s tactical asset allocation products.  After Fidelity, Gabe joined Wellington Management Company where he again worked with the firm’s asset allocation team.

    Gabe has passed the CFA Level III exam and is awaiting his charter.

    Education:

    M.B.A., Columbia Business School and London Business School;

    B.S., Finance & Marketing, University of Southern California

    Joined Manulife Financial: 2014

    Began Investment Career: 1992

  • Mike Volo

    Partner, Cammack Retirement Group, Inc

    Mike Volo focuses on the success and satisfaction of Cammack Retirement clients and their employees. He works with the nation’s leading academic and research institutions, healthcare providers, corporations, non-profit organizations and public sector employers to help solve their biggest retirement plan challenges. Mike is a recognized retirement savings expert, with a passion for clients and their employees, who excels at developing innovative and effective solutions. Mike has more than 25 years of experience in the investment advisory and retirement services industries. Prior to joining Cammack Retirement Group, Mike led the client service organization, focused on the non-profit sector, at Fidelity Investments, the largest U.S. retirement planning firm, and served as head of acquisition and client marketing for workplace benefits. Additionally, Mike served as the chief marketing officer for a leading investment manager, where he was responsible for the retirement plan, mutual fund and insurance product lines. Mike received his Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATIONS • Securities and investment licenses: Series 6, 7, 26, 51, and 65 AWARDS • PLANADVISER’s Top 100 Plan Advisers for 2012-2017 • PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Finalist 2014, 2017 PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS • Author and contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Pensions & Investments, PLANSPONSOR, Institutional Investor and other national publications • Featured contributor on CNN’s Your Money television program AFFILIATIONS • Board Chairman for Bottom Line, helping low-income, first-generation-to-college students get into college, graduate, and go far in life

  • Nathan Voris (Chicago, Boston, New York, Newport Beach, Dallas)

    Managing Director, Business Strategy, Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc., Charles Schwab

    Nathan Voris is managing director of Business Strategy for Schwab Retirement Plan Services. In this role, he is responsible for leading the client experience, platform and product development strategies to help retirement plan sponsors, consultants and participants meet their goals. Nathan most recently worked at Morningstar, where he held several roles within Morningstar Investment Management. There, his responsibilities included portfolio management and asset allocation, with a focus on product development and strategy for retirement solutions, including wellness, advice and managed accounts and target-date solutions. Previously, Nathan was a consultant with R.V. Kuhns & Associates, where he worked with defined contribution plan sponsors to help improve asset allocation and solve other needs of plan participants. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of portfolio construction, including asset allocation and manager selection/due diligence for plan sponsors, retirement plan providers and asset managers. Nathan began his career as a plan sponsor working for defined contribution plans, including Wal-Mart and the Ohio Public Employees’ Retirement System. He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the Ohio State University.

  • Tom Waters (Boston)

    Vice President, Senior Institutional DC Strategist, Franklin Templeton Investments

    Tom Waters oversees Franklin Templeton’s defined contribution investment only (DCIO) business segment within the U.S. institutional market, focusing on the East Coast. Mr. Waters works with existing and prospective plan sponsor clients to help their participants achieve a secure retirement through education and by aiding in the development of DC-focused solutions.Prior to joining Franklin Templeton, Mr. Waters was the Defined Contribution Practice Leader at Manning & Napier. In this role, he led sales, marketing, and strategy for the Institutional Defined Contribution Investment Only business. Prior to his time at Manning & Napier, Mr. Waters was a Defined Contribution Client Advisor at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Chicago. In this role, he worked extensively with large and mega plan sponsor clients and prospects, focused on providing insight on the DC industry and working with sponsors, clients and advisors to provide targeted solutions for DC plans. Mr. Waters is a member of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) as well as the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA). He is a speaker at industry conferences on a variety of DC related topics. Mr. Waters has a degree in Economics from St. Lawrence University and an MBA from the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University.

  • Roberta Casper Watson (Boston)

    Partner, The Wagner Law Group

    Roberta is a Partner with The Wagner Law Group, and is the leader of the firm’s health and welfare practice.  She is a graduate of the University of Idaho and Harvard Law School.  Her practice is in the areas of ERISA and employee benefits, with a focus on pension and profit sharing plans and health and welfare benefits, including COBRA, HIPAA, and the Affordable Care Act. Roberta advises clients with respect to qualified plans, ERISA fiduciary issues and decision-making, ESOPs, employee benefits aspects of family law, labor laws affecting employee benefits, including ADA, ADEA, and FMLA, and benefits litigation backup.The Best Lawyers in America has listed Roberta in their annual publication since 1995, and voted her 2012 Tampa Bay Lawyer of the Year (Employee Benefits Law), and she has been listed in Florida Super Lawyers most years from 2006 to present.  She has received an AV rating from the Martindale Hubbell.  Roberta is actively involved in and a past chair of the American Bar Association Tax Section’s Employee Benefits Committee, the ABA’s Joint Committee on Employee Benefits (JCEB), the ABA Health Law Section’s Employee Benefits Interest Group, and is a member of several other employee benefit organizations.

  • Conor Weir (Newport Beach)

    Managing Director, Retirement Benefits Group

    Conor is Managing Director at Retirement Benefits Group where he consults on retirement plans to maximize the benefit to business owners and their employees. In his role, Conor is responsible for retirement plan design, fiduciary risk management, non-qualified plan design, and business succession planning. Conor loves the logical process of simplifying complex problems and creating solutions for clients. He is a glutton for knowledge, constantly attending conferences and reading independently to stay up‐to‐date, and he enjoys sharing this knowledge with clients or team members to optimize challenging or unique business and personal financial issues. Prior to joining Retirement Benefits Group, Conor built his practice at Merrill Lynch. Early in his career, Conor’s honed his consultative approach to financial management as a consultant at “big four” consulting firms: Deloitte Consulting and Accenture. In 2004, Conor earned his Masters of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance at the University of Oxford in England. As an undergraduate, Conor studied Sociology and Philosophy at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, which ranks among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Conor holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (CFP)TM and Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor (CRPC) designations. Conor enjoys spending time with his children, reading, camping and playing at the beach. He is also a volunteer referee for his children’s youth soccer teams. In his spare time, Conor loves to travel; he has visited 36 countries and lived in six.

  • Stephen P. Wilkes (Newport Beach)

    Partner, The Wagner Law Group

    Steve’s experience includes practicing as a partner in major national law firms, in-house counsel at major financial institutions as well as a Fortune 500 company. He now heads the investment management law practice at The Wagner Law Group, a nationally recognized ERISA/employee benefits law firm.  Steve has advised plan sponsors, financial institutions and investment professionals in connection with all aspects of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, as well as the delivery of investment products and services in the retirement plan marketplace.  Among Steve’s areas of concentration are the tax-law and ERISA Title I (fiduciary) laws governing retirement plans, as well as the applicability of federal and state securities and banking laws such as the Investment Advisers Act and FINRA rules to the distribution of retirement plan products and services.

  • Jonathan Wilkinson (New York)

    Vice President – DCIO Sales Consultant, T. Rowe Price

    Jonathan’s strong communications skills, along with his deep financial experience, have helped him provide value to his clients as a Regional Sales Consultant in the U.S. Intermediaries—Retirement Group at T. Rowe Price, where he oversees the Metro region. Jonathan’s mission is to help a diverse group of financial professionals elevate their businesses to higher levels. He is focused on helping advisors, brokers, and record keepers add value to their clients’ investment strategies, as well as remain informed about trends in the retirement marketplace.

Sponsorship Information

Katie Bacon | 203-595-3184 |

General Information

Carol Popkins | 203-461-0985 |