2025 PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year
Award recipients across all categories are honored at the PLANADVISER Industry Leader Awards celebration in New York City in May.
Closing the Coverage Gap — Micro/Startup PlansPhillip Senderowitz
Managing Director,
Strategic Retirement Partners
Closing the Coverage Gap — MEPs/PEPsRussell Warye
Area President,
HUB Retirement and Private Wealth
Inclusivity and Career DevelopmentDouglas E. Bermudez
Managing Director,
Strategic Retirement Partners
403(b) Plan ServiceJustin Londergan
Partner, Ardea Fiduciary Advisors
Plan Participant ServiceSean Bjork
President, Bjork Asset Management
Plan Sponsor ServiceLeah Sylvester
Executive Partner | President - Retirement Plans, Shepherd Financial
The PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists and winners demonstrate leadership and a commitment to excellence in serving retirement plan sponsors and participants and contributing to the retirement plan adviser industry.
For the fourth year in a row, the awards are being issued in multiple categories. We have separated our recognition for “Community Impact and Giving Back” into a separate program and replaced that category with “403(b) Plan Service.” We are highlighting advisers who give back by telling their stories on PLANADVISER.com and we honor them at the annual awards dinner, in May.
In addition, last year, we divided the “Closing the Coverage Gap” category into two—“Closing the Coverage Gap – MEPs/PEPs*” and “Closing the Coverage Gap – Micro/Startup Plans.” In this way, we can better recognize the different strategies advisers use to help their small-business clients provide for retirement saving.
This year, advisers are being recognized for their excellence in the following areas:
- Closing the Coverage Gap — Micro/Startup Plans
- Closing the Coverage Gap — MEPs/PEPs*
- Inclusivity and Career Development
- 403(b) Plan Service
- Plan Participant Service
- Plan Sponsor Service
*Multiple Employer Plans/Pooled Employer Plans
For the “Plan Sponsor Service,” “Plan Participant Service” and “403(b) Plan Service” categories, we accept nominations from plan sponsor clients only. For the other categories, we take nominations from adviser partners across the industry, including recordkeepers, asset managers, other advisers, product providers and more. Self-nominations are prohibited.
Nominees are judged on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative measures, including tenure in the business; retirement plan business as a percentage of practice revenue; answers to essay questions; compliance records; and willingness to serve in a fiduciary role to clients’ plans. Finalists are interviewed by judges before a winner is selected.
For 2025, we received 83 nominations, and 28 finalists were selected. The list of finalists can be seen below.
The 2025 Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists will be recognized, and winners announced, at PLANADVISER’s annual Industry Leader Awards celebration in May.
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Retirement Plan Adviser of the YearNominations Open: October through December To receive invitations and reminders for the Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Awards, click here. |
Closing the Coverage Gap — Micro/Startup Plans
Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their dedication to helping more Americans save for retirement in the workplace via micro and startup plans—especially those who work for small businesses or who are members of underrepresented communities.
Closing the Coverage Gap — MEPs/PEPs
Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their dedication to helping more Americans save for retirement in the workplace via multiple employer plans and pooled employer plans—especially those who work for small businesses or who are members of underrepresented communities.
Inclusivity and Career Development
Finalists and winners in this category are recognized for their focus on the importance of creating equitable and fair workplaces and their commitment and success in supporting the personal and professional growth of their firm’s staff, their fellow advisers and their industry peers.
403(b) Plan Service
Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of 403(b) retirement plan sponsor clients, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of plan-level support for the special needs of this market.
Plan Participant Service
Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of retirement plan participants, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of individual-level advice and education.
Plan Sponsor Service
Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of retirement plan sponsor clients, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of plan-level support.