Zarah Bautista

PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and your current responsibilities? How do you contribute to your firm/team’s growth and progress?

Bautista: As a client service administrator within HUB International’s retirement and wealth management team, I support plan advisers and relationship managers across fiduciary initiatives, including due diligence projects, fund changes, fee benchmarking and pricing proposals. I compile quarterly AUM data to produce investment review reports and serve as the primary contact for advisory request for proposals responses. Additionally, I train new team members, develop and update procedures, collaborate with internal partners to streamline operations, and ensure timely completion of quarterly projects and reports. My contributions have enhanced team efficiency, accelerating data collection and report generation compared with previous periods and analyzing data more accurately, which enables us to service our clients better.

PLANADVISER: What are the skills that are most needed to be successful in your role?

Bautista: This role demands exceptional organizational skills, a flexible mindset toward evolving ideas and processes, and a collaborative spirit rooted in mutual respect. When plans evolve, the ability to pivot with purpose is crucial. Above all, it is key to understand the client’s goals through active listening in order to provide meaningful, effective support.

PLANADVISER: What have you done that you are most proud of?

Bautista: I’m most proud of earning my Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation in 2023, a milestone that reflects my commitment to professional growth. Equally rewarding has been my role in improving our team’s efficiency in gathering quarterly assets—reducing a three-week process to just one day over the course of my seven-year tenure. Supporting team success, empowering others to perform at their best and ensuring our clients’ expectations are consistently met remain some of the most rewarding aspects of my career.