Retirement Industry People Moves

Art by Subin Yang

North Pier Adds Senior Search Consultant in New Chicago Office

North Pier Search Consulting has announced the addition of Frank Szymanek to the firm as senior search consultant. Based in the firm’s new Chicago location, Szymanek opens North Pier’s third national office and will focus on outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) and consultant search and evaluation projects in the central United States, as well as contributing on key national clients.

Szymanek brings three decades of experience in asset management, fiduciary support, and search and due diligence services to institutional clients. He holds a juris doctor degree from the John Marshall Law School, as well as multiple certifications and designations, including the certified financial professional (CFP) designation and the certified public accountant (CPA) designation. Previously, Szymanek was a senior consultant with PlanPILOT in Chicago, where he was the firm’s OCIO specialist.

While at PlanPILOT, Szymanek also led retirement plan service provider searches, during which he focused on evaluating plan consultants, recordkeepers and financial wellness providers. Additionally, he spent 20 years with Northern Trust, working with institutional clients and family offices in both portfolio management and relationship management roles.

CAIS Appoints New Head of Data 

CAIS, an alternative investment platform, has announced that George Davies has joined the firm as its new head of data. Based in the company’s New York office, Davies will report to Shane Williams, chief technology officer.

Davies has worked with technology platforms across wealth advisory, asset management and trading for more than 20 years. He most recently served as vice president of data for personal finance technology platform SmartAsset, where he managed the company’s data engineering and data science teams, while scaling system architecture. Davies also served as chief data officer for fintech companies TraverseIQ and iSentium, and as a quantitative analyst for UBP Asset Management, A.R.T. Advisors and Scotia Capital Markets. He earned a Ph.D. in astrophysics from Queen’s University.

In his new role, Davies will be managing teams that develop predictive analytics and machine learning across all business functions, seeking to enhance outcomes for all constituents within the CAIS community.

NFP Names PR Pro to Lead Global Communications (PA)

NFP has announced Josh Wozman will join the company as senior vice president, public relations (PR) and communications. Wozman is responsible for helping to grow NFP’s global communications infrastructure as the firm strategically expands across North America and Europe.

Wozman comes to NFP from Willis Towers Watson (WTW), where he served as director, head of North America public relations, a role in which he led strategic external communications for the global advisory and brokerage company. Prior to that, he served in a variety of communications roles for Burson-Marsteller, The PMI Group, Shinoff Group and the Consulate General of Israel. In all, he brings more than 20 years of marketing, communications and PR experience to this new role at NFP.

Wozman will report to Eric Boester, executive vice president, chief marketing officer.

Natixis Investment Managers Hires Head of Retirement and Institutional

Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis IM) has announced that Liana Magner has joined the firm as an executive vice president and head of retirement and institutional in the U.S., based in Boston. She is a member of the U.S. executive committee and reports to David Giunta, CEO of Natixis Investment Managers in the U.S.

Magner leads consultant relations, institutional distribution and the retirement businesses, including overall responsibility for the strategy, development, management and growth of the defined contribution (DC) business in the U.S. As part of that role, she will lead the continued growth of the Natixis sustainable future funds, which were launched in 2017 and are now available in more than 250 retirement plans in the U.S.

Magner joins Natixis IM from Mercer, where she was a partner and served as the DC and financial wellness leader in the U.S. She has over 25 years of experience in the investment industry, including more than 20 years at Mercer, where she was responsible for strategy and growth of the DC business across the spectrum of solutions and clients. Additionally, she developed and led the firm’s DC outsourced chief investment officer (CIO) unit in the U.S.

Throughout her consulting career, Magner has specialized in working with large and mega DC plan sponsors. She holds a bachelor’s of arts degree in economics from the University of New Hampshire. She is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) charterholder and a member of the CFA Institute and the Boston Society of Security Analysts.

Mesirow Appoints Managing Director to Oversee Structured Debt Capabilities

Mesirow has announced that Patrick Leary has joined the firm as a managing director in Mesirow’s institutional sales and trading business. Leveraging more than 20 years in the fixed-income markets, Leary will be based in Mesirow’s established Boca Raton, Florida, office and will focus on building and overseeing Mesirow’s new structured debt capabilities.

Leary is the first of planned strategic hires in the region that will span the firm’s capital markets, investment banking, wealth management and retirement advisory services business lines and who will join senior Mesirow professionals in south Florida.

Leary joins Mesirow from InspereX, formerly Incapital, where he served as head of trading and, most recently, as chief market strategist and senior trader. Over the course of his career, which also encompasses roles at Primevest Financial and R. Seelaus & Co., Leary has traded rate products, corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities and municipal bonds.

Leary is on the board of the South Florida Bond Traders Association. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in finance and financial management services from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He holds FINRA [Financial Industry Regulatory Authority] Series 7, 24, 55 and 63 licenses.

Prime Capital Investment Advisors Hires CIO and Managing Director 

Prime Capital Investment Advisors (PCIA) has announced the hiring of Scott Duba as its chief investment officer (CIO) and wealth management managing director.

In his new role, Duba will oversee all the firm’s asset management and alternative investment strategies for both wealth management and retirement plans. He will be responsible for staffing and leadership of research, portfolio management and the firm’s trading functions. In addition, Duba will be strategically engaged with the firm’s wealth management business. His responsibilities will also extend to governance as a member of the investment advisory board as well as various investment advisory committees.

Prior to joining PCIA, Duba served as director and portfolio manager on the investment team at Mariner Wealth Advisors, where he advised on investment strategy, products and competitive solutions. He has almost 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, including roles with Lehman Brothers Asset Management, Neuberger Berman and Artisan Partners. Prior to joining Mariner Wealth Advisors, Duba co-founded Antora Peak Capital Management, an investment firm specializing in distressed debt and special situations.

Duba graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s in business administration and from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with a master’s in business administration, with concentrations in economics, international business and entrepreneurship. Duba is also a chartered financial analyst (CFA).

Alerus Adds Retirement Sales Consultant

Alerus has announced the addition of Rory Corrigan as a retirement sales consultant. In this role, he will work directly with advisers throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina to help them identify clients’ retirement plan needs and provide appropriate solutions.

Corrigan is a certified plan fiduciary adviser and has more than 15 years of financial industry experience. Before joining Alerus, he served for three years as a retirement plan consultant for The Standard in the Minneapolis metro area. Prior to that, he served in various roles within the retirement plan and financial industry including several years as a financial advisor.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business economics from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and completed certified financial planner coursework at Boston University.