PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and how you contribute to its growth and progress
Fields: Like many others who work in small firms, I hold dual roles at our organization. I am the lead consultant for a book of institutional retirement plan clients, a principal and member of the leadership team, and currently lead our recordkeeper due diligence, including managing a team of analysts. In each of these roles, I have had the opportunity to shape our client service model with an eye on improving and expanding services when possible. I have also enjoyed growing the next generation of consultants through my management of the analyst team.
PLANADVISER: What steps do you think will help improve the retirement industry and participant outcomes in the future (particularly ways in which your firm can help with that progress)?
Fields: I think the industry has already come a long way in improving participant outcomes through automatic enrollment, the proliferation of target-date series and continued fee compression. One key component to improving the retirement readiness for the entire country is expanded access to retirement plans, especially high-quality retirement plans. Small and startup plans have long been saddled with high fees, proprietary fund requirements and either no adviser or advisers with little institutional retirement experience. Our firm has committed to providing high-quality advisory services to plans of all sizes and has expanded its capabilities and client base to include small and startup plans. I am thrilled to be a part of an organization that works to improve these plans for all Americans.
PLANADVISER: What are you most passionate about outside the office?
Fields: I am a firm believer that most of life would be better with access to independent, unbiased advice. Outside of my day job, I work to increase the availability of that advice through volunteer work with two organizations. One provides no-cost financial education to students and adults in K-12 schools, colleges and other community-based organizations. The second provides independent, nonpartisan voter education on local candidates and issues. I am so thrilled to be able to work and collaborate with the individuals in both of these organizations, and seeing the difference quality information and advice can make is incredibly rewarding.