About

Sharing insights to inspire action

The Advisers in Conversation forum will bring some of the country’s top retirement plan advisers together to discuss issues affecting retirement plan advisers and their clients. This year, as part of PLANADVISER’s 20th anniversary, we’ll look at the changes in the retirement plan and advisory industries over the past 20 years and what they indicate for the future. Join your peers to exchange ideas and make connections that will help elevate your business, make a difference for your clients and evolve the retirement plan advisory industry.

Agenda

PLANADVISER 2026 Advisers in Conversation

  1. 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

    Lunch

  2. 2:00 – 2:20 p.m.

    Evolution of the Advisory Business
    Industry leaders discuss retirement and advisory industry challenges and opportunities from the past 20 years.

    Moderator
    Edward Rueda, Editor, PLANADVISER

    Panelists
    Wendy Eldridge, Retirement Plan Adviser, Carnegie Investment Counsel
    Megan Warzinski, Managing Director, Partner, Henderson Brothers Financial Partners

  3. 2:20 – 2:50 p.m.

    Discussion: Closing the Coverage Gap
    Join your peers in a discussion about micro/startup plans, MEPs/PEPs, state auto-IRA plans and the impact they have on your business and your clients.

    Facilitators
    Tom Krusic, Financial Consultant, intellicents
    Patrick McCallister, Manager of Institutional Sales, Henderson Brothers Financial Partners

  4. 2:50 – 3:20 p.m.

    Discussion: Recordkeeper Relationships
    Break into smaller groups to talk about what advisers need from recordkeepers and how to select the right partners.

    Facilitators
    Jeff Belton, Financial Advisor, intellicents
    Christine Sivak, Financial Advisor, Signature Estate & Investment Advisors

  5. 3:20 – 3:50 p.m.

    Break

  6. 3:50 – 4:10 p.m.

    The Evolving Retirement Plan Service Model
    Industry leaders discuss how services have evolved over the past 20 years to include broader discussions of plan design, overall benefit offerings, and participant services and outcomes.

    Moderator
    Leah Sylvester, Executive Parter, President – Retirement Plans, Shepherd Financial

    Panelists
    Michael Ready, Partner & Retirement Plan Specialist, Summit Financial Group
    Kelli Send, Co-Founder, SVP – Financial Wellness Services, Francis, LLC

  7. 4:10 – 4:40 p.m.

    Discussion: Delivering Nonconflicted Retirement Planning Advice
    Join your peers in a discussion about the retirement and wealth convergence and advances in participant education and advice.

    Facilitators
    Matthew Vandre, Director of Digital Service, Fiduciary Financial Planner, Francis, LLC

  8. 4:40 – 5:10 p.m.

    Discussion: Retirement Income Solutions
    Break into smaller groups to talk about the evolution of retirement income planning and the needs of and solutions available to plan sponsors and participants.

    Facilitators
    Barbara Delaney, Principal, SS/RBA – a member firm of Global Retirement Partners, LLC

  9. 5:15 – 6:00 p.m.

    Quit to Finish: How to stop being a good pilgrim, so you can do the right things for the right reasons and get the best results

    Speaker
    Anne Lester

  10. 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

    Cocktail reception

  11. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Speakers

  • Jeff Belton

    Jeff Belton

    Financial Advisor
    intellicents
    Jeff Belton
    Financial Advisor
    intellicents

    Jeff Belton is a Financial Consultant who joined the intellicents office in Dallas, Texas in March 2019. He brings over 20 years of retirement plan experience with extensive knowledge in plan design, investment options and participant financial wellness. His career has been dedicated to partnering with plan sponsors, participants, advisors and providers, which gives him unique insight to building the best team needed for achieving the goals of retirement plans and their participants. Jeff believes that relationships are at the core of true financial wellness. He works to engage a team of trusted and transparent resources to best fit each client.
    Jeff graduated with a B.S. from the University of Redlands. In 2007, he earned his designation as a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) from NAPA (formerly the Qualified Plan Financial Consultant – QPFC / ASPPA).
    Additionally, Jeff holds the following designations and has previously passed securities exams:
    • Series 6 – Investment Company Products
    • Series 63 – Uniform Securities Agent
    • Series 65 – Uniform Investment Adviser
    • Texas Life Insurance License

