Putnam Hires Three to Sales and Client Relations

David Scheetz and Edward Deeds will serve as regional DC directors, focused on growing the sales of Putnam’s full-service 401(k) among advisers. They report directly to James Brockelman, national sales manager of adviser-sold DC at Putnam.

James Axford was named DC consultant relations manager. Axford will work closely with advisers, consultants and recordkeeping platforms nationally to support the sales of Putnam’s investment-only retirement business. He reports to Peter Whitman, head of Putnam’s DC investment-only business.

Before joining Putnam, Scheetz was responsible for BNY Mellon’s DC investment-only business in the mid-Atlantic and worked extensively with full-service plan sales, including with Prudential Retirement and Merrill Lynch. Based in Richmond, Virginia, he will be responsible for Putnam’s mid-Atlantic region of Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. 

Deeds previously served as a regional sales manager for ADP Retirement Services, overseeing a team of regional sales representatives. He is based in Cincinnati and will be responsible for expanding Putnam’s adviser relationships in Ohio, Michigan, western Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Indiana.

Before Putnam, Axford was a senior vice president and director within Pioneer Investments’ investment-only retirement group. He has experience in sales and relationship management at a number of firms including MassMutual Retirement Services, Russell Investment Group and MFS Investment Management.