CFP Board Taps New Chair, AB Appoints President
CFP Board Taps New Chair
CFP Board announced that Terri Kallsen has ascended to the role of chair of its Board of Directors.
As chair, Kallsen leads the professional body that certifies more than 107,000 financial planning professionals across the country. Kallsen was elected chair-elect by her fellow Board members in 2024 and began her term as board chair on January 1, 2026, setting policy and guiding strategy for CFP Board of Standards and CFP Board Center for Financial Planning.
“I’m honored to step into this leadership role at CFP Board at such a critical moment for our profession,” said Kallsen. “My first priority as Chair is to lead a rigorous CEO succession process that ensures continuity and stability for our organization. Continuity is of the utmost importance — not just for CFP Board, but for the millions of everyday Americans whose financial security depends on the trusted guidance of CFP professionals. This is more than a leadership transition; it’s a decision that will shape the future of financial planning and determine how effectively we serve the public for decades to come.”
Kevin R. Keller will retire in April 2026 after serving nearly two decades as the organization’s CEO.
As managing partner and head of Partnerships at Rise Growth Partners, a minority investor and strategic advisor to leading firms, Kallsen leads enterprise transformation for partner companies.
Kallsen previously served as chief operating officer at Wealth Enhancement Group (WEG). Prior to WEG, she was executive vice president of Investor Services at Charles Schwab, where she led 7,000 employees and $1.6 trillion in assets under management. Kallsen also held senior leadership roles at USAA and Thrivent.
Kallsen earned a bachelor’s degree from College of St. Benedict/Saint John’s University in Minnesota and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She earned her CFP certification in 2005 and is also a Certified Wealth Strategist.
Next: AllianceBernstein Appoints President
AllianceBernstein Appoints President
AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. and AllianceBernstein L.P., has appointed Onur Erzan as president of AB.
As president, he will partner with CEO Seth Bernstein to oversee AB’s business and prioritization of strategic initiatives, while developing solutions and services to respond to client needs. Erzan will continue to lead AB’s Private Wealth Management, Global Asset Management Distribution and Global Private Alternatives businesses, which he assumed in Fall 2025. In addition, Erzan will assume responsibility for AB’s Strategy and Corporate Development functions.
“Since joining AB, I’ve been inspired by our colleagues in offices around the world, our firm’s commitment to innovation, and our collective passion to ensure client success,” said Erzan. “I’m honored to step into the role of President and look forward to charting the firm’s future alongside Seth.”
Onur remains a member of the Equitable Holdings Management Committee and will now serve as chair of the AB Operating Committee. Prior to joining AB in January 2021, Onur spent 20 years with McKinsey & Company, most recently as a senior partner and co-leader of its Wealth & Asset Management practice.
Next: The Retirement Advantage Promotes CFO
The Retirement Advantage Promotes CFO
The Retirement Advantage, Inc. (TRA) has promoted India Troyer to chief financial officer (CFO). In this role, Troyer will lead the company’s financial strategy and operations, supporting continued growth and innovation.
Troyer previously served as TRA’s director of Finance & Accounting. She brings over 18 years of experience in managerial accounting and finance.
“We’re excited to have India step into the CFO role,” said Matt Schoneman, president of TRA. “Her leadership and expertise have been invaluable, and I’m confident they’ll continue to make a significant impact as we move forward.”
Troyer added, “I’m honored to take on this new role and look forward to helping guide TRA toward its future goals. Our team’s dedication and collaboration make this an exciting journey.”
Troyer graduated from Lakeland College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in business administration. She holds the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation from the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) and is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt through the Juran Institute. Prior to joining TRA in 2016, she worked for a global business process outsourcer in a variety of accounting and finance roles supporting a Fortune 100 client.
Next: Financial Planning Association Names 2026 President
Financial Planning Association Names 2026 President
Educator and financial planner Dan Galli, principal at Daniel J. Galli & Associates, has officially started his role as the 2026 President of the Financial Planning Association, effective January 1.
In this position, Galli will work collaboratively alongside the organization’s national and chapter-based volunteer leaders and FPA Chief Executive Officer Dennis J. Moore.
