2026 PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year

Award recipients across all categories are honored at the PLANADVISER Industry Leader Awards celebration in New York City in May.

The PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists and winners demonstrate leadership and a commitment to excellence in serving retirement plan sponsors and participants and contributing to the retirement plan adviser industry.

This year, advisers are being recognized for their excellence in the following areas:

  • Closing the Coverage Gap Micro/Startup Plans
  • Closing the Coverage Gap MEPs/PEPs*
  • Inclusivity and Career Development
  • 403(b) Plan Service
  • Participant Service
  • Plan Sponsor Service

*Multiple Employer Plans/Pooled Employer Plans

For Plan Sponsor Service, Plan Participant Service and 403(b) Plan Service, we accept nominations from plan sponsor clients only. For the other categories, we take nominations from adviser partners across the industry, including recordkeepers, asset managers, other advisers and product providers. Self-nominations are prohibited.

Recognition in all categories is given to individuals, except in Inclusivity and Career Development, in which teams may be recognized.

Nominees are judged on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative measures, including tenure in the business; retirement plan business as a percentage of practice revenue; answers to essay questions; compliance records; and willingness to serve in a fiduciary role to clients’ plans. Finalists are interviewed by judges before a winner is selected.

For 2026, we received 89 nominations, and 29 finalists were selected. The list of finalists can be seen below.

The 2026 Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists will be recognized, and winners announced, at PLANADVISER’s annual Industry Leader Awards celebration in May.

The 2026 PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists are:

Closing the Coverage Gap Micro/Startup Plans

Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their dedication to helping more Americans save for retirement in the workplace via micro and startup plans—especially those who work for small businesses or who are members of underrepresented communities.

  • Christopher Ryan Connolly, Partner, Retirement Team at CANE
  • Christopher DeAndrea, Director of Retirement Plan Consulting, Leavitt Group
  • Patrick McCallister, Manager of Institutional Sales, Henderson Brothers Financial Partners
  • Nate Moody, Partner, Senior Advisor, Lebel & Harriman Retirement Advisors
  • Christine Sivak, Financial Advisor, Signature Estate and Investment Advisors, LLC

Closing the Coverage Gap MEPs/PEPs*

Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their dedication to helping more Americans save for retirement in the workplace via multiple employer plans and pooled employer plans—especially those who work for small businesses or who are members of underrepresented communities.

  • Jeff Belton, Financial Consultant, intellicents
  • Tom A. Krusic, Financial Consultant, intellicents
  • Mark Olsen, Managing Director, PlanPILOT
  • Kevin Price, Advisor, Insight Financial Solutions, a GRP member firm

*Multiple Employer Plans/Pooled Employer Plans

Inclusivity and Career Development

Finalists and winners in this category are recognized for their focus on the importance of creating equitable and fair workplaces and their commitment and success in supporting the personal and professional growth of their firm’s staff, their fellow advisers and their industry peers.

  • HUB Retirement and Private Wealth Francisco Abril, Vice President, Financial Wellness and Employee Engagement; and Joseph DeNoyior, President
  • Greg Kaplan, Practice Leader, Newfront
  • Rick Sauerman, First Vice President, Investments, ClearSight Advisors of Raymond James

403(b) Plan Service

Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of 403(b) retirement plan sponsor clients, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of plan-level support for the special needs of this market.

  • Kelli Davis, Executive Vice President, HUB International
  • Domenic DiPiero, President and Founder, Newport Capital Group
  • Michael Ready, Partner and Retirement Plan Specialist, Summit Financial Group
  • Philip Sherman, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant, Deschutes Investment Consulting, LLC

Participant Service

Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of retirement plan participants, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of individual-level advice and education.

  • Trent Bryson, CEO, Bryson Wealth Management
  • Wendy Eldridge, Retirement Plan Advisor, Carnegie Investment Counsel
  • Ann-Marie Sepuka, Managing Director, Strategic Retirement Partners
  • Jenna Spurrier, VP, Investment Advisor, Thurston Capital
  • Matthew Vandre, Director of Digital Services, Fiduciary Financial Planner, Francis LLC

Plan Sponsor Service

Finalists and winners in this category stand out for their innovation and dedication in the service of retirement plan sponsor clients, with a particular focus on the efficient and effective delivery of plan-level support.

  • Sarah Colotto, Client Experience Leader, Strategy, Oswald Financial, Inc.
  • Devyn Duex, Principal, Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST
  • Erin Hall, Managing Director, Strategic Retirement Partners
  • Shane Hanson, CEO, Freedom Fiduciaries
  • Bruce Lanser, Senior Retirement Plan Consultant, TruSource Advisors, a UBS Financial Services firm
  • Thomas P. Simonson, Partner, Managing Director, Creative Planning Retirement Services
  • Jenna Witherbee, Financial Advisor, 401(k) Plan Professionals
  • Larry Witzel, President, Strategic Financial Solutions