Retirement Industry People Moves – 2/2/24

Gallagher Appoints Pension Veteran to Lead U.S. DB Consulting

Tonya Manning

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. promoted Tonya Manning to the role of practice leader of U.S. defined benefit consulting and administration, effective January 1, a spokesperson confirmed.  

Manning is responsible for a wide portfolio at Gallagher that includes managing the DB consulting and administration’s employees and operations; strategic direction; addressing emerging pension trends; consulting topics; technical issues; professional standards; and policies and procedures, according to the spokesperson.  

Manning reports to Jeff Leonard, global practice leader of Gallagher’s financial and retirement service business line.

Gallagher promoted Manning because of her experiences with DB plans, according to the spokesperson. Gallagher acquired Buck in early 2023 and Manning joined Gallagher at that time, in the role of U.S. wealth practice leader and chief actuary.

Northwestern Mutual Names New Leaders in Succession Shuffle

John Roberts

Northwestern Mutual has announced further leadership changes after a January 25 announcement that CEO and Chairman John Schlifske would be stepping down at the end of this year, to be succeeded by Tim Gerend, formerly the executive vice president and chief distribution officer.

Gerend has, as of February 1, transitioned from his prior role to serve as president of the firm, according to the latest announcement of succession planning. In addition, the firm noted that Schlifske will remain chairman of its board of trustees through January 2025, when Gerend will take the chairman role.

The company also announced that John Roberts, formerly vice president of field talent and performance, has succeeded Gerend in his prior roles as executive vice president and chief distribution officer, as of February 1. Roberts will now be responsible for the company’s career distribution system of more than 8,000 financial advisers who work with policyowners and clients with comprehensive financial planning. He will report to Gerend and will join the company’s senior leadership team.

Roberts joined Northwestern Mutual in 2006 as an analyst and has held numerous leadership roles in distribution, including regional vice president, until 2018, when he took the role of vice president of field and talent performance.

In addition, the firm announced that Mike Carter, executive vice president and chief of staff, is retiring, as of January 31, 2024, after more than 30 years with Northwestern Mutual. Carter was named chief of staff in January 2023, and before that was the company’s longest-serving chief financial officer, a role he had for almost 15 years.

Green Named Executive Director of National Institute for Public Employee Health Care Policy 

Marta Green

The fledgling National Institute for Public Employee Health Care Policy announced that Marta Green has been named its executive director, effective January 30. Under Green’s leadership, the institute will advance the interests of public sector employees, retirees and their dependents by developing research that supports their access to affordable, high-quality health care. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Marta as the first executive director of the Institute,” said Katrina Daniel, board chair and chief health care officer for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, in a statement. “Her extensive leadership in public sector health care, most recently at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, uniquely qualifies her to drive research and educate federal policymakers on key issues impacting public sector benefits.”

Green spent more than two decades in the public sector, most recently as chief of health plan research and administration at CalPERS, where she oversaw benefit design, financing and contracting to ensure comprehensive health benefits for 1.5 million public employees and their families. 

Mutual of America Names Thaddeus Pollock Head of Value Equity

Thaddeus Pollock

Mutual of America Financial Group, which provides retirement services and investments to organizations and individuals, announced that Thaddeus Pollock has joined Mutual of America Capital Management LLC as executive vice president and head of value equity.

Pollock joins from Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn, where he worked for 20 years, specializing in small- to mid-cap equities. He will be responsible for managing Mutual of America’s small-cap and mid-cap value investment strategies, overseeing all aspects of the value equity portfolio management within MoA Funds and separately managed accounts, which, combined, have about $28 billion in assets.

Pollock reports to Stephen Rich, chairman and CEO of Mutual of America Capital Management. Pollock has more than two decades of investment management experience, including in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions at Lehman Brothers.

Stratos Wealth Holdings Names Polley Chief Market Strategist of Investment Division 

Malcom Polley

Stratos Wealth Holdings announced the appointment of Malcolm Polley as chief market strategist for the rebranded Stratos Investment Management, formerly known as Fundamentum.

Polley will work with all Stratos-affiliated advisers to provide financial market insight that will enhance the strategic decisionmaking within portfolio and asset allocations for clients across the Stratos family of firms. He will report to CIO John Nichol.

Polley has more than 35 years of investment and financial services industry experience. Most recently, he served as president and CIO of Stewart Capital Advisor. He has also worked for Marquette Trust Co., Marquette Advisory Services, West Bank and S&T Wealth Management.