Galli began his career teaching at Hatherly School in Massachusetts. Today, he is a full-time financial planner. He has served as an adjunct instructor in financial planning courses at Northeastern University and Boston University over the years.
“When we think about next generation financial planners, they’re not only those fresh out of college but professionals like me who came to love serving people while bettering their financial lives after following a different job path,” said Galli. “As a young profession, financial planning could use all the brilliant ideas it can receive to elevate the profession and ensure that we best serve as many people as possible. We need to help the public understand what financial planning is and how a financial planner can guide them successfully.”
Galli is a long-time member of the Financial Planning Association of New England, where he has served on several committees, the board of directors, and as president for two years. He was named the chapter’s Financial Planner of the Year in 2017.
At Daniel J. Galli & Associates, his practice centers around financial planning and investment management with a focus on retirement planning for teachers, small business owners, and professionals.
Next: FINRA Appointed Four New Board Governors
FINRA Appointed Four New Board Governors
FINRA has appointed four new members to its Board of Governors: Rostin “Russ” Behnam, Tim Carter, Dan Gallagher and Heather Traeger.
The new Governors bring extensive experience in financial services, regulation, industry leadership and public pension management to FINRA’s Board, which oversees the organization’s mission to protect investors and ensure market integrity.
“We are pleased to welcome Russ, Tim, Dan and Heather to FINRA’s Board of Governors,” said FINRA CEO Robert Cook. “Their deep expertise and diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we continue to adapt our regulatory approach to meet the evolving needs of investors and the markets. These appointments strengthen our Board’s ability to provide strategic oversight and guidance in an increasingly complex financial landscape.”
Behnam served as chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from 2021 to January 2025. He previously served as a CFTC commissioner from 2017 to 2021. He now serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy at Georgetown University.
Carter previously served as the chief financial officer (CFO) at investment bank and institutional securities firm Piper Sandler Companies. In his role as CFO, Carter led the firm’s treasury, accounting, market and credit risk, investor relations and financial planning functions.
Gallagher is chief legal, compliance and corporate affairs officer of Robinhood Markets. Prior to joining Robinhood, he was partner and deputy chair of the securities department at WilmerHale, served as a Commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2011 to 2015, and held several other senior positions on the SEC staff.
Traeger serves as general counsel and chief compliance officer at the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, one of the nation’s largest public pension plans. She brings experience from her previous roles at the SEC and as a partner at O’Melveny & Myers. Traeger previously served as chair of FINRA’s National Adjudicatory Council.
FINRA is overseen by a 22-member Board of Governors, with the majority or 12 seats designated for public members, 10 seats designated for industry members and one seat reserved for FINRA’s CEO. Public governors are appointed by the Board from candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee. FINRA Governors are appointed or elected to three-year terms and may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
Next: Morningstar Elects Board Chair
Morningstar Elects Board Chair
Morningstar announced that Anne Bramman has been elected to its board of directors. Bramman currently serves as a board director and audit committee chair at McCormick & Company and as a senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group.
Prior to her current board and advisory roles, Bramman held senior leadership positions as CFO for several global companies including Nordstrom, Avery Dennison, Carnival Cruise Line, and L Brands. Most recently, from 2023 to 2024, she served as CFO and chief growth officer for Circana, a leading consumer analytics platform. Her leadership experience spans more than 30 years across multiple industries.
“Anne has tremendous experience driving financial excellence and spearheading business transformations. Her deep management expertise and strategic perspective will make a meaningful impact on Morningstar’s leadership and long-term growth,” said Joe Mansueto, executive chairman of Morningstar.
Bramman holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Texas Christian University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Next: Fixed Income Lead Joins MissionSquare
Fixed Income Lead Joins MissionSquare
MissionSquare announced today that Yulia Alekseeva has joined the firm as head of Fixed Income.
In this role, Alekseeva will lead MissionSquare’s Fixed Income division, overseeing the firm’s proprietary funds and strategies, including its stable value portfolios.
