Pontera Brings in Lisa Gomez as Strategic Advisor
Pontera today named former U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Assistant Secretary Lisa Gomez as a strategic advisor for the firm.
Gomez will accelerate the firm’s relationship with policymakers and the defined contribution (DC) industry and will work alongside recordkeepers, retirement plan advisors, plan sponsors and participants on policy initiatives, Pontera said in a release.
Gomez most recently led the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) as assistant secretary of labor of the DOL. Under her leadership, the agency oversaw 801,000 retirement plans with combined assets of $12 trillion and ran the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
“Lisa headed the federal agency responsible for protecting retirement and health benefits of more than 153 million workers, retirees and their families. We couldn’t ask for better alignment in our mission of helping U.S. retirement savers,” said Yoav Zurel, CEO of Pontera. “Her deep understanding of the retirement landscape makes her an invaluable addition to the team and a champion for consumers to save, invest, and retire on their own terms by allowing their personal advisor access to their retirement plan assets.”
She was first nominated as assistant secretary of EBSA by former President Joe Biden in 2021 and was confirmed by the Senate in 2022.
She has over three decades of experience in employee benefits and retirement policy. Prior to her role at EBSA, Gomez was a partner with New York City-based law firm Cohen, Weiss, and Simon LLP and the firm’s Management Committee Chair.
Founded in 2012, Pontera is a fintech company helping advisors manage held-away accounts, including 401(k), 403(b), and other retirement funds. Advisors who manage accounts through Pontera can offer personalized advice and rebalancing directly on the platform.
“I’m excited to join Pontera at such a pivotal time,” said Gomez. “Giving participants greater control over the retirement assets they accrued through their jobs and a holistic view into their overall financial health is a mission I strongly believe in, and Pontera is uniquely positioned to lead this change.”
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Amanda Umpierrez is the Managing Editor of 401(k) Specialist magazine. She is a financial services reporter with nearly a decade of experience and a passion for telling stories and reporting news. She is originally from Queens, New York, but now resides in Denver, Colorado.
