Pensionmark Creates New Chief Investment Officer Role, Appoints Garrison

Nate Garrison

Pensionmark Financial Group, owned by World Insurance Associates LLC, Wednesday named Nate Garrison to the newly created role of chief investment officer.

In the new position, Garrison will lead investment strategy, research and communication activities for all Pensionmark financial services companies, including its workplace retirement plan and wealth management businesses, according to a spokesperson.

“We were seeking someone qualified to combine their expertise with the firm’s foundation developed over the past 30 years to catapult the Pensionmark brand and Nate can do exactly that,” Troy Hammond, Pensionmark’s CEO, said in a statement. “We are excited to have him join the team and look forward to his strategic leadership as we drive growth in both the retirement and individual wealth businesses.”

His appointment comes as Hammond said the firm will expand its wealth management business. The firm will shift from its current split of 80% retirement plan advisers and 20% wealth managers to an even 50/50 makeup by this month.

Most recently, Garrison was assistant vice president of advisory solutions at Cambridge Investment Research. He worked as an investment leader for the firm’s flagship WealthPort advisory platform and model portfolio program. Additionally, he developed portfolio strategies for Cambridge’s private client solutions group. He also built the firm’s manager research system and socially responsible investing platform.

“Joining Pensionmark is extremely exciting at this point in my career given where the firm is headed in terms of growth,” said Garrison in a statement. “Building out the analyst team and innovating new service offerings for our clients will no doubt prove to be a rewarding challenge.”

Prior to Cambridge, Garrison was on a wealth management team at Credit Suisse private bank in Washington, D.C.

Garrison is completing an M.S. in analytics from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He holds an M.S. in applied economics from John Hopkins University and a B.A. in economics and history from the University of Virginia.