Deals & People

Lincoln Financial Group’s retirement plan services business appointed Jason Key as head of business development for its institutional retirement distribution team.

CUNA Mutual Retirement Solutions has added two new members to its institutional relationship management leadership team.

Highland Capital Management, L.P., a Dallas-based investment management firm, has added five members to its sales group for non-traded and mutual fund products.

Focus Financial Partners, LLC announced that Dan Sontag, former president of Merrill Lynch’s global wealth management unit, has joined the Focus wealth management network’s board of directors.

Pension Advisors, an independent financial and retirement advisory firm, has selected Independent Financial Group, LLC as its new broker/dealer.

NFP Advisor Services (NFPAS), a National Financial Partners Corp. (NFP) business group, has integrated the retirement plan adviser tools and support services of 401(k) Advisors.

Three 401(k) Advisors consultants—Austin Gwilliam, Jason Jeskey and Kyle Posvistak—have joined Global Retirement Partners (GRP).

The Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) established a corporate venture capital fund to invest $100 million in innovative financial services businesses.

Jeff Bosco, a senior vice president, has been named the head of CUNA Mutual group’s wealth management business.

United Benefit Advisors (UBA) named Les McPhearson as the organization’s next chief executive officer.

The Newport Group, a national provider of retirement and executive benefit plans, has opened an office in the Chicago area.

Prudential Retirement has promoted Gary Ward to head the firm’s stable value organization.

Stephen Rosenberg, an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and labor law litigator, has joined The Wagner Law Group.

MassMutual Retirement Services has appointed eight new relationship managers to further support retirement plan sponsor clients.

Joseph Dunbar has joined SageView Advisory Group as an investment adviser based in the firm’s Boston office.

Prudential Investment Management has named Michael Schlachter as the head of its multi-asset class solutions group.

Pinnacle Plan Design hired Lauren Okum as a consulting actuary.

Prudential Fixed Income expanded its emerging markets team with the hiring of Matthew C. Duda.

Eric Carlson has joined Retirement Benefits Group as a member of the firm’s retirement plan and individual advisory services staff.

Envestnet Retirement Solutions (ERS), a subsidiary of Envestnet Inc., has completed its acquisition of participant advice and education solutions provider Klein Decisions Inc.