J.P. Morgan AM Taps Executive Director, Corebridge Brings Crypto to Annuities
J.P. Morgan Asset Management Taps Executive Director
J.P. Morgan Asset Management has appointed Pam Hess as executive director and retirement strategist on the Retirement Insights team reporting to Michael Conrath, chief retirement strategist.
In this role, Hess supports the development and delivery of retirement research and thought leadership across a wide range of topics, such as plan participant behavior, household financial wellness, and best practices for retirement savings.
Previously, Hess served as executive director of the Retirement Research Center at the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA). She has over 20 years of experience including strategic planning, program management, and deep retirement research.
“Pam brings a fresh perspective to our team, drawing on her deep expertise in retirement research to help uncover new opportunities and solutions for our clients. Her ability to translate complex trends into actionable strategies will help J.P. Morgan Asset Management continue to set the standard for retirement research and support our clients and partners in understanding and preparing for the changing retirement environment,” said Conrath.
Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Hess served as executive director of the DCIIA Retirement Research Center. Before that, she was with Aon Hewitt for 15 years and served as their director of Retirement Research, where she developed and directed research efforts, strategy and supported employers. Hess’s earlier roles were in investments and financial services.
Hess earned her master’s in business administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with concentrations in accounting, finance, and managerial & organizational behavior, and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been a CFA charterholder since 2002.
NEXT: Corebridge Brings Crypto to Indexed Annuities
Corebridge Brings Crypto to Indexed Annuities
Corebridge Financial has introduced the Invesco New Economy Index, providing exposure to cryptocurrency through the Corebridge Power Select Index Annuities.
The Invesco New Economy Index aims to deliver strong risk-adjusted returns through allocations to two exchange-traded products, Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) and Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BTCO). The new index is available exclusively in Power Select Index Annuities, which are part of the Corebridge family of index annuities and distributed by Market Synergy Group (MSG).
Invesco QQQ ETF tracks the performance of the Nasdaq-100 Index, while the Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF aims to track the spot price of bitcoin.
“Corebridge Financial has long brought innovation and advancement to the annuity industry, and we are excited to do so again in partnership with Invesco and Market Synergy Group,” said Bryan Pinsky, president of Individual Retirement and Life Insurance at Corebridge Financial. “We look forward to delivering this opportunity to our partners and their clients – a compelling combination of growth potential from new economic drivers alongside the principal protection and protected lifetime income that are fundamental to index annuities.”
“Invesco is proud to bring together two of its most high demand investment capabilities in the Invesco New Economy Index, a tailored investment solution for Corebridge Financial,” said Peter Miller, head of Client Investment Solutions, North America, Invesco. “The dual allocation to Nasdaq-100 companies and spot bitcoin is another example of the innovative solutions Invesco can provide insurance companies looking to stay ahead of client demand.”
The Power Select Index Annuities are issued by American General Life Insurance Company (AGL), a member company of Corebridge Financial, Inc.
NEXT: Ritholtz Unveils Succession Plan
Ritholtz Unveils Succession Plan
Ritholtz, a national registered investment advisor (RIA) overseeing more than $7.6 billion in assets for high-net-worth clients and institutions, announced the rollout of an employee-led succession plan designed to preserve the firm’s independence, support continuity and increase ownership.
As part of this transition, 29 employees of Ritholtz now have ownership in the firm, expanding internal equity participation and formalizing the next generation of leadership. Executed entirely without any outside capital, the transaction cements Ritholtz’s status as one of the largest independent, 100% employee-owned RIAs.
Barry Ritholtz, the firm’s co-founder, chairman and chief investment officer, has set in motion the firm’s succession plan alongside his co-founders. Under this transition, Ritholtz will remain involved in supporting the firm and the investment management committee as chief investment officer. Day-to-day leadership of the firm will continue under co-founders Josh Brown, CEO; Michael Batnick and Kris Venne, managing partners; and President Jay Tini. Ritholtz will continue to operate under its namesake brand in perpetuity, maintaining its commitment to client service, continuity and culture.
NEXT: InspereX Welcomes RIA, Private Markets Sales Professionals
InspereX Welcomes RIA, Private Markets Sales Professionals
InspereX, the tech-driven distributor of fixed income, structured products, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and alternative investments, has added three senior sales professionals to its RIA and Private Markets teams.
Bob Graziano and Samantha Murphy have been named vice presidents of RIA Sales and will report to Brandon Laczkowski, managing director and head of RIA Sales. “These hires are part of a deliberate build-out of a scaled RIA distribution model,” said Laczkowski. “As advisor demand for structured investments, income solutions, and differentiated portfolio tools continues to grow, our strategy is to pair national platform capabilities with experienced, specialized coverage. Bob and Samantha deepen our ability to support RIAs with both product expertise and consultative implementation. This is an important step in building the infrastructure required to support our growth in 2026 and beyond, and it will not be the last addition to the team.”
