Corporate Roundup: Pontera Names Chief Legal Officer, OneDigital, Wealth.com Partner on Estate Planning Services
Pontera Names Chief Legal Officer
Pontera has appointed Kris Beck to the role of chief legal officer.
In this role, Beck will oversee the legal and compliance teams and all related matters at Pontera. She will report to Yoav Zurel, chief executive officer.
Beck has over two decades of experience in corporate law, with expertise in the technology and financial services industries. Prior to Pontera, she served as chief legal officer and corporate secretary for Crexi, a B2B technology company providing data and marketplace solutions for the commercial real estate industry, and for United Capital Financial Partners, a wealth management firm with $25B assets under management. She also held roles at law firm O’Melveny & Myers, LLP.
“We are excited to welcome Kris to our talented and growing team at Pontera,” said Zurel. “Her deep experience and track record working with both B2B technology and wealth management companies will be instrumental as we continue to bring innovative solutions to the retirement industry. We look forward to Kris’ leadership and counsel in support of Pontera’s work for the benefit of consumers, advisors and employers, and as we navigate the changing landscape of wealth management.”
“Pontera is leading the way in providing consumers with a better way to optimize their retirement savings, and advisors with a means of scaling their business to offer more holistic options to their clients,” said Beck. “I am thrilled to join a growing company that shares my passion for innovation and consumer-first mentality, and I look forward to working with the team.”
Beck earned her bachelor’s degree in english literature from UCLA and her juris doctor degree from the UCLA School of Law. She will be based in Pontera’s New York City office.
SageView Congratulates NAPA President
SageView Advisory Group this week congratulated Lisa Drake, managing director of Retirement Plan Consulting for the firm, for her election as president of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA).
Drake assumed the leadership role on April 29, after serving as the organization’s president-elect in 2024.
“A passionate advocate for driving positive retirement plan outcomes for plan sponsors and participants, Lisa is the right person to lead this vital organization during this turbulent period for American retirement security,” said John Longley, SageView’s CEO. “I’m thrilled to see her in yet another leadership role where she will help enhance the financial stability for many Americans. NAPA is in incredibly good hands.”
Drake joined SageView in 2019 as a retirement plan consultant, working with employer-sponsored retirement plan fiduciaries. She has worked in institutional financial services for nearly two decades. In her role, located in West Palm Beach, Florida, Drake advocates for comprehensive retirement planning, financial wellness and closing the retirement savings gap.
Drake added, “I have served on the NAPA leadership council since 2020, and am honored to lead the organization as we face one of the most complex environments for American retirement in more than a generation. NAPA will continue to promote retirement security, pursue advocacy and support financial advisors as we navigate this evolving landscape. I look forward to working with the organization’s leadership team in continuing NAPA’s excellence.”
Washington, D.C.-based NAPA is a non-profit organization created by retirement plan advisors to identify and solve retirement plan challenges. NAPA has more than 20,000 members and is affiliated with the American Retirement Association (ARA).
OneDigital Partners with Wealth.com on Estate Planning Services
Wealth.com announced its selection as the exclusive estate planning solution for OneDigital, a national strategic advisory firm providing insurance, wealth management and employee benefit services to small and mid-sized businesses.
The collaboration provides OneDigital advisors with access to Wealth.com’s personalized estate planning solutions.
“Estate planning is an important but often overlooked part of comprehensive financial plans as well as overall health and wellness,” said Gretchen Hilton, wealth field success manager at OneDigital. “We needed a solution that our advisors could easily incorporate into their existing workflows without additional complexity and expense. Wealth.com allows us to provide a more accessible, affordable and personalized approach to accessing estate planning services that meets the needs of today’s clients.”
OneDigital’s advisors can invite clients to create, manage and update estate planning documents directly through the Wealth.com platform, powered by Wealth.com’s Ester AI—an artificial intelligence (AI) agent purpose-built for estate planning. In the last 12 months, Ester has analyzed over 4.5 million unique data points to surface insights and streamline the estate planning process.
The collaboration also allows for OneDigital to make estate planning services a core, integrated offering across its platform for a broader range of clients.
“As advisors and advocates, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the value we deliver to clients,” said Andrew Jefferys, national vice president of wealth management solutions at OneDigital. “Wealth.com gives us the ability to integrate estate planning services into the broader financial picture, reinforcing our role as collaborative partners and supporting our clients’ goals—today and in the future.”
RELATED: OneDigital, Broadridge Partner on Enhanced Retirement Data Solutions
EFE Acquires Cahill Wealth Management
Edelman Financial Engines (EFE) is acquiring Cahill Wealth Management, the firm announced this week.
Headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Cahill Wealth Management is an investment advisory firm managing approximately $426 million for 125 clients.
The firm specializes in serving executives in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries, providing them with counsel in financial planning, employee benefits and tax planning.
“Cahill Wealth Management is an outstanding addition to our team, and we are very pleased about their decision to join us,” shared Jay Shah, chief executive officer at Edelman Financial Engines. “Investor needs are changing rapidly, and EFE continues to elevate our offering and help clients in new ways by adding talented RIAs to our team.”
“As we extend our reach throughout the country, particularly in the Midwest, we seek partners who prioritize client service and align with our fundamental principles,” said Suzanne van Staveren, executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief operating officer at EFE. “We have a long history of guiding employees of large enterprises on both their retirement accounts and greater financial plans, and we look forward to partnering with Cahill to deepen our expertise in the life sciences sector.”
Cahill Wealth Management will be fully integrated and continue operations under the EFE brand.
The transaction is EFE’s first acquisition of 2025 as the firm continues to expand its footprint in regions of the U.S. EFE will continue to seek additional partners that have a shared vision to grow their practice by bringing more value and resources to clients.
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