Deals & People

Focus Financial Partners LLC (“Focus”) hired Garry Taylor as a director of adviser services.

Scott C. Evans, executive vice president and president of Asset Management, TIAA-CREF, has resigned.

 EPIC Advisors Inc. hired John M. Consul Jr. as a client services administrator.

New York Life Retirement Plan Services added two veteran sales executives.

Putnam Investments hired Charlotte Walsh and Greg Weissman as consultant relations professionals.

Castle Rock Investment Company (CRIC) hired Molly Vogt Noyes as a consultant.

Lincoln Financial Group named Donna MacFarland chief marketing officer of its Retirement Plan Services business.

Kidder Benefits Consultants acquired Lane & Associates and created a new entity called Kidder-Lane Actuarial Services LLC.

The Taft-Hartley Services team of BMO Institutional Trust Services named both Scott A. Hockenberry and Tyler Clark as vice president/relationship manager.

EPIC Advisors Inc. hired Darouny Vongphachanh as a client service specialist.

Reliance Trust Company’s Retirement Strategies Group appointed Danny Streiff to its national account sales position.  

Prudential Retirement, a business unit of Prudential Financial, has announced leadership appointments in its Total Retirement Solutions (TRS) area.

Celent, a division of Oliver Wyman Inc., appointed Craig Weber to replace Mike Harding as CEO.  

Raymond James Financial Inc. has agreed to acquire Morgan Keegan & Company Inc. and related affiliates from Regions Financial for $930 million. 

David J. Kershner, FSA, EA joined Cassidy Retirement Group (CRG) as a consulting actuary.

James D. Racine joined Baden Retirement Plan Services as vice president.  

Mike Ziccardi joined the Paybridge team as director of strategic partnerships.

Bruce Rodio was named senior investment adviser at Towers Watson. 

Kidder Benefits Consultants appointed Ray Hansen as regional pension consultant.

National Financial Partners Corp., a provider of benefits, insurance and wealth management services, acquired AGS Benefits Group, LLC (AGS Benefits).