Retirement Industry People Moves

Innovest Hires Retirement Industry Veterans as VP and Service Manager

Innovest Portfolio Solutions (Innovest), an independent provider of investment-related consulting services, announced that Paul Nacario and Chuck Sklader recently joined the firm as a vice president and Arizona service manager, respectively.  

Nacario is a vice president for Innovest and has 28 years of experience in the retirement plan marketplace. He is experienced in plan administration and recordkeeping, participant education, retirement plan design, request for proposal (RFP) process management, fee negotiation, investment portfolio construction, compliance testing and fiduciary training. Prior to joining Innovest, Nacario worked for ICMA-RC, Prudential and Nationwide. He graduated from the University of San Francisco with a bachelor of science in marketing.

Sklader is responsible for Arizona client service support and has 27 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. For the last 17 years, he has provided consulting services focusing on governmental entities. In his role, Sklader conducted requests for proposals (RFPs), negotiated recordkeeper contracts and assisted with transitions. Sklader has co-authored two articles, “Evaluation of Asset Allocation Funds” and “Rethinking Public Sector Asset Allocation Models.”

Past ESG Expert Moves to LGIMA

Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (LGIMA) announced that John Hoeppner has joined as head of U.S. Stewardship and Sustainable Investments.

Hoeppner will help shape the firm’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy and assist in meeting the increasing demand for ESG investing strategies in the U.S. market. LGIMA will work with its UK affiliate, LGIM, to build on its work in this space. This includes taking a proactive and impactful approach to stewardship, continuing to help shape and influence company and market behaviors to achieve positive societal impacts, and creating more sustainable long-term value for clients.

Hoeppner comes most recently from Mission Measurement where he led the Impact Investing practice, and launched an ESG data and consulting business. Prior, he held senior product positions in the asset management divisions of UBS and Northern Trust. He started his investment career at Cambridge Associates on the capital markets research team.

Industry Expert Replaces BPAS SVP of Fiduciary Services

BPAS has named Greg Woods as its senior vice president of BPAS Fiduciary Services.

Woods replaces Rick Shultz, who retired from BPAS at the end of June. Since joining BPAS in 2011, Woods has helped lead to the rapid growth of the division as vice president, providing arrays of fiduciary and investment services to assist financial intermediaries and plan sponsors. In his new role, he will oversee the BPAS Fiduciary Services division, including fund evaluation, portfolio management and business development. 

BPAS Fiduciary Services specializes in defined benefit, cash balance, 401(k), Taft-Hartley, PR 1081.01, and voluntary employee benefit association (VEBA) plans.

Prior to joining BPAS, Woods worked for Lightstone Capital Advisers as vice president, portfolio manager, and chief compliance officer. He graduated from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business where he studied finance and economics.

Findley Acquires Hallett Associates

Findley has recently added Pittsburg-based Hallett Associates, an independent financial adviser firm, as a step towards the firm’s rebranding strategy.

As part of the transaction, Keith Nichols, president of Hallet Associates, will become a principal with Findley and lead efforts in the independent human resources (HR) and employee benefits solutions markets. The transaction, says Findley, will “strengthen services with government plans, cash balance and small plans,” as well as expanding business with multiemployer plans.

The deal was effective June 29.

Wells Fargo Adds Head of Global Equity

Wells Fargo Investment Institute (WFII) has appointed Audrey Kaplan as head of global equity strategy, based in New York.

Kaplan will establish investment strategy for global equities for WFII, comprised of over 120 strategists and analysts focused on investment strategy, asset allocation, manager research, portfolio management, options strategy and alternative investments. The equity strategy she sets will be used by the investment professionals on behalf of individual and institutional clients with $1.9 trillion in assets under management through Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment (WIM) business units: Abbot Downing, Institutional Retirement and Trust, Wells Fargo Advisors, Wells Fargo Asset Management, Wealth Management and WFII. She also will establish the equity strategy methodology, drive investment thought leadership and communicate equity strategy to internal leaders, investment professionals, and clients, as well as the media.

Kaplan joins Wells Fargo with more than 25 years of global investment industry experience focused on equity research, quantitative analysis and portfolio strategy in global and domestic markets. Most recently, she led the international equities portfolio management and research team at Federated Investors, Inc.

Previously, Kaplan led Rochdale Investment Management’s quantitative research group. She also performed hedge fund strategy consulting with BlueCrest Capital Management in London, European quantitative strategy for Merrill Lynch in London, global emerging markets research with Robert Fleming in London, and equity, fixed income and derivatives analysis with Salomon Brothers in Tokyo and New York. She earned a bachelor of science degree in computer and systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in finance from London Business School.

Senior Consultant Joins Arnerich Massena

Portland-based investment firm Arnerich Massena announced that James Ellis, CFA, has joined the firm as a senior consultant in the company’s Institutional Services department. Ellis will serve clients ranging from corporate retirement plan sponsors and professional organizations to endowments and foundations. He will provide a full range of consulting services, including plan design and management, asset allocation and portfolio management, and fiduciary education.

