Christopher Tanaka

Michelle Taylor, the benefits manager at Terillium, a tech consulting company headquartered in Cincinnati, nominated Chris Tanaka for the Service Stars award because he makes her job easier. “Chris is a valuable asset to our 401(k) plan,” she says. “He adjusts to each client’s desired management style and is always prompt with responses and guidance.”

As client relations manager, Tanaka customizes his approach to the special needs of each plan sponsor. He knows Taylor is busy running a benefits program that covers almost 300 employees, primarily tech consultants who work remotely throughout the United States. “I always put my clients first. The key is listening to her and being adaptable – we took that approach from the beginning,” says Tanaka, who has worked with Terillium for more than a decade. “What can I do to make this easy for you? They try to automate pretty much everything because it’s a tech company.”

Some of Tanaka’s clients want formal plan reviews, but Taylor prefers quick summaries. “I give her the bullet points and I follow up with notes,” he says. “When she calls with questions, I answer them right away. I’m a firm believer that once it’s past a few emails, I pick up the phone and call.”

Since most of the company’s employees work remotely, they have “State of the K” report once or twice a year and participants can dial in. “They have a really good, robust plan, so it makes it a lot easier to talk about contributing to the 401(k),” says Tanaka. “The average deferral is 11% and they have a young population.”

Taylor says Terillium doesn’t have a complicated plan, but she appreciates working with Tanaka. “I think what makes Chris’s service stand out is his overall kind approach to his clients,” says Taylor. “He isn’t overly pushy and has always been available when I needed it. On top of that, he is always up to date on the latest platform upgrades and how they help clients. Chris still has something that is missing in today’s business world: responsiveness. You aren’t getting a response a week later, you are getting one immediately. Hats off to him and his work ethic.”