2018 Service Stars

Before selecting a new recordkeeper, plan sponsors need to gain a good understanding of the processes and procedures that provider would bring to their plan. One important piece is to meet with the team of plan specialists who would handle day-to-day responsibilities and find out how supportive they would be if the unexpected arises—as it often does. The PLANSPONSOR Service Star awards program recognizes the retirement plan account representatives and relationship managers who, in the words of their plan sponsor clients, have demonstrated exemplary service. Sponsors taking the 2017 PLANSPONSOR Defined Contribution (DC) Survey singled out their reps by name and gave specific examples of why they were nominating them. The six individuals and five teams profiled were chosen by the PLANSPONSOR Surveys and Research team, who reviewed the nominations and plan sponsor comments. Service Stars are chosen for excellence, in a range of service areas, this year’s including tending software systems, unbundling plans, preparing for audits, producing total rewards statements and creating education programs that make a difference in participants’ financial success. Although some of these tasks may sound routine, the stories plan sponsors tell on are not. Many faced acute circumstances that could have put their retirement plan in jeopardy. —JFH