This week, Ameritas and iJoin reveal new moves within their organizations while the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) and UBS announce charitable endeavors.
IRI assemble care packages for troops in its latest conference community event
Deployed U.S. troops will receive care packages packed by the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) and its members during IRI’s 2023 Annual Conference in Miami, Florida.
IRI teamed with Troopster, a 501(c)(3) veteran-operated military care package organization that helps families, friends, communities, and companies send personalized care packages to U.S. troops.
“We felt a hands-on activity to support a worthy cause would be more fulfilling and inspire further community at our conference,” said Wayne Chopus, IRI President and CEO. “We found a very worthy cause with Troopster, which supports deployed troops and military families.”
IRI and its members attending the association’s annual conference assembled 500 care packages. The packages contain variations of snacks, hygiene items, caffeine, and other products to help impact troops’ morale overseas.
When completed, the 500 packages will be placed in colored boxes to form a large American flag for display during the remainder of the IRI conference.
Ameritas joins Retirement Advisor Council
Ameritas has joined the Retirement Advisor Council in the Service Provider college.
Ameritas is one of 13 service providers in Council membership. The company will be represented by Jim Kais, executive vice president of Retirement Plans, who will participate in the Research and Strategic Issues committee.
“Ameritas is honored to join the Retirement Advisor Council. We look forward to collaborating with leading advisors to advance retirement plan coverage across all segments of the employer population,” says Kais.
Ameritas recently placed over $1 billion in new asset sales and over 1,500 plans, which marks the one-yearn anniversary of Ameritas’ acquisition of BlueStar Retirement Services, a subsidiary that specializes in MEPs and open architecture retirement plans.
iJoin announces new hire to grow leadership team
iJoin is adding Benjamin Thomason to its national leadership team.
With experience at Vestwell, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan, Thomason’s role focuses on helping industry partners rapidly evolve their participant and advisor experience by leveraging iJoin’s managed account, participant engagement, and analytics capabilities.
“Ben’s experience with advisors, aggregators, recordkeepers, and asset managers has centered on developing collaborative approaches to improving the participant experience and its positive impact on outcomes” said Steve McCoy, iJoin CEO.
“iJoin is rapidly evolving workplace investment technology to help advisors automate the delivery of information and guidance at the right time,” added Thomason. “The company’s focus on scalable, personalized user experiences powered by advisor managed accounts, participant engagement tools, with intricate analytics is as transformative as it is compelling. I’m excited to help maximize its potential.”
UBS collaborates with Athletes Soul
UBS announced a partnership with Athletes Soul, a volunteer-based organization that supports athletes as they transition into athletic retirement, to provide financial education, resources, and advice for retiring athletes.
With the partnership, UBS will provide financial education through group events as well as personal and online programs to help retiring athletes make informed decisions for themselves, their families, and their legacies. To launch the initiative, UBS will host a series of interviews with former professional athletes at the BNP Paribas Open Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells, California.
At the same time, Barry Porter of UBS’s Newport Beach office has gained designation as a certified consultant within the UBS Athletes and Entertainers Strategic segment.
UBS launched its Athletes and Entertainers Strategic Client Segment in 2019 to provide holistic financial advice and guidance to clients across sports and entertainment industries. The segment is led by former professional football player, Adewale (Wale) Ogunleye, who supports a select group of financial advisors dedicated to serving the complex and unique needs of these groups.
Porter is one of a select few advisors at the firm that have earned the AEC designation. He and his team provide professional sports and entertainment clients with insights and a complete picture of their financial situation, focusing on tax-efficient investing, asset allocation and the transfer of wealth between generations.
“Retiring and professional athletes and entertainers need seasoned and focused experts like Barry who can help them navigate the unknowns and intricate challenges that come with being a highly paid athlete, actor or musician,” said Justin Frame, UBS Market Head for the Pacific Desert market that includes Southern California, Arizona and Hawaii. “We are proud that Barry has received his AEC designation. The value and insight he’s provided over the years to professional athletes and entertainers, alongside his understanding of the industry, will be extremely beneficial to our clients. The Athletes Soul connection will help us educate athletes early in their process of transition and we are looking forward to helping the group expand their programs.”
UBS advisors with the AEC designation meet specific requirements including depth of experience advising clients in the sports and entertainment industries, a commitment to serving the athlete or entertainer in a way that meets them at their current knowledge level, and an extensive training program, which covers everything from atypical income streams to special financial planning circumstances.
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Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with over six years of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news. Amanda received her degree in journalism and government and politics at St. John’s University. She is originally from Queens, New York, but now resides in Denver, Colorado with her partner. In her free time, Amanda enjoys running, cooking, and watching the latest drama show.