Deals and People March 11, 2022

Retirement Industry People Moves

TRA adds director of client services and Ameritas announce new executive vice president.

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Art by Subin Yang
Art by Subin Yang
Art by Subin Yang

TRA adds Director of Client Services

The Retirement Advantage, Inc., a national retirement services company, welcomes Mary Crothers, who will serve as director of client services and will report to Michelle Zentner, vice president of operations. Crothers will primarily be responsible for driving outstanding client service and performance improvement by managing the change process to achieve intended organizational and cultural outcomes.

Crothers has been immersed in the mortgage banking, insurance, and financial services industry over 30 years. She comes to TRA most recently from Redfin Mortgage, where she oversaw all aspects of the company’s training and was an instrumental part of the sales process. Prior to Redfin, Crothers was assistant vice president at Lincoln Financial Group where she led quality, training, business resilience and regulatory controls. Crothers brings a wealth of experience in relationship management, as well as in directing client service teams and will be joining TRA as a leadership team member. Crothers is a Series 6 Registered Rep, Series 26 Registered Principal, and she will be pursuing her QKA designation in the near future.

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Ameritas Announce New Executive Vice President

Ameritas President and CEO Bill Lester has announced the election of Jim Kais to executive vice president, retirement plans, effective March 6.

Kais’ accomplishments at Ameritas have included revamping the retirement plans distribution system and attracting seasoned industry experts to his team. He also recently led the successful acquisition by Ameritas of BlueStar Retirement Services, Inc. He has more than two decades of experience in retirement plans. Prior to joining Ameritas in 2018, he held several roles with increasing responsibility culminating as senior vice president, retirement practice leader at Transamerica. Prior to Transamerica, he held various roles at ADP TotalSource, Prudential and Merrill Lynch.

Kais earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business administration from Ursinus College, Collegeville, Penn., and he holds the FINRA Series 6, 63 and 26 securities registrations.

Products March 11, 2022

intellicents Offers Financial Planning for Participants Through New App

The lifesteps app collects participant data to provide a foundational financial plan for every participant.

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intellicents has launched a new financial planning mobile application called lifesteps.

The app provides foundational financial planning to every plan participant, making financial planning a new employee benefit, according to the firm.

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intellicents partnered with eMoney Advisor on the app’s development. “This app allows us to provide more plans to more people,” says Chad Porche, vice president of product innovation at eMoney. “By pairing technology with human providers, we’re offering experiences that are relevant and helpful to the needs and expectations of a diverse group of people.  No matter where an individual is on their financial wellness journey, the app can help and provide access to a financial professional for expert guidance.”

Designed to be a participant-based financial wellness app that helps individuals achieve their financial goals and peace of mind, the app puts the retirement plan adviser at the center of solving this problem. “To truly be successful, these programs must be much more than pretty technology solutions focusing merely on education and attached to a 401(k) recordkeeping platform that prompts less than 10% of its participants to take any action,” says Brad Arends, co-founder and CEO of intellicents. “They must coordinate people smarts plus great technology that immediately engages the participant, motivates them to add additional information, and provides direct access to professional advisors and Certified Financial Planners for actual advice when desired.”

“Retirement, wealth and health are all converging in the employee benefits space, with worksite financial wellness being the mortar that binds them all together,” says Matt Twedt, president of intellicents. “Our new progressive lifesteps app allows us to collect participant data so that we can truly provide a foundational financial plan for every participant, yet deliver an integrated comprehensive financial plan for those that desire to go further and fill in the details. We believe financial planning will be the next big thing in employee benefits.”

More information about lifesteps is here.

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