Retirement Industry People Moves – 8/14/2026

Marsh Names Thomas Cannataro as U.S. Wealth Management Leader

Marsh LLC announced that Thomas Cannataro joined Mercer as its U.S. wealth management leader, effective immediately. Cannataro will report to Anne Marie Schultz, Mercer’s U.S. investments commercial leader.

Cannataro joins from BlackRock, where he spent more than 20 years in leadership roles within its U.S. wealth advisory division. Most recently, he served as head of portfolio design and models distribution, leading a national business responsible for commercialization and adviser adoption of model portfolios and portfolio construction solutions. Earlier in his career at BlackRock, he held several senior distribution and business leadership roles, including head of the Princeton and San Francisco desks and head of the adviser services group.

Citi Wealth Hires Alex Kokolis as Head of Investments Platform Experience

Alex Kokolis will become the new head of investments platform experience at Citi Wealth, the wealth management division of Citigroup Inc., effective September 8. Based in New York, Kokolis will report to Keith Glenfield, head of investment solutions.

Kokolis will work closely with Citi Wealth’s investment products teams and partner with the wealth intelligence and client segment leaders to align the group’s strategic priorities, according to an internal memo confirmed by a Citi Wealth spokesperson.

Kokolis brings more than 25 years of wealth management experience, most recently serving as the global head of the wealth management client segments at MSCI Inc. Prior to MSCI, Kokolis was the head of investment product and platform at Wilmington Trust, a managing director with UBS Investment Bank’s wealth management advice and platforms product management team, and held several roles with Merrill Lynch.

Kestra Financial Appoints Kelly Apple Head of Wealth Management

Kestra Financial appointed Kelly Apple as head of wealth management. Apple succeeds John Amore, who was recently promoted to president of Kestra.

According to Kestra’s announcement, Apple was chosen for her leadership experience, strategic perspective and record of building strong partnerships across wealth management. Her responsibilities include strengthening and expanding Kestra’s investment, planning and advisory capabilities, according to the announcement.

Apple joins Kestra from BlackRock, where she spent more than 13 years, most recently as managing director and head of national accounts, leading the team responsible for the firm’s largest distribution partners. She has more than 20 years of leadership experience in asset management and intermediary distribution, including prior senior roles at DWS Investments and Van Kampen Investments.

Brown & Brown Names Life and Executive Benefits Practice Co-Leaders

Insurance risk management firm Brown & Brown Inc. named managing directors Dan Aceti and Scott Richardson as practice co-leaders for its life and executive benefits group. Both will report to John Greenbaum, senior vice president of retail.

Aceti brings more than 35 years of insurance industry experience to his new role, having served corporations, hospitals, individuals and universities throughout the U.S. Before joining Brown & Brown, he served as the managing director of Executive Benefits Inc., a firm he founded in 2003 and later sold to Risk Strategies, now Brown & Brown. Aceti also held positions at NFP as a senior consultant for its executive benefits group and as a general agent at MassMutual Financial Group.

Richardson is also an insurance industry veteran of more than 35 years, with experience developing customized benefit plans and bank-owned life insurance placements for hundreds of banks and credit unions across the country. Prior to joining Brown & Brown, he served as the managing director of Izale Financial Group LLC, a firm he founded in 2011 and later sold to Risk Strategies.

EPIC Promotes Adam Okun to President of Employee Benefits

promoted Adam Okun to president of employee benefits. Okun succeeds Craig Hasday, who was appointed vice chairman of employee benefits.

Okun brings 20 years of employee benefits experience, most recently serving as EPIC’s regional practice leader and previously as co-president of Frenkel Benefits, a company acquired by EPIC [Edgewood Partners Insurance Center] in 2017.

Okun will focus on aligning EPIC’s small group, lower-middle market, upper-middle market and large national consulting client segments. He will also further the integration of Pharmaceutical Strategies Group, an EPIC company, into EPIC’s employee benefits platform.

Alerus Hires Chris Chingren as Regional Vice President, Sales

Alerus hired Chris Chingren as regional vice president of retirement sales, serving advisers in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

Chingren brings more than 15 years of experience in the retirement industry, with a background in client service and relationship management. Before joining Alerus, he served as a client relationship manager at Voya Financial for 10 years.