Retirement Industry People Moves

Art by Subin Yang

TRA Adds Newest Regional Sales Consultant

The Retirement Advantage Inc. (TRA) has hired Pam Mayer as its latest regional sales consultant, covering a territory that includes Arizona, South California, Hawaii, New Mexico and Nevada. Mayer will report to her predecessor, Darin Erdmann, TRA’s national sales manager.

“Pam brings great energy and career experience in retirement plan solutions,” Erdmann says. “She has a great reputation for service, and we’re excited to welcome her to the TRA team.”

Mayer’s main role at TRA will be expanding the company’s client base in the western region by designing customized retirement plan solutions that reduce taxable income for business owners, as well as increasing engagement of financial advisers, accountants and other professionals.

Mayer has worked in the financial services and retirement plan industry for over 25 years. For the past several years, she has held executive roles as a vice president with the ERISA Advisory Group. She has also held sales and service roles with VOYA and TransAmerica.

“TRA is an organization that continues to raise the bar in the retirement plan industry,” Mayer says. “I’m thrilled to join an accomplished team and company with a rich history of innovation in the industry. I am passionate about providing the highest quality products and the ultimate in service to our clients and proud to be a part of TRA’s continued bright future.”

“With her expertise in retirement plan sales strategy, adviser practice management, marketing and communications, Pam will enhance the service and support we’re able to provide to our advisers in the region,” Erdmann says. “We are delighted to have her join our team.”

Mayer is a graduate of Ursinus College, has her certified employee benefit specialist (CEBS) and cash balance consultant (CBC) designations and is a certified continuing education instructor.

Mercer Selects Responsible Investment Leaders

Mercer has appointed David Fanger and Monika Freyman as the company’s new heads of Responsible Investment for the United States and Canada, respectively. 

Fanger brings over 20 years of financial services experience to the role, which includes consulting organizations on financial strategy, investment and retirement solutions, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and risk management. Prior to joining Mercer, he spent over 10 years with Pacific Life, including roles where he was responsible for merger and acquisition valuations, and he most recently was the CEO of sustainable fintech company Swell Investing. He previously worked at Mercer, where he was responsible for advising Fortune 500 pension plan sponsors on funding, plan design and asset-liability management strategies. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder, a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and holds a master’s degree from UCLA Anderson School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Ball State University.  

He is based in Los Angeles and reports to Helga Birgden, partner and global business leader for Responsible Investment.

Freyman brings 20 years of investment and sustainability experience to the role. Prior to joining Mercer, she spent 10 years with Boston-based advocacy group Ceres. She launched the Ceres Investor Water Hub and was lead architect of the Investor Water Toolkit. Freyman also developed responsible investment projects with Harvard’s Kennedy School and Trillium Asset Management, in addition to holding previous positions in emerging market fixed income and equities. 

Freyman is on the Board of Regents of the CFA Institute’s Global Seminar and is a contributing author to the CFA’s Enterprising Investor series. She is a CFA charterholder, and holds a bachelor’s degree of commerce in finance from the University of British Columbia, a master’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and is a National Science Foundation award winner.

A part of Mercer’s Wealth business in Canada, she is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and reports to Birgden.

Newport Acquires TPA Business at Huntington National Bank

Newport has entered into an agreement with Huntington National Bank to assume its retirement recordkeeping and administration business. Huntington will continue to serve as plan adviser for its retirement plan services clients.

Upon closing, and subject to customary conditions, the business—which currently provides recordkeeping and administration services to more than 600 plans with approximately $1.7 billion of assets under administration—will operate as part of Newport. The transaction includes Huntington’s third-party administration (TPA) business, and a team of Huntington employees, who provide these services, will join Newport.

“With Huntington, we have a partner who shares our values and our commitment to providing the best possible support to clients and their retirement plan participants,” says Newport chief executive officer Greg Tschider. “We look forward to introducing our company to Huntington’s clients and welcoming our newest employees to the Newport team.” 

Eagle Asset Management Appoints Portfolio Managers

Eagle Asset Management has promoted two executives to enhance its Small Cap Core Strategy and SMID Cap Core Strategy investment teams. 

Jeffrey Reda, CFA, has been appointed portfolio manager on the Small Cap Core Strategy, effective May 1. Having joined Eagle in 2010, Reda has more than 18 years of investment experience and was previously a senior research analyst on the Core Team, covering industrials and energy. 

Doug Fisher has been promoted to portfolio manager on the Small/Mid Cap Core Strategy, also effective May 1. Fisher has 27 years of investment experience and joined the firm in 2015. He has served as portfolio manager of the Micro Cap Core Strategy and as a senior research analyst for the Core Team, covering the health care sector. 

Both Fisher and Reda report to managing director and portfolio manager Todd McCallister, CFA. He and portfolio manager Scott Renner continue their current roles on both teams.

“Jeff and Doug each have made significant contributions to the Core Team, and their promotions to portfolio manager follow Eagle’s tradition of rewarding excellence,” says Edward Rick, head of Investments of Eagle Asset Management and executive vice president of Carillon Tower Advisers. “The wealth of investment experience that both bring helps us continue successfully identifying smaller companies with potential for our clients, as well as strengthen our already robust portfolio management team.”

OneAmerica Hires Relationship Senior Director

OneAmerica has hired industry veteran Hank Zoller as relationship senior director.

Zoller reports to Alan Blaskowski, Retirement Services relationship management leader, in developing a program and strategy to accommodate more business in that segment.

“Hank’s proven track record in working with retirement plan advisers and their clients of this size strengthens our large market approach, and his skills complement our commitment to high-touch service for large, complex relationships,” Blaskowski says. “We’re combining what we do well—relationships—with what Hank does well, using his skills and significant experience in client and retirement plan adviser engagement to win new business.”

Prior to joining OneAmerica, Zoller worked with retirement plan clients during nearly nine years with Schwab Retirement Plan Services, where he most recently served as vice president of advice, education services and communications consulting. He previously worked 14 years for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, overseeing consultant relations.

Zoller intends to replicate his formula for implementing a client relationship management group and platform. “It’s a thrill to be joining OneAmerica and build on the qualities that are catalysts in their momentum in working with large market consultants and retirement plan sponsors,” he says. “OneAmerica has excellent leadership, the right priorities, an award-winning client focus and a reputation for delivering outstanding participant and sponsor outcomes.”

ASI Appoints Former Wealth Management Head to North American Distribution Lead

Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI) has promoted Mickey Janvier to head of North American Distribution.

Janvier will manage all facets of distribution in North America and Canada and lead the North America Distribution team, reporting to global sales director Alex Hoctor-Duncan, with a second line of accountability to Chris Demetriou, CEO of the Americas. 

Janvier was previously head of wealth management business development for the Americas region. He is based in the Philadelphia office and has been with the company since 2011, joining from Brandywine Global, where he was a senior vice president for 12 years. Mickey received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business.

 “Mickey has been at the forefront of our efforts to accelerate our ambition with key strategic intermediary distribution partners in recent years,” Demetriou says. “He has built a highly functioning team to cultivate strong client relationships and has demonstrated expertise across both the wealth management and institutional landscape.  We have ambitious growth plans for the region and it’s fantastic to have someone with Mickey’s knowledge of our business and the broad commercial marketplace in this position to help drive our strategy forward.”