“We are pleased to announce that Yulia is joining MissionSquare as our new head of Fixed Income,” said Andre Robinson, CEO of MissionSquare. “Yulia brings a great depth of experience managing high-performing teams, and I am confident her expertise will help position MissionSquare for continued success. We look forward to Yulia’s leadership as we continue to strengthen our investment capabilities with a focus on delivering high‑quality investment solutions and improved financial outcomes for our customers.”
With two decades of experience in investment management across public and private markets, including stable value and alternative investments, Alekseeva joins MissionSquare from Barings. During her tenure at Barings, she held multiple leadership roles, having served as head of Consumer ABF and portfolio manager for the Global Fixed Income group. In that role, she managed approximately $25 billion in assets and collaborated with various investment teams to drive firm-wide strategic growth.
Previously, she held fixed income positions at CPP Investments, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
To support the evolution of the MissionSquare Investments team, the firm also recently promoted Shari Hensrud to chief investment officer. Hensrud, who joined MissionSquare in 2025 as head of Investment Strategies, now oversees Alekseeva and the Fixed Income group as well as the Investment Strategy and Equities teams.
Next: Groom Law Group Welcomes Industry Specialists
Groom Law Group Welcomes Industry Specialists
Groom Law Group, Chartered has added six professionals from the Departments of Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
The six industry professionals are:
- Amber Rivers (principal, Health practice). Rivers is the former director, Office of Health Plan Standards and Compliance Assistance at EBSA, DOL. At Groom, Rivers will advise employers, plan sponsors, insurance companies, and other service providers on complex regulatory and compliance matters. Her services will cover wide-ranging laws impacting health and welfare benefits, including ERISA, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the No Surprises Act, and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
- Michelle Koltov (health policy advisor, Health practice). Koltov is the former deputy division director, Division of Plan and Issuer Enforcement, Oversight Group at CCIIO, CMS, HHS. At Groom, Koltov will advocate on behalf of health plan and insurer clients before HHS, DOL, and the IRS. She will also advise clients on regulatory and legislative developments and on how to navigate compliance with applicable law, rules, and regulations. Her services will cover wide-ranging laws impacting health and welfare benefits, including the ACA, the No Surprises Act, MHPAEA, state insurance law, Medicare, and Medicaid.
- William Fischer (associate, Health practice). Fischer was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Health & Welfare branch. At Groom, he will advise employers, insurers, and plan sponsors on tax-related topics, including cafeteria plans, health reimbursement arrangements, health savings accounts, flexible spending arrangements, COBRA, VEBAs, and MHPAEA.
- Brandon Ford (associate, Tax practice). Ford was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Qualified Plans branch. At Groom, he will advise retirement plan sponsors and administrators on tax requirements applicable to defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans, assisting with plan design and maintenance, participant communications and disclosures, legal plan compliance, and corrective applications to the IRS.
- Joshua Fruto (associate, Tax practice). Fruto was a former attorney at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Associate Office of Procedure & Administration, after transitioning from an analyst role at a Fortune 5 company, where he supported its tax division. At Groom, Fruto will advise employers, plan sponsors, and administrators on tax issues regarding retirement plans and other types of employee benefits.
- Gabrielle Graves (associate, Fiduciary practice). Graves was a former attorney in the PGBC’s Bankruptcy, Transactions, and Terminations Department. At Groom, Graves will advise plan sponsors, trustees, and fiduciaries on a range of ERISA regulatory compliance matters, including plan governance and administrative practices, fiduciary responsibility, and government investigations.
Next: Finance of America Names CMO
Finance of America Names CMO
Finance of America announced the appointment of Angela Tribelli as chief marketing officer, effective January 2. Tribelli will report to FOA President Kristen Sieffert and will be based in New York.
In this role, Tribelli will oversee FOA’s brand, communications, and growth marketing strategy, helping scale the company’s reach and sharpen how its solutions are positioned across consumers, advisors, and partners.
“Home equity remains one of the most underutilized assets in retirement, and Finance of America is helping change that through education, transparency and innovation,” said Angela Tribelli, Chief Marketing Officer. “As Americans rethink how they fund retirement, FOA is uniquely positioned to lead the shift in how home equity is understood and responsibly used. I’m excited to help expand awareness, strengthen trust, and support more households in unlocking the freedom their home equity could provide.”
