Deals & People June 26, 2012

Putnam Hires Three to Sales and Client Relations

Putnam Investments filled three senior positions in defined contribution (DC) sales and client relations.
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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.

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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.

Products June 25, 2012

Transamerica Unveils Retirement Savings Game

 

Beware of the money trolls, creatures that portray setbacks to saving for retirement in a new Facebook game.

 

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Transamerica Retirement Services’ Stash & Dash allows players to collect coins representing different ways of earning income. They then must be deposited along the way to earn interest.

The goal of the game is to collect as many coins as possible. But the money trolls can take some of those coins away.

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Those trolls represent unexpected expenses like having to pay a parking ticket or buy a new cell phone, said David Shute, vice president of marketing for Transamerica Retirement Services.

The game consists of three segments of retirement in 15-year increments. More trolls challenge users as the game progresses, just as people saving for retirement face more challenges as they age, Shute said.

Players can invite friends to try and beat their scores. They can also post their scores on their Facebook wall.

Ultimately, Shute said, he hopes users take away the importance of saving for retirement. “We’re not trying to be FarmVille,” he told PLANADVISER, referring to the popular Facebook game. “We’re trying to create awareness on the topic.”

The free game is available here or through the Apple iTunes store.  

 

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