Retirement Industry People Moves

NYLIM Appoints Chief Operating Officer 

Kirk Lehneis has been appointed chief operating officer of New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM), the investment management arm of New York Life Insurance Company.

In this newly created role, he reports to Yie-Hsin Hung, CEO of NYLIM, and is a member of NYLIM’s Management Committee. As Chief Operating Officer, Lehneis will be responsible for strategic planning and implementation, with a focus on growing the firm’s alternative investment solutions, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and international footprint.  He will also be responsible for mergers and acquisitions, training and strategic technology initiatives in support of the business.

Lehneis joined New York Life in 2005 and progressed through a series of senior executive product development roles with MainStay Investments. Prior to his new role as COO, he had direct responsibility for and led product development for NYLIM, the MainStay Board relationship team and project management office for the retail line of NYLIM. 

Prior to joining New York Life Investments, Lehneis progressed through senior roles with GivingCapital, Inc., including director of Client Service and Product Development for donor-advised fund product distribution to the financial services market. He began his career with a focus in sales and marketing with Unisys Corp. and Beenz.com, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

NEXT: Janney Hires Two Institutional Equity Sales Professionals

Janney Montgomery Scott announced the hiring of two senior sales professionals to join its New York Institutional Equity Sales team.

Andy Ballou and Glenn Skolnick have joined the firm as managing directors and will report to Andrew Maddaloni, director of Research and head of Equity Sales.

“Andy and Glenn will work together with Ed Armstrong, Michael Nolan, and Blair Smith, in providing full, dedicated and cohesive coverage to our New York institutional clients,” says Maddaloni.

Ballou joins Janney from RBC Capital Markets, where he spent the past 14 years in Institutional Equity Sales covering long-only and hedge fund accounts in New York and Connecticut. Prior to RBC, he spent time in Equity Research at CIBC and Credit Suisse, having started his career at Merrill Lynch. Ballou has an undergraduate degree from Hampden–Sydney College.

Skolnick, with more than 20 years of industry experience, comes to Janney from BMO Capital Markets, where he spent the previous five years as a senior Institutional Sales professional covering New York hedge fund and long-only accounts. Prior to BMO, he was a senior salesperson at Morgan Keegan, WR Hambrecht and Wachovia. Skolnick began his career in Equity Research at Bear Stearns and earned an undergraduate degree from Cornell University.

NEXT: Securian Hires Retirement Plan Sales Leaders

Bob Janisko and Doug Beardslee recently joined Securian Financial Group’s Retirement Plans division as regional sales vice presidents.

Janisko, based in Hagerstown, Maryland, is responsible for bringing Securian’s retirement plan solutions to small and mid-size employers throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. He has 28 years of experience, previously serving as a regional sales vice president with Transamerica Retirement Solutions. Janisko earned a master’s degree from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy. He also served 22 years in the United States Marine Corps.

Beardslee is based in Overland Park, Kansas, and is working with advisers to bring Securian’s retirement plan solutions to small and mid-size employers throughout Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and southern Illinois. Prior to joining Securian, Beardslee served as a regional sales director with AUL Retirement Services, a OneAmerica Company. He has 25 years of experience and earned a bachelor’s degree from Baker University in Kansas.

NEXT: VALIC Names Healthcare and Government Markets Business Leader

VALIC, a division of AIG and a retirement plan provider for health care institutions, local governments, K-12 and higher education markets and other not-for-profit organizations, has named Wendy Daniels, senior vice president, Healthcare and Government Markets business leader.

Daniels will partner with various leaders across the organization to drive strategic growth for the Healthcare and Government markets and will report to Eric S. Levy, Executive Vice President.

Daniels will support the establishment, building and maintenance of relationships with key plan sponsors and decision makers to help drive growth. She will also oversee client-focused, market-centric business strategies to further VALIC’s leadership in the Healthcare and Government spaces. She will participate directly in new business development and retention activities, as well as identify new market opportunities nationwide.

Daniels will apply her expertise to creating and implementing innovative solutions while overseeing VALIC’s thought leadership in these important core markets. She will work alongside Don Harris, senior vice president, Higher Education, and John Kevin, vice president, K-12, as part of VALIC’s Market Management senior leadership team.

Before joining VALIC, Daniels most recently served as senior vice president, Retirement Marketing Strategy for Transamerica where she developed campaigns and supported sales and retention in all plan markets.