Tribelli holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and an master’s degree in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Next: Cerity Partners Brings in Austin Private Wealth and SOL Capital Management
Cerity Partners Brings in Austin Private Wealth and SOL Capital Management
Cerity Partners this week announced two mergers with Austin- and Rockville, Maryland-based firms.
The wealth management firm has first merged with Austin Private Wealth, in a move that is set to bolster Cerity Partner’s presence in Austin.
Austin Private Wealth serves individuals, families, and business owners, with integrated capabilities spanning retirement planning, tax-aware strategies, wealth transfer planning, and investment due diligence.
Cerity Partners also announced its merge with SOL Capital Management, an investment advisory firm focused on serving high and ultra-high net worth individuals and their families and institutions. The firm provides portfolio management services with an emphasis on long-term investment objectives and risk-aware portfolio construction. As part of the deal, SOL Capital Management will operate under the Cerity Partners name.
Next: Wealthspire’s Ground Control Acquires Ceres Financial Management
Wealthspire’s Ground Control Acquires Ceres Financial Management
Wealthspire, an independent wealth management, retirement advisory, and business management firm with more than $580 billion in assets under management or advisement, announced that its Ground Control Business Management has acquired Los Angeles-based Ceres Financial Management, LLC.
This is Wealthspire’s second major acquisition since its realignment as an integrated wealth management platform earlier in November.
Wealthspire will integrate Ceres into Ground Control’s operations and brand, with Ceres leader Craig Shenkler joining as managing director and reporting to Chris Bucci, chief executive officer of Ground Control.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Craig and the Ceres team,” said Bucci. “Ceres is committed to efficient, effective service in meeting the complex needs of their clients, making their team an excellent cultural fit as Ground Control grows. We will build on their strong reputation and relationships as we expand our business management footprint in Los Angeles.”
Founded in 2008, Ceres works with entertainers, entrepreneurs, and other high net worth individuals in the Los Angeles area. The firm provides business and wealth management services, including accounting and estate planning.
“We’re looking forward to joining Wealthspire and Ground Control, a growing name as an expert in business management,” said Shenkler. “Our clients continue to face new considerations and challenges, so tapping into Wealthspire’s extensive expertise and capabilities across risk, human capital, wealth, and retirement will level up the service we can provide.”
Next: Hightower Advisors Adds Five Advisory Practices to Signature Wealth Brand
Hightower Advisors Adds Five Advisory Practices to Signature Wealth Brand
Hightower Advisors is expanding its Hightower Signature Wealth (HTSW) brand with the addition of five advisory practices—Fairport Wealth, Hightower Wealth Advisors | St. Louis, HT|TC Wealth Partners, RDM Financial Group, and The Rikoon Group.
HTSW represents more than $20.8 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025.
With this expansion, the HTSW brand now operates across 19 locations nationwide, with more than 100 advisors.
“As advisors, we’re focused on being able to deliver excellence for our clients,” said Omar Qureshi, managing director at Hightower Signature Wealth. “The platform continues to give access to institutional-quality tools, strong operational support, and a collaborative network that allows us to focus on what matters most—helping clients achieve their goals.”
Matthias Kuhlmey, Hightower’s chief development officer, will lead the expansion and integration of Hightower Signature Wealth.
Next: Milliman Adds Cascade Pension Trust as DC Client
Milliman Adds Cascade Pension Trust as DC Client
Milliman, Inc. has added the Cascade pension plan and Cascade 401(k) plan as a defined contribution (DC) client. The plans cover more than 5,900 participants and have more than $500 million in assets.
“We chose Milliman because of their proven expertise and flexibility in handling many of the administrative responsibilities for our plans,” said Tom Kyle, Cascade’s chair of the board. “Their commitment to keeping participant interests front and center, including a strict non-solicitation policy, was a key factor in our decision.”
Established in the early 1970s, the Cascade Pension Trust oversees two distinct retirement plans: the Cascade pension plan and the Cascade 401(k) plan. These plans serve members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Unions 280 (Salem, OR), 659 (Medford, OR), and 932 (Coos Bay, OR). Together, these unions represent members who provide essential electrical services across western and central Oregon.