MassMutual Appoints Pension Buyout Leader

MassMutual’s new pension buyout business leader takes on the role during a peak time for risk transfer activity.

As part of its strategy to deliver solutions in the expanding defined benefit (DB) pension transfer market, MassMutual has appointed Lynn Esenwine as vice president of its pension buyout business.

Esenwine takes on responsibility for market and business development across the pension risk transfer spectrum. Her role covers adviser and key account management; product and solution design; quoting and analysis of business cases; oversight of plan support; and identifying future opportunities in the risk transfer market. She reports to Keith McDonagh, senior vice president and chief financial officer for MassMutual Retirement Services.

Never miss a story — sign up for PLANADVISER newsletters to keep up on the latest retirement plan adviser news.

MassMutual, like other insurance product providers, says the stage is still set nicely for increased pension risk transfer activity, so the firm will “look to capitalize on the growth.” Esenwine’s appointment comes as MassMutual is also “seeing increased interest from advisers whose clients are seeking ways to reduce their long-term pension risks and costs,” McDonagh adds.

Esenwine has 14 years’ experience in the retirement plan industry and joined MassMutual from Prudential Retirement, where she served as a vice president within the institutional pension risk transfer business line.  In that role, she delivered pension risk transfer solutions, while also developing intermediary and customer relationships. In addition to holding several FINRA and insurance licenses, Esenwine received a B.S. from Pennsylvania State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut.

DST to Acquire Rollover Provider WMSI

WMSI’s suite of services and rollover solutions will be part of DST Retirement Solutions.

DST, a global provider of data management, business processing, and customer communication solutions, has agreed to acquire Wealth Management Systems Inc. (WMSI), a provider of rollover services and financial planning and education solutions to the retirement services industry.

On completion of the deal, WMSI’s suite of services and rollover solutions will come to market as part of DST Retirement Solutions, a provider of defined contribution technology, strategic advisory and business processing solutions to the industry.

Want the latest retirement plan adviser news and insights? Sign up for PLANADVISER newsletters.

According to Jude Metcalfe, president of DST Retirement Solutions, the firms’ complementary technologies will come together at a critical time in the retirement marketplace. “As a normal consequence of the nation’s aging demographics, there’s a predictable migration of funds from retirement plans to investment management platforms,” says Metcalfe. “This acquisition of an established leader in the rollover business places us squarely at that point of intersection. I think DST is uniquely positioned now to help asset managers and broker-dealers grow and retain assets in the retirement space.”

With more than 40 firms participating in its network, WMSI is connected to recordkeepers servicing more than 12 million participants, and provides automatic rollover services to more than 25,000 plan sponsors. In addition to its New York City location, the firm has offices in West Palm Beach, Florida; Boston; and Waltham, Massachusetts.

As part of the DST Enterprise, WMSI and its employees will become part of the DST Retirement Solutions business unit.

The acquisition is subject to certain approvals and other closing conditions.

«