Lifetime Income Design Firm ARS Elevates Paulsen to CEO

Dave Paulsen

Advantage Retirement Solutions LLC, a lifetime income design and technology company better known as ARS, announced Tuesday that Dave Paulsen will take over as CEO from his prior role as head of distribution.

Paulsen will report to Co-Founders Don Dady, David Rauch and Ron Shurts; Dady had been acting in the role of CEO before Paulsen’s appointment.

Paulsen takes the CEO position as ARS competes with providers of other defined contribution retirement income products that use insurance-backed annuities to provide guaranteed retirement income. The firm announced last year a target-date fund featuring an annuity income component made available in conjunction with asset manager State Street Global Advisors.

“I am honored to take on this role and excited to continue to work toward the many opportunities we have ahead,” said Paulsen in a statement. “Our focus at ARS remains designing cutting-edge lifetime income solutions that enable better participant outcomes and help more Americans become retirement-ready.”

Paulsen has more than 30 years of experience in retirement plans, asset management and insurance solutions. He joined ARS when it was created in 2020 as head of distribution.

Before working at ARS, Paulsen had been at Transamerica Corp. since 2007, starting as a national sales manager and working his way up to chief distribution officer in 2015. He led sales and marketing for retirement plans, annuities, mutual funds, life insurance, voluntary benefits, long-term care insurance and stable value.

Transamerica is one of the recordkeepers offering the ARS-backed State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder series to plans on its recordkeeping platform. Employers currently offering solutions that incorporate Lifetime Income Builder represent $2.5 billion in target-date-fund assets, an increase of nearly 60% in the last year, according to the firm.

As CEO of ARS, Paulsen will be responsible for growth, product development and distribution of the Lifetime Income Builder, which has a patent pending approval.

ARS is in active discussions with more than 30 mega plans and nearly 1,000 advisers about the Lifetime Income Builder offering, according to the firm. ARS is also working with advisers advocating for its use as a qualified default investment alternative in clients’ retirement plans.

“Our success is largely due to our strong leadership team, combined with industry veterans and experience outside of our industry, that brings perspective to solve one of our country’s greatest challenges—helping ensure Americans are financially prepared for retirement,” said Paulsen.