  • Barbara Delaney

    Barbara Delaney

    Principal
    SS/RBA – a member firm of Global Retirement Partners, LLC
    Barbara Delaney
    Principal
    SS/RBA – a member firm of Global Retirement Partners, LLC

    Barbara Delaney currently serves as Principal of StoneStreet Benefit Advisors. Barbara is a seasoned ERISA fiduciary advisor, specializing in defined benefit, defined contribution and most recently health and welfare plans. Based out of Tarrytown, NY, Barbara has over 40 years of experience. Many Plan Sponsors have not held the same standards with respect
    to their Health and Welfare Plans as they do with their retirement plans. With the spiraling costs of healthcare and the need for increased transparency Stonestreet has broadened their scope of services to provide the same standard of care with respect to healthcare.
    Highly recognized and nationally acclaimed, Barbara was the recipient of the National Association of Plan Advisors’ (NAPA) 401(k) Summit Leadership Award and two-time recipient of Plan Sponsor Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Award. Barbara has received numerous industry recognitions from both peers and Plan Sponsors.
    In further recognition of Barbara’s leadership within the retirement plan consulting community, she has been selected to serve on the Defined Contribution Institutional Investors Association (DCIAA) RIA Advisory Council, Empower Advisory Board, Nuveen Retirement Leadership Council, Franklin
    Tempelton Retirement Income Council, JP Morgan DC Advisor Council, and the Retirement Advisory Council. She is also a Government Affairs Committee Member of the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (NAPA) and the Government Advisory Council of NAPA.
    Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Economics from St. Thomas Aquinas College and attended the New York University’s Stern School of Business. She is a licensed life & health insurance broker and holds Series 7, 24 and 63 securities registration through LPL.

  • Tom Krusic

    Tom Krusic

    Financial Consultant
    intellicents
    Tom Krusic
    Financial Consultant
    intellicents

    Tom Krusic joined intellicents in May 2021 as a Financial Consultant. He brings over a dozen years of experience with his greatest talents found in Tom’s ability to make sense out of a highly regulated financial services world and prepare people for their future.

    He possesses extensive knowledge regarding corporate retirement plans, employee education, and personal financial planning, which has enabled him to clearly chart the best path for his clients throughout all phases of their financial journey. Tom’s expertise in retirement planning, Qualified retirement plans, financial planning, and wealth management have been critical in helping clients reach their personal financial goals. He believes everyone has the right to access conflict free advisors to help them on their journey and achieve their dreams.

  • Bruce Lanser

    Bruce Lanser

    Senior Retirement Plan Adviser
    TruSource Advisors, a UBS Financial firm
    Bruce Lanser
    Senior Retirement Plan Adviser
    TruSource Advisors, a UBS Financial firm

    Bruce Lanser is a First Vice President–Wealth Management and Financial Advisor at TruSource Advisors at UBS. For more than 30 years, Bruce has been helping plan sponsors strengthen their employee retirement plans. He focuses his practice on delivering insights and results in three key areas within corporate retirement planning: sponsor and participant success, investment consulting, and fiduciary guidance.
    Bruce has been named to PLANADVISER’s Top Retirement Plan Advisers listing in 2014, 2019 and 2023. Educational degrees include B.S.B.A. Accounting, Marquette University. Credentials include Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Portfolio Manager, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist.

  • Patrick McCallister

    Patrick McCallister

    Manager of Institutional Sales
    Henderson Brothers Financial Partners
    Patrick McCallister
    Manager of Institutional Sales
    Henderson Brothers Financial Partners

    Pat began working at HBFP in 2017 and has over 30 years of experience working with the design and investments of all types of retirement and pooled employer plans. He enjoys helping employers spend their retirement budget effectively and efficiently.
    Pat was honored to serve as a Board member for the ASPPA Benefits Council of Greater Philadelphia (American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries), Pat is a graduate of Duquesne University with a BS in Marketing and Management. He attained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary®, AIF® designation from The Center for Fiduciary Studies and the Katz School of Business, University of Pittsburgh. He and his wife enjoy traveling to see their three children and four grandchildren.

