Corporate Insight announced the launch of its Defined Contribution (DC) Plan Sponsor Digital Audit.
The new audit service provides an in-depth assessment of the digital user experience offered by retirement plan recordkeepers to plan sponsors, measuring their plan sponsor-facing websites against key competitors. The audit identifies competitive strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement, enabling recordkeepers to set the right development priorities and deliver a best-in-class digital experience to sponsors.
The audit framework, grade definitions and criteria are based on industry best practices identified by Corporate Insight’s Retirement Plan Monitor—Institutional research service, which tracks and analyzes the plan sponsor websites of 15 leading recordkeepers. Its latest survey found 91% of plan sponsors say that the site experience is either of equal or greater importance to the participant site experience.
Andrew Way, director of research, annuity, life and retirement at Corporate Insight, says recordkeepers have put far more work into updating participant websites than they have sponsor websites. “Sponsors hold these websites up to the high quality service they get from non-financial websites, such as Google. If [recordkeepers] don’t offer an intuitive plan health dashboard or haven’t updated it in a few years, they need to do so.”
“When it comes to digital platform importance, our survey found that the quality of the plan sponsor portal can have a greater impact on the choice of recordkeeper than the quality of the participant digital experience,” says Michael Ellison, president of Corporate Insight. “We believe that this audit can play an instrumental role in helping clients optimize their plan sponsor digital experience, leading to greater client retention.”
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Dividend Assets Capital LLC (DAC) has added Bill Ford, CFP, as new head of institutional sales.
Ford’s area of expertise includes traditional and alternative investment management, asset allocation, retirement plan and insurance solutions. As DAC’s new managing director, he will be responsible for initiating and managing strategic business alliances with financial intermediaries and institutions. DAC specializes in dividend growth and income investment strategies for individual and institutional client portfolios. The firm also serves as a sub-adviser to institutions and advisers.
Ford’s 20-year background in the financial services industry includes most recently serving as vice president of strategic accounts for The Arboretum Group, an alternative investment firm specializing in private credit programs. He also has overseen and managed business development efforts for American Century Investments, Guardian Investor Services, MetLife and Putnam Investments. Ford has a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in business administration from the University of New Hampshire and is a certified financial planner professional.
Cetera Replaces General Counsel
David Greenehas joined Cetera as general counsel. Greene will be based at the company headquarters inEl Segundoand report directly to Cetera’s Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Executive Officer,Ben Brigeman.
Greene joins from FINRA, where he was Los Angeles District Office Director, bringing nearly three decades of experience as a practicing attorney, nineteen of which were within the financial services industry. As general counsel for Cetera, Greene will serve as a member of the executive management team as the company’s chief legal officer. In this role, Greene will advise the board and management team on legal and regulatory matters and help design and implement programs that facilitate superior compliance and governance practices. In addition, Greene will preside over legal issues involving Cetera member firms.
“David’s extensive knowledge of the broker-dealer space and experience as a leader within one of the country’s largest regulatory networks make him an ideal candidate to help structure our ongoing legal and compliance framework,” saysBrigeman. “In an era of unprecedented regulatory complexity, the ability to anticipate and prepare for the unexpected is increasingly at the heart of a successful corporate strategy. Firms that have access to the industry’s top legal talent are the ones best positioned to thrive in the years ahead. The addition of David to our leadership team highlights our ability to attract the best talent.”
Prior to his role as Los Angeles District Office Director, Greene served as deputy and regional chief counsel for FINRA’s West Region, where he presided over a high-profile enforcement docket from the Los Angeles District Office and supervision of counsels and processes inLos Angeles,San Francisco,Denverand Seattle.
Greene succeeds outgoing General CounselBrian Stern, who announced he would be leaving the company earlier in the year. Stern will continue at Cetera through a transition period.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Announces ERISA Expert as Partner
Seyfarth Shaw LLP has announced new partner, Jeffrey Bauer, to the Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation department in Chicago. Bauer joins from Dorsey & Whitney LLP, where he was a partner in its Employee Benefits group in Minneapolis.
Bauer’s practice is focused on qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, including employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), employee retirement income security act (ERISA) fiduciary law and executive compensation. He represents a broad range of employers, including private and public companies, government entities, and nonprofit organizations, on the design, operation and termination of all types of benefit plans and compensation arrangements.
As a certified public accountant, Bauer often works with employers and fiduciaries on their fiduciary obligations under ERISA and counsels company stakeholders on the applicable ESOP laws involved in the purchase and sale of employer securities. In addition, he is knowledgeable in the many compensation and benefits issues that frequently result from ERISA and tax litigation, as well as mergers and acquisitions.
Bauer earned his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law and his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. He received a master’s degree in taxation and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Central Florida.
OneAmerica Adds Regional VP
Greg Poplarski will lead OneAmerica’s central division as a regional vice president, joining Mark Glavin, who continues as the west region RVP, and Todd Smiser, who is staying on as east region RVP.
Poplarski succeeds Pete Schroedle, who was promoted in December 2018 to lead sales for the small and mid-market as the company restructured under new Retirement Services President Sandy McCarthy. Schroedle retained his central region responsibilities in the position until now.
Poplarski comes to OneAmerica from Allianz Global Investors, where he served as a Midwest-based investment specialist in the retirement space. Prior to Allianz, he served in sales management roles with Prudential Retirement and Merrill Lynch.
