PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and how you contribute to its growth and progress. How did you end up there?
Saam: As a retirement consultant at Creative Planning, I serve as a trusted adviser to our clients, specializing in designing, implementing and maintaining retirement plans for their organization and employees. I work closely with plan sponsors to align retirement plan features with business and HR objectives, while maintaining ERISA and fiduciary standards through a comprehensive fiduciary governance process. Serving client needs by designing retirement strategies that are market competitive, as well as cost effective, contributes to new opportunities that help grow our business.
Prior to my current role, I worked as a defined contribution client leader at Alight Solutions. Understanding the recordkeeping business allows me to be a strong advocate for our clients by holding vendor partners accountable for service delivery, while helping manage complex plan administration projects.
PLANADVISER: What steps do you think will help improve the retirement industry and participant outcomes in the future (particularly ways in which your firm can help with that progress)?
Saam: The future of the retirement industry is in the ability to bring together advice and financial wellness with easy and actionable steps for participants. The industry, historically speaking, has been challenged to engage participants and deliver real, holistic outcomes for individuals.
Creative Planning is uniquely positioned to bring our expertise in financial planning and wealth management to retirement plan participants through our online platform, Financial Guide. Participants receive customized advice through both a state-of-the-art digital platform, as well as the option to speak directly with a financial wellness consultant. Whether an individual is struggling with debt; has a growing family; or needs help with investing or optimizing savings, Financial Guide provides actionable solutions that help with each stage of life.
PLANADVISER: What are you most passionate about outside of the office?
Saam: Outside of the office, I am most passionate about my charitable contributions to the Chicago Warriors hockey organization. Founded in 2015 in partnership with the USA Disabled Hockey Fund and Chicago Blackhawks Charities, the Chicago Warriors serve military veterans who have been injured while serving our country, emphasizing both mental and physical rehabilitation through hockey. Operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, they rely entirely on fundraising, charitable donations and community support to cover expenses such as ice time, travel, equipment and lodging.
Since its inception, our family has organized an annual hockey fundraising tournament comprised of 14 teams and 185 players to raise money and awareness for the Chicago Warriors organization. Due to the generosity of tournament participants, we have raised an average of $40,000 per year to help support and grow the Chicago Warriors organization.