Retirement Industry People Moves

Vernon Barback has joined Russell Investments’ executive leadership as president, a newly created position effective January 21. He will join the firm’s executive committee, reporting to Len Brennan, chief executive, who cites Barback for his financial services experience, and extensive operational and technology expertise.

Barback will lead strategic infrastructure initiatives, including building and operating a comprehensive shared services model and advancing Russell Investments’ technology strategy for its multi-asset solutions business. He will have reporting responsibility for the firm’s infrastructure business units in the offices of the chief financial officer, chief legal officer and chief operating officer.

Barback was previously with Altß Partners, which he co-founded. Before that, he was president and chief operating officer and a member of the management committee of GlobeOp Financial Services, formerly a TA Associates portfolio company. Prior to GlobeOp Financial Services, Barback was global head of operations and technology at Citigroup asset management.

Barback holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from Cambridge University, England.

Steve Gerstung, has joined Pavilion Advisory Group Inc. as DC consultant.

Gerstung has more than 15 years’ experience in employee benefits administration. Based in Pavilion’s Chicago office, Gerstung provides research and advice to plan sponsors on a wide range of topics related to retirement plan design and administration.

Before joining Pavilion, Gerstung was a defined contribution consultant with AON Hewitt, where he served clients and managed projects for large-market DC retirement plans, developed solutions as a result of regulatory changes and provided guidance for compliance and operational audits.

Gerstung holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS).

Jay Rosenblum joins the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America as senior vice president to direct the government affairs team.

Rosenblum will set the strategic direction of Guardian’s state and federal advocacy efforts and lead the government affairs team.

Rosenblum joins from The Hartford where he was senior vice president, associate general counsel, and director of government affairs. Previously, he spent nine years representing the accounting profession in Washington, D.C., first at Ernst & Young and later as the head of Grant Thornton’s Government Affairs office.

Earlier in his career, Rosenblum held several roles in the Clinton Administration, in the Department of Labor, the White House Counsel’s office, and as the White House’s executive director of the first National Summit on Retirement Savings.

Based in Washington, Rosenblum will report to Deanna Mulligan, president and chief executive officer, who cites Rosenblum’s background in financial regulation and tax policy, along with his political acumen and strong reputation in the insurance industry, as valuable assets as the firm engages with state and federal regulators.

Rosenblum holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and a juris doctor degree from the George Washington University Law School.

NEXT: The Bogdahn Group adds to retirement solutions unit

Al DiCristofaro  has joined the Bogdahn Group, an investment consulting firm in Orlando that reports it has over $55 billion in assets under advisement.

DiCristofaro is the owner of The Retirement Store in Austin, Texas, which provides services to governmental defined contribution (DC) plans in Texas. The Bogdahn Group sought out DiCristofaro for his keen expertise in investment consulting as well as his firm’s approach to DC consulting, which includes fee transparency, understandable investment menus for participants and guaranteeing a process to confirm “value for cost” services.

Steve Gordon, director of retirement solutions at The Bogdahn Group, cites DiCristofaro for his values and service mentality, as well as his DC knowledge.

Prior to The Retirement Store, DiCristofaro held roles at the former ING Aetna Financial Services, as vice president responsible for plan sales in the over-$50 million market in government, education and health care.

DiCristofaro holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Bryant University and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Diana Pringle is the newest associate managing partner of Securian Financial Services.

Pringle, a financial adviser, recruiter and manager with more than 30 years of experience, recently opened Securian Financial Advisors of the Great Lakes, offering financial strategies to individuals and small businesses.

Pringle worked previously with New York Life and MassMutual. Joining the industry right after graduating from college in 1983, she served individual and organizational clients for 10 years before moving into a leadership role in 1993. Since then, she has recruited, trained and worked with hundreds of insurance agents and financial advisers, helping them grow and develop their practices.

Tony Martins, vice president of individual career distribution at Securian, cites Pringle for her energy, passion and leadership.

Pringle holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a master’s in business administration in finance from Indiana Wesleyan University. She holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation.

Lori Lucas, executive vice president and defined contribution practice leader at Callan Associates, has been elected the new chair of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). She is one of the original founding members of the organization. Lew Minsky, president and chief executive of DCIIA, cites Lucas for her vision, experience and leadership skills.

Lucas replaces Jim Sia, specialty team leader focused on defined contribution and sub-advisory at GMO LLC, who will serve as DCIIA’s immediate past chair. Under Sia’s direction, Minsky says, “DCIIA has witnessed tremendous growth and success over the past two years.”

David Musto, executive vice president of Empower Retirement, was elected to serve as vice chair. 

DCIIA also made appointed the following industry people to its operating committee: Paul Gamble of Financial Engines, Mary Beth Glotzbach of Franklin Templeton, Marla Kreindler of Morgan Lewis, Chris Lyon of Rocaton, and Jed Petty of Wellington Management Company.