Retirement Industry Deals and People Moves – 10/10/2025

Leon Capital Adds Travis Pittman as Managing Partner of Strategic Investments

Travis Pittman

Travis Pittman has joined Leon Capital Group a managing partner for strategic investments. Pittman is tasked with launching the firm’s family office and private capital advisory services.

Pittman brings more than 25 years of experience scaling teams and service line offerings. He previously spent 13 years with Houlihan Lokey Inc, where he was a managing director and founding members of the transaction advisory services practice, later serving as advisory markets leader. He also co-founded and led the transaction advisory services practice at Portage Point Partners, where he launched and led the firm’s private equity coverage strategy and was a member of the executive leadership team.

Sun Life Picks Tom Murphy as President

Tom Murphy

Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada promoted Tom Murphy, the firm’s executive vice president and chief risk officer, to president of its new asset management division.

Prior to joining Sun Life in 2022, Murphy was president of fixed income and head of institutional business at SLC Management, and he previously spent nearly 21 years at Mercer, holding titles such as U.S. wealth business leader and U.S. leader of OCIO/delegated investments.

“Sun Life is a leading global asset manager, and this new role and structure will bring all of Sun Life’s asset management businesses together under one pillar,” said Kevin Strain, Sun Life’s president and CEO, in a statement. “Sun Life Asset Management will also build new capabilities to better drive synergies between our asset management and insurance businesses.”

World Insurance Names John Cicchelli Head of Employee Benefits Practice

John Cicchelli

World Insurance Associates LLC named John Cicchelli head of its employee benefits practice. Cicchelli will be focused on market expansion and product development.

Cicchelli has 30 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. Most recently, he served as the New York/New Jersey metro growth leader at Gallagher. Before then, he led the northeast region at Marsh & McLennan Agency.

“John has an in-depth understanding of the employee benefits ecosystem that will serve him well in driving World’s next stage of growth across this sector,” said Tom Fitzgerald, president of World’s retail business, in a statement. “He has a long and proven track record of exponentially increasing sales and market share, while also optimizing value and engagement for employers and their employees. We are thrilled to have him join the team.”

IRS Appoints Jarod Koopman Acting Chief Tax Compliance Officer

Jarod Koopman

The IRS announced Monday that it appointed Jarod Koopman as acting chief tax compliance officer.

Koopman will oversee IRS compliance operations, including the large business and international division; the small business/self-employed division; the tax-exempt and government entities division; the IRS criminal investigation division; the office of professional responsibility; the return preparer office; and the whistleblower office.

In 2002, Koopman began his career with the IRS as a special agent. Since 2016, he has worked as a criminal investigation executive, leading the creation and development of the cybercrimes and cyber and forensics services sections and serving as the director of each. Earlier in his career, he served as an assistant special agent in charge of the Chicago field office, a special agent in charge of the Detroit field office, a supervisory special agent for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York and a senior analyst.