On Women’s Equality Day (August 26), the American Retirement Association has announced the creation of a Women in Retirement Council to provide stewardship and support of women’s issues within the organization.
Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, granting the right to vote to women. Long a proponent of and advocate for women’s voices in the retirement plan industry, Arlington, Va.-based ARA, an education, advocacy and information source for retirement plan professionals, has officially formed a council drawn from across the organization’s five member associations to help bring focus to the current and future efforts to support and retain women in the retirement plan industry.
ARA’s stated goals for the Council are to:
- Support current efforts like the Women in Retirement Conference (WiRC) and ARA Thrive Women’s Mentoring Program, and encourage the development of new endeavors within sister associations.
- Provide a central point and location for the sharing of lessons learned, best practices, content, and resources across sister associations.
- Develop strategic goals to guide ongoing tactical projects that support the recruitment and retention of women in the industry.
The inaugural leaders of the ARA’s Women in Retirement Council, representing each of the ARA’s five member associations—the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA), the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA) and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA) are:
- NAPA: Nicole Corning, CFP, AIF, CRPC (Council Chair)
- ASEA: Lynn M. Young, MSEA
- ASPPA: Shannon M. Edwards, ERPA, QPA, QKA, APA, APR
- NTSA: Kristine Coffey, CPC, CPFA, CRES
- PSCA: Marjorie F. Mann, Esq.
“While the ARA has continuously supported and sponsored events and accolades that acknowledge the contributions of women in the retirement industry, we are pleased at the commitment of so many women among our membership to provide this perspective and support on an ongoing basis throughout the year,” said Brian H. Graff, CEO of the American Retirement Association.