Deals & People

Merrill Lynch Consulting Services is closing down its Florida pension advisory practice.

Investment management firm Brinker Capital launched an initiative providing practice management advice to financial professionals.

The Newport Group has appointed Greg Clark as Regional Director for the firm’s Mid-Atlantic region.

William R. Kline has left CAPTRUST Financial Advisors and joined New York Life Retirement Plan Services as Vice President of sales for the southeastern United States.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) named Hugh O’Toole as Senior Vice President in charge of national sales and distribution for the company’s Retirement Services division.

John E. Kriss has joined Alpha Fiduciary Wealth Management as Senior Vice President and investment adviser.

Charles P. Nelson was appointed President of Great-West Retirement Services.

BenefitStreet, Inc., secured bridge financing and is now negotiating terms for an additional $10 to $20 million in longer-term funding.

Lincoln National Corporation has tapped Peter Welsh as Divisional Sales Director for the Western Division of the Wire Channel of the Lincoln Employer Markets’ Defined Contribution business segment.

The Itasca, Illinois-based Arthur J. Gallagher&Co., an insurance broker, has acquired employee benefits consultant RSI of Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

After months of rumors about being 'shopped,' CitiStreet has been sold to ING Group.

State Street Corporation announced that its board of directors has appointed Jay Hooley as president and chief operating officer.

John (Jack) F. O’Connor has joined Pioneer Investments as Executive Vice President and Head of U.S. Institutional, effective April 28, 2008.

ExpertPlan, provider of private-label recordkeeping solutions for retirement plans has announced its acquisition of Pennsylvania-based TSCI, formerly Trust Service Company, Inc.

Saying the retirement business is a “strategic priority″ for the firm’s Global Wealth Management (GWM) group, Merrill Lynch has confirmed that Steve Bodurtha has assumed responsibility as head...

George Jamgochian has been named head of U.S. institutional sales for Principal Global Investors.

CapTrust Advisors, LLC, has merged with Schott Group Investment Consulting to create what the company says is Florida's largest private investment consulting firm.

The Principal Financial Group has named Michael Driscoll as director-sales, Retirement and Investor Services.

The Online 401(k) added 15 new adviser relationships in the first quarter of 2008.

Kravitz, a consultant in the design, implementation, and management of cash balance pension plans, announced its nationwide expansion with the opening of six satellite offices.