  • Michael Ready

    Michael Ready

    Partner & Retirement Plan Specialist
    Summit Financial Group
    Michael Ready
    Partner & Retirement Plan Specialist
    Summit Financial Group

    Michael Ready has been working with companies of all sizes for more than 16 years. This experience has shaped how he works with his clients today and the goal of building world-class retirement programs for their companies.
    Michael earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern Indiana in 2004. He holds his IN Life and Health insurance license, and FINRA Series 7 and 63 registrations. He is also a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional.

  • Kelli Send

    Kelli Send

    co-founder, SVP - financial wellness services
    Francis, LLC
    Kelli Send
    co-founder, SVP - financial wellness services
    Francis, LLC

    With over 30 years of advising plan participants under her belt, Kelli Send has extensive financial wellness knowledge and oversees the firm’s financial wellness team. She is responsible for curriculum design and delivery, as well as the firm’s money coaching services. Under her leadership, the financial wellness team has won 15 Eddy Awards for excellence in retirement plan participant education programs.
    Kelli is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional (CFP) and has her Series 65 license and ERISA Fiduciary certification. She has a B.A. in Marketing from Michigan State University and an M.A. in Adult Education from Carroll University.

  • Christine Sivak

    Christine Sivak

    Financial Advisor
    Signature Estate & Investment Advisors
    Christine Sivak
    Financial Advisor
    Signature Estate & Investment Advisors

    Christine Sivak is a financial advisor with SEIA. She is a professional retirement plan advisor with over 30 years of experience providing advice on fiduciary duties, creative plan design, participant education, investment analysis, vendor searches, and fee benchmarking. Her knowledge helps clients navigate complex qualified plan matters with clarity, reflecting her passion for solving challenging “puzzles” both professionally and personally.
    As Co-Chair of the Northeast Ohio chapter of WE Inspire. Promote. Network. (WIPN), Christine is dedicated to advancing professional development for women in the retirement industry. She has been recognized by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) as a Top Women Advisor and has published articles on fiduciary duties and plan administration in Nonprofit World, The NonProfit Times, and Crain’s Cleveland Business.
    Christine is a graduate of Miami University, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. She has also earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) designation from the Fi360 Center for Fiduciary Studies, receiving formal training in investment fiduciary responsibility. Additionally, she earned credentials for the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA®) from the National Association of Plan Advisors and Qualified 401(k) Administrator™ (QKA®) from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries. These credential programs emphasize fiduciary responsibility, regulatory compliance, and best practices in plan management. Christine is also a licensed insurance agent.

  • Matthew Vandre

    Matthew Vandre

    Director of Digital Service, Fiduciary Financial Planner
    Francis, LLC
    Matthew Vandre
    Director of Digital Service, Fiduciary Financial Planner
    Francis, LLC

    Matthew Vandre, MSF, ChFC® is the Director of Digital Services and a fiduciary financial planner at Francis LLC, a nationally recognized leader in conflict free retirement plan consulting and workplace financial wellness services. Drawing from his extensive education in financial planning and behavioral economics, Matthew has been driving financial wellness innovation for over 15 years through engaging content, innovative strategies, and cutting-edge technology.
    The recipient of multiple state and national awards for financial innovation and literacy, Matthew also serves as an Advisor to the Wisconsin Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy & Capability, contributing to statewide efforts to improve financial education and economic empowerment for all.

Sponsors

Become a sponsor.

Join a select group of industry product and service providers who are maximizing their firm’s exposure in front of this highly influential group of retirement plan advisers.

Venue

2026 PLANADVISER Industry Leader Awards

The Yale Club
50 Vanderbilt Ave,
New York, NY 10017