Retirement Industry People Moves

EPIC Advisors, Inc. has named Spiro J. Theodorakakos as its director of client service. Jeff Gillette, who previously performed the role, as well as that of director of finance, will focus solely on finance.           

As director of client service, Spiro will lead EPIC’s team of relationship managers, account managers, and client service specialists. Spiro joined EPIC in 2007 as a client administrator. Since then he has excelled in multiple client service, relationship management, and sales positions, most recently serving as a relationship manager. Prior to joining EPIC he spent time at Paychex in the 401(k) administration and service department.

“With his personal and passionate approach to client service, Spiro embodies EPIC’s commitment to providing world-class service and premium retirement plan solutions,” says Manny Marques, president of EPIC. “His experience and personal devotion to his client’s and EPIC’s success makes him the ideal leader for our service team.”

Spiro has earned the Qualified 401K Administrator (QKA) and Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designations from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) as well as the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation from fi360.

The Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) announced the appointment of three new members to its board of directors.

Brandon Diersch is group portfolio manager (Capital Markets) at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington. Diersch serves on PSCA’s Investment and Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation committees, spoke at PSCA’s 69th annual conference, and will host PSCA’s Seattle City Event in September.

Robin Hope is director of human resources at Haag Engineering in Dallas, Texas. Hope is a PSCA member and has more than 20 years’ experience in human resource leadership.

Dawn Rich is director of benefits at Cardinal Health in Columbus, Ohio. Rich has more than 20 years’ experience managing employee benefit plans for large organizations.

“We are pleased to add these experienced leaders to our board,” says Steve McCaffrey, PSCA’s board chairman. “We are fortunate that these professionals are willing to help us advance our strategic initiatives, and serve the interests of the nation’s retirement plan sponsors and participants.”

Terms for new directors generally run three years.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) has named Hugh O’Toole as head of workplace distribution.

O’Toole, a senior vice president, now leads all distribution and customer acquisition functions for MassMutual’s retirement plans and workplace insurance businesses, including the retirement and workplace sales teams, sales engineering and adviser engagement. He reports to Eric Wietsma, head of workplace solutions.

“Hugh brings extraordinary vision and focus to MassMutual’s goal of becoming the leading provider of holistic benefits solutions for employers and their employees,” Wietsma says. “As part of those efforts, we want to build stronger relationships with our key third-party distribution firms as well as the newly expanded MassMutual Financial Network. Our distribution capabilities, combined with our innovative workplace tools, clearly differentiate us in the marketplace.”

O’Toole is a veteran of MassMutual, having served in a variety of leadership roles for the retirement plans business. Most recently, O’Toole headed the Viability Advisory Group, which MassMutual purchased in November 2015. Previously, O’Toole served as head of sales for retirement plans for seven years, leaving in July 2014 to form Viability.

Personal Capital, an online financial advisory firm, and Alliance Partners, which manages the BancAlliance network, a national consortium of more than 200 community banks, announced a partnership.

Members of the BancAlliance network will now be able to offer their customers access to Personal Capital’s suite of personal finance tools and digital wealth management services, all wrapped in a co-branded experience. “This partnership is designed to broaden the scope of products and services that member banks currently offer to their customers, and provide bank customers with enhanced ways to understand, grow and manage their net worth,” the announcement said.

“We’re excited to provide our members with exceptional digital tools as they continue to plan for retirement,” says Brian Graham, CEO of BancAlliance. “Financial planning is complicated and something many people delay. With Personal Capital, we are able to give our members the best tools available today to help their customers plan for their own future. Moreover, our members will gain an entirely new marketing channel through Personal Capital.”

BancAlliance member banks cover 40 states and hold an average of $1.5 billion in assets.

To learn more about Personal Capital, visit www.personalcapital.com.