Deals & People

Benefit Advisors Network (BAN) has accepted three new agencies into its national network of employee benefit brokerage and consulting firms.

The Securian Financial Group named four executive officer promotions.

Todd Lacey, founder of advisory firm The (k)larity Group, has taken a job with Transamerica Retirement Services and is selling his practice.

National Investment Managers, a retirement plan administration and investment management company, has agreed to be acquired by an entity owned and controlled by Stonehenge Opportunity Fund III.

Lincoln Financial Group appointed Michael Conte as Vice President, Small Market Business Leader for the company's Defined Contribution Products team.

Transamerica Retirement Services announced the promotion of Jim Kais to vice president and director of Institutional Sales and Special Markets.

Effective immediately, Aon Hewitt is bringing advice to its 401(k) recordkeeping clients. 

Forward Management, LLC has announced an initiative to accelerate the firm’s development of alternative investment products in both mutual fund and private partnership form. 

GE Asset Management Incorporated (GEAM) has added two senior sales professionals to its intermediary business team.

Symetra Life Insurance Company hired Wes Severin as sales leader for its western division, along with six new regional vice presidents.

MSCI Inc., a provider of investment decision support tools, hired Kurt Winkelmann as Managing Director and Head of Risk & Analytical Research.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy has named Catherine Smith, CEO of ING Retirement Services, as head of the state's Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).

Janus Capital has appointed George Maris as portfolio manager for Janus Worldwide Fund and related strategies, effective March 14, 2011.

Scott T. Waite is the new regional sales director for the metro-Detroit and western Michigan market for Great-West Retirement Services.

Gabriela Parcella is the new CEO of Mellon Capital Management Corporation, and Bart Grenier was appointed to chairman and CEO of The Boston Company Asset Management LLC (TBCAM).

There are some changes afoot at one of the nation’s premier ERISA legal firms.  

The TCW Group hired Rohit Sah as portfolio manager for the new TCW International Small Cap Fund.

MetLife and Philadelphia-based Firstrust Financial Resources, LLC, announced their partnership today.

State Street Corporation appointed Tom Forrester as managing director and head of its operations in Kansas City, Missouri.

Putnam Investments has created a new leadership structure for its fixed income investment operations.