Deals and People May 17, 2010

Cox Tapped for NUA Sales Post

May 17, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) – CPA Steven D. Cox has joined Columbus, Ohio-based NUA Advisors, LLC, to establish a Midwest division of NUA’s Qualified Retirement Planning Group. 
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A news release said NUA is an investment advisory firm specializing in non-traditional investing within retirement accounts.

Cox, who will be based in Columbus, brings 25 years of experience in the employee benefit field to NUA where he will focus on adding non-traditional investments to the mix of investments available in 401(k) and defined benefit plans.  Before joining NUA in early May, he served as the Benefits Finance Director at a Fortune 100 firm.

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Cox’s expertise in employee benefit plans includes plan administration, custodial relations, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) compliance, investment reporting, financial statement preparation and governmental reporting for plans of all sizes, the company said.

He is a 1980 graduate of Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio.

More information about the company is at www.nuaadvisors.com.

Products May 17, 2010

ING Adds Practice Management Tool

May 17, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - ING’s U.S. Retirement Services business has announced the launch of a new tool to further enhance its GROW Program – a business-building campaign for advisers, consultants and third party administrators (TPAs) serving the small and mid-sized corporate retirement plan market.
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The new program enhancement – “Cracking the Code” – is a set of practice management strategies to help retirement professionals unlock the business opportunities found in the Form 5500. Similar to the other tools and resources in the GROW Program, “Cracking the Code” includes actionable sales ideas and guidance that can be leveraged for relationship-building and business growth, the announcement said.    

“Cracking the Code” includes a guide for navigating the various sections of the Form 5500 for sales opportunities, leveraging online reports and Web sites to develop business leads, and taking advantage of ING’s resources to drive action. 

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The sales ideas and opportunities offered in the campaign focus on:

  • Plan Design – Help educate potential clients on alternative plan designs that might save them money, maximize deferrals and/or decrease administrative workload.
  • Service – Demonstrate value to customers who could benefit from an increased level of service and support.
  • Education – Uncover opportunities for a sponsor to create more customized employee education programs that can help improve plan metrics.
  • Compliance / Fiduciary – Offer solutions and guidance to address fiduciary responsibilities and help keep a plan compliant.

“Tapping the Form 5500 for plan design ideas is one strategy that advisers, consultants and TPAs are finding especially useful,” said Bob Kaplan, vice president and national training consultant for ING U.S. Retirement Services, in the announcement.   

For more information, call 1-866-481-3653, option 4.

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