2024 Emerging Leaders — Terra Jahns

PLANADVISER: Tell us about your role at your firm and how you contribute to its growth and progress.

Jahns: As a relationship manager for retirement plans, my primary responsibilities revolve around customer service and assisting in the onboarding of new retirement plans. In this role, I hold 6, 63 and 65 security licenses, which equip me with the necessary expertise to provide exceptional service to our clients.

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One of my key contributions to the firm is my strong focus on client retention and customer satisfaction. By maintaining high levels of customer service, I have been able to build lasting relationships with our clients, striving to ensure to keep their continued trust and loyalty. This not only enhances our reputation, but also directly impacts our firm’s growth through high retention rates.

Moreover, I play a significant role in assisting the team with the opening of new retirement plans. My involvement in this process helps streamline the onboarding experience for new clients, making it seamless and efficient.

Through my dedication to client satisfaction and my role in new plan development, I am proud to contribute to the continuous growth and success of our firm.


PLANADVISER: How did you end up in the retirement advisory industry?

Jahns: My journey into the retirement industry began with a passion for helping people plan for their future without the pressure of selling. I have always been drawn to roles that allow me to make a meaningful impact on clients’ lives, and the retirement industry offered the perfect blend of client interaction and financial planning.

My first significant role in the retirement industry was with Valic, where I worked as a financial adviser. Here, I consulted with clients to determine their present and future financial needs. This role solidified my interest in helping clients navigate their retirement planning journey.

I then moved to JPMorganChase as a private client banker, serving as the main point of contact for affluent clients and managing their complete banking relationship. This role deepened my understanding of client needs and how to tailor financial solutions accordingly.

Subsequently, I joined Northwestern Mutual, where I held various roles, including associate wealth management adviser and lead adviser. During my time there, I assisted in raising assets under management to the top 10 within the Chicago District.

Which then brought me to HUB Retirement & Wealth Management. I have been with HUB, serving plan sponsors for the past 3.5 years, channeling my passions for client service with my specialization in retirement planning. I am proud to be part of an industry that plays such a crucial role in helping people secure their financial futures.


PLANADVISER: What steps do you think will help improve the retirement industry and participant outcomes in the future (particularly ways in which your firm can help with that progress)?

Jahns: Improving the retirement industry and participant outcomes in the future requires engaging and educating participants about their current finances and their future financial independence needs.

HUB can work toward achieving this by developing an artificial intelligence-driven system that utilizes data analytics to provide tailored educational materials and create personalized retirement plans for each participant. This approach aims to ensure participants remain informed and can adjust their plans as needed.

However, the human touch remains essential. As advisers, we need to regularly check in with participants to strive to ensure they are comfortable with the AI-generated advice and address any concerns regarding the educational content or the financial plans provided.

By leveraging AI to support our advisers, HUB can offer plans and services that meet a diverse range of needs, seeking to ensure all clients have 24/7 access to equitable and effective retirement planning solutions. This approach positions HUB at the forefront of advancing the retirement industry and working toward the goal of improving participant outcomes.

2024 Emerging Leaders — Michael Parsons

PLANADVISER: How did you end up in the retirement advisory industry?

Parsons: I started my career right out of college as a procurement professional for a Fortune 500 company. Given that the area I lived in at the time wasn’t particularly diverse in career paths, I was incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity I did, especially so quickly after school. However, I always saw myself pursuing a career in finance, but I just was not sure where to dive in. What never wavered within was my desire to help people. Eventually I saw an opportunity to join a talented retirement plan investment analysis team in our industry, and I decided to bet on myself and my future. After a few fruitful years of investment analysis and consulting, I had the opportunity to pivot into an advisory capacity and have yet to look back.

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PLANADVISER: What steps do you think will help improve the retirement industry and participant outcomes in the future (particularly ways in which your firm can help with that progress)?

Parsons: I believe leaning into digital delivery of financial wellness and education will greatly help improve participant outcomes and the industry overall. If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that everyone is busy and prefers to consume content at their own leisure. My firm has partnered with a few vendors that help our advisers connect with participants anywhere, at any time, via several different mediums, and serve as a total financial wellness hub with a vast array of topics in short, consumable content. Now, I am a huge proponent of the connections and relationships earned with in-person interactions, but the reality is that time is precious. The flexibility technology allows can be powerful if harnessed appropriately.


PLANADVISER: What are you most passionate about outside of the office?

Parsons: I could give you the obligatory “food, music, sports, golf, etc.” answer, and while it wouldn’t be inaccurate, my real passion is focusing on friends, family and experiences. My wife and I do our best to spend most of our free time hosting out-of-town friends or family, participating in local activities and events, or traveling to visit people and places we seldom get to see. Human connection is one of the foundations of the retirement advisory industry, and I believe focusing on personal connections helps exercise the professional “muscles” necessary for success. Some of my most treasured memories are experiences I’ve shared with others, both personally and professionally. Also, it just so happens that focusing on these experiences with friends and family often intersects with food, music, sports, golf, etc.



Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Global Retirement Partners, LLC dba HB Retirement, an SEC registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

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