Principal Integrates Consultant and RIA Support

The Principal Financial Group has adopted an integrated approach to support retirement plan consultants and independent registered investment advisers (RIAs).

The Principal previously focused on these two channels separately, but a unified team now provides support to both consultants and investment advisory firms who service mid-size and large plan markets, the company said. The team will focus on three key areas: corporate, non-profit, and Taft-Hartley plans, and will offer a comprehensive range of solutions including defined contribution, defined benefit, ESOP, non-qualified, investment only, and income solutions.

Team Members

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The integrated team is made up of three industry veterans: Chris Blair, Todd Dunaway and Cynthia LeMay.

The team will be lead by Blair who will also focus on the western region. Previously Blair worked for Union Bank of California in San Francisco as the national sales manager for retirement services. He has also held senior level positions with Charles Schwab & Co.’s retirement business, serving as the national sales director for Corporate and Retirement Services, and as the Western division sales director for New York Life Benefit Services.

Dunaway will focus on the central United States, encompassing the Midwest and South. Most recently, he led The Principal’s RIA practice. LeMay will focus on the Eastern United States. Before joing The Principal, LeMay was vice president, sales and marketing for Envive, Inc. She has also worked as senior regional sales manager for Northern Trust Retirement Consulting, and held additional senior level positions at Northern Trust including director of Participant Servicing and Defined Benefit manager.

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