2019 PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year

What makes a great retirement plan adviser? As the 2019 PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists so successfully prove, the great professionals in this field have a commitment to driving excellent retirement plan design and outcomes for their plan sponsor clients and participants.

The 2019 PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year finalists have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to excellence for their retirement plan sponsor clients and participants.

To qualify as a finalist, advisers were selected using a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Advisers that are selected as finalists must have a significant majority of business revenue derived from employer-sponsored retirement plans; serve as a fiduciary; have regular service delivery and client contact; and be committed to fee-based compensation.

The advisers who rise to the top in this awards program are evaluated based on their use of specific outcome-based metrics of plan success with clients, and recognized client progress toward those metrics. These finalists are also those embracing the trend of offering financial wellness and encouraging clients to use the best of automated plan designs, following trends the industry considers best practices currently, and implementing future best practices ahead of the curve.

This year, as last, the firms fall under the following headings: individual adviser—meaning one adviser and support staff; small team—a group of two or more advisers and support staff, the total not exceeding 10; large team—a group of 11 through 35 advisers and support staff; and mega teams—36 or more team members in all. This year’s list includes 21 individuals, 33 small teams, 30 large teams and 16 mega teams.

Individual

To qualify as a finalist, advisers were selected using a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Advisers that are selected as finalists must have a significant majority of business revenue derived from employer-sponsored retirement plans; serve as a fiduciary; have regular service delivery and client contact; and be committed to fee-based compensation.

The advisers who rise to the top in this awards program are evaluated based on their use of specific outcome-based metrics of plan success with clients, and recognized client progress toward those metrics. These finalists are also those embracing the trend of offering financial wellness and encouraging clients to use the best of automated plan designs, following trends the industry considers best practices currently, and implementing future best practices ahead of the curve.

Small Team

To qualify as a finalist, advisers were selected using a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Advisers that are selected as finalists must have a significant majority of business revenue derived from employer-sponsored retirement plans; serve as a fiduciary; have regular service delivery and client contact; and be committed to fee-based compensation.

The advisers who rise to the top in this awards program are evaluated based on their use of specific outcome-based metrics of plan success with clients, and recognized client progress toward those metrics. These finalists are also those embracing the trend of offering financial wellness and encouraging clients to use the best of automated plan designs, following trends the industry considers best practices currently, and implementing future best practices ahead of the curve.

Large Team

To qualify as a finalist, advisers were selected using a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Advisers that are selected as finalists must have a significant majority of business revenue derived from employer-sponsored retirement plans; serve as a fiduciary; have regular service delivery and client contact; and be committed to fee-based compensation.

The advisers who rise to the top in this awards program are evaluated based on their use of specific outcome-based metrics of plan success with clients, and recognized client progress toward those metrics. These finalists are also those embracing the trend of offering financial wellness and encouraging clients to use the best of automated plan designs, following trends the industry considers best practices currently, and implementing future best practices ahead of the curve.

Mega Team

To qualify as a finalist, advisers were selected using a qualitative and quantitative methodology. Advisers that are selected as finalists must have a significant majority of business revenue derived from employer-sponsored retirement plans; serve as a fiduciary; have regular service delivery and client contact; and be committed to fee-based compensation.

The advisers who rise to the top in this awards program are evaluated based on their use of specific outcome-based metrics of plan success with clients, and recognized client progress toward those metrics. These finalists are also those embracing the trend of offering financial wellness and encouraging clients to use the best of automated plan designs, following trends the industry considers best practices currently, and implementing future best practices ahead of the curve.