Retirement Industry Deals and People Moves – 9/26/2025

Fiduciary Trust Hires Marc Balcer as Senior Portfolio Manager

Fiduciary Trust International, a global wealth manager and subsidiary of Franklin Templeton, has named Marc Balcer senior portfolio manager of its Radnor, Pennsylvania office. He will focus on guiding clients through market volatility and building tailored investment strategies.

Balcer joins from Girard, where he was director of investment strategy and senior vice president. He previously co-founded Bluefin Investment Management and held analyst roles at Redstone Investment Management and Morgan Stanley.

Julie Strong Karnavas, regional managing director for Fiduciary Trust, said in a statement that Balcer’s experience and client relationships in the mid-Atlantic region will help deepen the firm’s personalized wealth-planning services.

Pallas Capital Advisors Adds Kevin Crain as Strategic Adviser

Pallas Capital Advisors has appointed Kevin Crain as strategic adviser for retirement services, bringing more than four decades of experience in retirement planning and financial wellness.

Crain spent nearly 20 years at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, most recently as head of retirement research and insights, where he led studies on employee benefits, longevity and financial well-being, with an emphasis on diverse and underserved populations. He previously held senior roles at Fidelity Investments and Putnam Investments and began his career at Bankers Trust.

He also serves as executive director of the Institutional Retirement Income Council and advises McKinsey, the Milken Institute and the Global Coalition on Aging.

Northern Trust Appoints Jessica Donohue to Product Management

Northern Trust has named Jessica Donohue as head of product management for asset servicing, where she will lead a global team overseeing custody, administration, fiduciary and data solutions for institutional clients. She will report directly to asset servicing president Teresa Parker.

Donohue has nearly 25 years of industry experience, most recently at State Street Bank and Trust Company, where she served as global head for the asset owner segment and led global investment insights, sustainability and impact. She also held senior leadership roles in innovation, advisory and analytics across the firm.

BetterInvesting Names Wayne Thorp CEO

BetterInvesting has appointed Wayne Thorp as CEO. He succeeds Lindsey Bell, who chaired the board and served as interim CEO during the search.

Thorp brings more than 25 years of experience in investment education and research, mostly with the American Association of Individual Investors, where he rose from analyst to head of research and analysis. At AAII, Thorp helped shape tools and insights used by hundreds of thousands of retail investors.

Bell said Thorp’s experience and commitment to education make him well suited to lead BetterInvesting’s mission of empowering individuals to become confident investors.

In taking the role, Thorp said he plans to expand the nonprofit’s reach to younger and more diverse audiences while strengthening its position as a leading provider of investor education.

Empower Names Sangita Woerner Chief Marketing Officer

Empower has appointed Sangita Woerner as its new chief marketing officer.

Woerner has more than 25 years of experience in strategic marketing, brand development and customer engagement. She previously held senior leadership roles at Starbucks and Unilever, and most recently served as senior vice president of marketing at Alaska Airlines.

In her new role, Woerner will lead Empower’s marketing strategy, focusing on strengthening brand visibility, multi-channel initiatives and  customer engagement.