Terri Schwartz, managing director of Institutional Services and principal, states, “We are thrilled that James is joining our team. His years of experience and knowledge of the industry will be of great benefit to our clients. He’s a great fit with our firm’s culture, and we think our clients will really appreciate what he brings to the table.”

Ellis is experienced in guiding fiduciaries to meet their strategic goals, with experience working with foundations and endowments, health care institutions, corporate and non-profit defined benefit and defined contribution plans, and Taft-Hartley Plans. He brings 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, most recently as director of institutional consulting for Buck Consultants, where he advised institutional clients on the development of investment policies, asset allocation, plan design, de-risking strategies, investment and menu structure, and fund evaluation, as well as implementing custom client solutions.

Unigestion Announces Sales Team Expansion

Unigestion has expanded its U.S. business with three senior appointments and a new sales force.

The revamped sales and business development team will be led by Tucker Glavin, who joined Unigestion as head of U.S. Institutional Clients and Sales at the end of 2017. He was previously managing director at PineBridge Investments, where he led a region of its U.S. Institutional Business. Glavin brings over twenty years of asset management sales experience having also previously been director of Institutional Sales at Lord Abbett, and managing director of Institutional Distribution at Columbia Management.

Tom Aitken has also now joined the firm as director, U.S. Institutional Clients and Sales. He was previously managing director at Bright Harbor Advisors and Thomas Capital Group, both alternative investment advisory firms that assist and guide General Partners globally in structuring funds and raising capital. Prior to this, Aitken was business development manager in the Joint Ventures, Partnerships and Licensing group of Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Company.

Finally, Bob Meikleham has been appointed vice president, Institutional Clients and Sales. He joins from Columbia Threadneedle where he covered business development for a range of institutional clients and prospects across the Northeast and Southeast of the U.S. Meikleham had previously worked in Columbia’s intermediary distribution team as a regional director, as well as in the firm’s operations department. 

Unigestion’s activities across the U.S. market will continue to be overseen by Christopher Bödtker, chairman of Unigestion (US), who joined the firm as part of the company’s acquisition of private equity specialist Akina in 2017. He was previously chief executive at Akina, and led its business globally with a particular focus on the U.S.

USI Consulting Employs VP of Retirement Services

USI Consulting Group announced that Michael Natyshak has been named vice president of retirement services, based in Southfield, Michigan. In this role, Natyshak will be responsible for leading sales and business development activities for USI Consulting Group across the state of Michigan.

Mike Sullivan, senior vice president and regional sales director for USI Consulting Group, says “Mike brings more than 25 years of experience in the retirement services industry, and has a long and trusted history with both his clients and colleagues. He will be invaluable to the central Michigan region as we continue to invest in new people and grow our market share. Mike brings a wealth of industry knowledge and passion to this role, and I am excited to have him on our team.”

Prior to joining USI Consulting group, Natyshak worked as a retirement services practice leader for a registered investment adviser. He has experience in the retirement and investment services industry, including financial analysis, service provider selection and management, fiduciary services, client service and investment consulting. Natyshak received a bachelor of science degree from Bowling Green State University. Industry education and designations include: FINRA Administered Series 6, 63 and 66; Accredited Investment Fiduciary Certification.

Cafaro Greenleaf Announces Addition of Investment Analyst

Cafaro Greenleaf (CG) hired Robert Corcoran, a past expert in global investment management and asset allocation, as investment analyst.

Corcoran brings over 20 years of experience to the Red Bank-based specialty firm. He has worked at several major investment firms throughout his career, including Bankers Trust, CDC Investment Corp (Natixis), and Nikko Asset Management. As a portfolio manager, he navigated portfolios through multiple market cycles while educating investors clients globally about of the qualitative and qualitative aspects of the investment process.

His primary focus at Cafaro Greenleaf will be analyzing defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) plan investments. In doing so, he will oversee and innovate Fiduciary Fit, CG’s proprietary and independent reporting and monitoring system based on not only performance, but the appropriateness of plan investments. Corcoran will also lead the execution and distribution of the CG Fiduciary Services program.

Past Firm Partner Joins Drinker Biddle & Reath

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has added a past Fox Rothschild LLP partner to its Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Group. Jeremy Pelphrey will join the firm as a partner in the Los Angeles office.

Pelphrey advises businesses, fiduciaries and funds on a variety of employee retirement income security act (ERISA) and transaction-based matters. He represents privately held middle-market and emerging growth companies in mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, and private sponsor and institutional buyer transactions. Pelphrey also advises companies on business succession plans and frequently represents parties involved in the formation and disposition of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).

“Jeremy is an entrepreneurial lawyer who strengthens our industry-leading ERISA and benefits practice,” says Andrew Kassner, chairman and CEO of Drinker Biddle. “His addition helps advance our strategic objective to grow in California.”

Pelphrey handles correction programs for ERISA-covered plans and drafts submissions, negotiates settlements, and resolves issues with governmental officials and agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). He is a frequent author and speaker on issues related to ESOPs and tax-qualified plans, health and welfare benefit plans, and fiduciary consulting.

Pelphrey earned his J.D. from The Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University and his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University.