Additionally, Daniel Church has been appointed regional vice president, Private Markets Solutions, reporting to Mark Whyman, managing director, Private Markets Solutions, and will support advisors across all of InspereX’s distribution channels. “Our private markets business is expanding, and that requires dedicated, senior-level coverage,” said Whyman. “Dan brings deep experience across private credit, real estate, and alternative strategies, and his role is to help scale distribution of these solutions across our entire advisor footprint in the southeastern United States. As we continue to broaden our product set and distribution reach, we are building a national team that can support advisors consistently.”
About the new hires:
Bob Graziano, vice president, Institutional (RIA) Sales will be responsible for structured notes and concentrated equity positions for RIAs in the Northeast. He is based in New Jersey. He joins the firm from Raymond James, where he focused on structured investment sales and served as a regional director, covering the Midwest for structured notes and concentrated equity positions. Earlier, Graziano spent nearly a decade working for Morgan Stanley, where he focused on cross-asset derivative solutions to high-net-worth and middle market clients. Graziano began his career as a senior client associate for UBS. He graduated from Marist University with a major in finance and is a CFA charterholder.
Samantha Murphy, vice president, Institutional (RIA) Sales will be responsible for educating and supporting RIAs and their clients on the mechanics and implementation of structured investment strategies. She covers the mountain west and is based in Utah. Murphy also joins from Raymond James, where she spent the past four years as a regional director within the Global Wealth Solutions business. Prior to Raymond James, Murphy served on Barclays’ Cross Asset Sales & Structuring desk, where she designed and priced structured investments. Murphy graduated from Boston College with a degree in economics and art history.
Daniel Church, regional vice president, Private Market Solutions will be responsible for overseeing private solutions in the Southeast region. He joins the firm from Bluerock Capital Markets, where he served for nine years as a senior vice president and regional sales director. Earlier, Church held several similar roles with Highland Capital Management, FS Investments, and Behringer Harvard (Provasi Capital Partners). Church began his career at Putnam Investments, where he rose to become a senior vice president. He earned a degree in Economics from Wheaton College. He is a certified financial planner (CFP).
In December 2025, InspereX launched Aria – a technology portal providing access to fixed income, structured products, and alternative investments to meet the asset allocation needs of RIAs – in collaboration with Luma Financial Technologies and SUBSCRIBE.
NEXT: Mission Wealth Acquires PBL Wealth Management
Mission Wealth Acquires PBL Wealth Management
Mission Wealth has announced a strategic merger with PBL Wealth Management, LLC, an independent fiduciary wealth advisory firm founded by Adam Broughton, CFP, CPWA. This partnership expands Mission Wealth’s presence in Texas and supports its continued national growth. Broughton joins as a partner and senior wealth advisor.
Based in Austin, PBL Wealth Management works with high-income professionals and business leaders to help them plan for and manage growing wealth through planning and tax-aware advice. The firm’s advisory services include portfolio management, advanced tax modeling, equity-based compensation guidance, and retirement income planning.
“Since Mission Wealth’s founding, our firm has been driven by one priority: our clients,” said Matthew Adams, CEO and managing partner of Mission Wealth. “Adam’s thoughtful approach aligns well with our planning philosophy and strengthens our ability to serve clients in one of the fastest-growing markets in the country.”
NEXT: Elevation Points Invests in Forta Wealth Partners
Elevation Points Invests in Forta Wealth Partners
Elevation Point has made a strategic minority investment in Forta Wealth Partners. Based in Indianapolis, IN, Forta Wealth Partners is a trade name of Elevation Point Wealth Partners, LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser. The team oversees over $900 million in assets under supervision from its prior firm.
The Forta Wealth Partners team previously operated as The Turner Group within Merrill Lynch Wealth Management where it was recently recognized on Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams list 2026. Led by principals and wealth advisors Will Turner, Jon Shurtz, and Harrison “Taylor” McDougal, the practice works with clients such as C-suite executives, business owners, wealthy multi-generational families, physicians, endowments and non-profit organizations, and professional athletes. Its focus is to improve every client’s complete financial picture, including assets and liabilities, and develop customized strategies for meeting their long- and short-term goals.
“For us, independence is about the freedom to deliver a truly differentiated client experience,” said Turner. “Launching an independent firm in partnership with Elevation Point provides access to best-in-class resources and support to enhance what we do best, while ensuring we remain in full control of our business and true to the values that have earned our clients’ trust.”
The Forta Wealth Partners team – which includes Brandon Marvel, associate, Client Services; Holly Hynes, manager of Team and Client Services; and Madeline Armstrong, financial advisor – also provides retirement plan advisory services to companies that sponsor 401(k) plans for their employees.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Will since he started at Merrill Lynch, and I’ve witnessed firsthand his growth and the incredible team he has built,” said Jim Dickson, Founding Partner and CEO of Elevation Point. “Will, Jon, Taylor, and their colleagues bring deep, wide-ranging expertise and more than 60 years of combined experience. As a youthful, seasoned team with a relentless drive to exceed client expectations and continuously evolve, they represent the future of wealth management.”
Forta Wealth Partners has a nationwide client base, with a strong presence in Indiana as well as Florida, California, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas. The firm’s clients are spread across 26 U.S. states.