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American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)

Finnegan Honored With ASPPA’s Harry T. Eidson Founders Award
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 26, 2022

National Harbor, MD — The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) has honored Thomas (Tom) Finnegan with the prestigious Harry T. Eidson Founders Award during the association’s 2022 ASPPA Annual Conference.  The award recognizes retirement professionals that have made a lasting impact on the industry.

Finnegan’s career spans over 30 years in the employee benefits field. He currently provides actuarial, design and consulting services to a broad spectrum of plan sponsors in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Throughout his career, Finnegan has served as president of the American Retirement Association (ARA), the ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA) and the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). He is also a former board member of the American Academy of Actuaries (AAA).

“I’m incredibly honored to join the previous distinguished recipients of The Eidson Award,” said Finnegan. “It is humbling to be recognized by my industry colleagues and by an organization which has led the retirement industry in both advocacy and education such as ASPPA.”

ASPPA established the Eidson Award in 1995 to honor the memory of its founder, Harry T. Eidson. His belief in the importance of the employer-sponsored retirement system in the United States and in having an organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing such a system was the inspiration for the formation of ASPPA in 1966.  A list of previous winners is available at https://www.asppa-net.org/member/eidson-award.  

 

About ASPPA 

ASPPA and its four sister organizations — ASEA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 26,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, DC area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information please visit www.ASPPA.org.

 

Media Contact:
Nevin E. Adams, JD
Chief Content Officer
703.516.9300 Ext 114
[email protected]

ASPPA Honors Lynn Young with Distinguished Educator’s Award
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 26, 2022

National Harbor, MD  - The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) honored Lynn Young, EA, FSEA, with the 2022 Educator’s Award during the ASPPA Annual Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD.

 

Lynn Young is a Partner at Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC. She is an Enrolled Actuary with over 38 years of experience in the consulting and administration of qualified defined benefit, cash balance, and defined contribution plans. As an Enrolled Actuary, Lynn specializes in actuarial consulting and third-party administration of defined benefit retirement plans, both for direct clients as well as for other TPAs as their back-office actuary.

 

Lynn is a past President of the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA, formerly ACOPA) and a current member of the Board of the American Retirement Association (ARA). In 2021 she was named a Fellow of the Society of Enrolled Actuaries, the highest achievement within ASEA.

 

Nominations are accepted every year by the Education & Examination Committee for ASPPA's Educator's Award. The award recognizes outstanding educators from the ASPPA membership who have made significant contributions to retirement plan education. Educator's Award recipients are invited to attend ASPPA’s Annual Conference where they receive a commemorative plaque. Articles about awardees are featured in ASPPA Connect.

 

About ASPPA 

ASPPA and its four sister organizations — ASEA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 26,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, DC area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information please visit www.ASPPA.org.

 

About the American Retirement Association

The American Retirement Association, based in the Washington, D.C. area, is a non-profit professional organization established to empower retirement plan professionals who are dedicated to building a better retirement for Americans. The American Retirement Association is comprised of five premier retirement industry associations; the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries  (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).  For more information, visit www.usaretirement.org.

 

Media Contact:
Nevin E. Adams, JD
Chief Content Officer
703.516.9300 Ext 114
[email protected]

 

 

Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Award Recipients Recognized
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 26, 2022

National Harbor, MD - Three industry professionals were honored with the 2022 Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Award at the recent 2022 ASPPA Annual Conference in National Harbor, Md.

 

The 2022 winners are:

  • Meagan Waynick, QKA, an Account Manager at InWest Retirement Solutions, Inc., for outstanding performance on the 2021 QKA-2 examination;
  • Kristie Horrell, a Senior Documents Specialist at Newport Group, for outstanding performance on the 2021 QKA-2 examination;
  • Jeff Ziegler with Newport Group, for outstanding performance on the 2021 QKA-1 examination.

 

The Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Awards are presented in honor of the late Martin Rosenberg, a Fellow of ASPPA, and are designed to recognize top performing examination candidates based upon their total score as well as their overall exam performance. ASPPA established the award in 1990.

 

About ASPPA 

ASPPA and its four sister organizations — ASEA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 26,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, DC area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information please visit www.ASPPA.org.

 

About the American Retirement Association

The American Retirement Association, based in the Washington, D.C. area, is a non-profit professional organization established to empower retirement plan professionals who are dedicated to building a better retirement for Americans. The American Retirement Association is comprised of five premier retirement industry associations; the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries  (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).  For more information, visit www.usaretirement.org. 

 

Media Contact:
Nevin E. Adams, JD
Chief Content Officer
703.516.9300 Ext 114
[email protected]

Young Honored with 2022 Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 25, 2022

ARLINGTON, VA – The American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA) has honored Lynn M. Young EA, FSEA with the 2022 Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award.

The award is presented annually to a pension actuary who has gone above and beyond the call of the profession in advancing ethics, education, beneficial legislation or regulations that enhance the private pension system or the professionalism of enrolled actuaries within the private pension system.  Ed Burrows was a beacon in this regard, and ASEA honors him by presenting an award that recognizes those who follow his example.

Young is a partner of Pinnacle Plan Design, and is an enrolled actuary with over 38 years of experience in the consulting and administration of qualified defined benefit, cash balance, and defined contribution plans. As an enrolled actuary, Lynn specializes in actuarial consulting and third-party administration of defined benefit retirement plans.

Lynn is the Past-President of the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA, formerly ACOPA). Lynn, along with her fellow actuaries at Pinnacle, authored the 2016-present Editions of the Defined Benefit Answer Book, published by Wolters Kluwer.

I can’t think of a more deserving person of this award than Lynn. She embodies everything the award represents – an actuary that has gone above and beyond in enhancing our profession, commented ASEA Past President Lauren Okum.  “Even when I called to inform her of the award, our conversation ended with her recruiting me to volunteer for another ASEA committee. Classic Lynn!”

 

About the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA)

The ASEA is part of the American Retirement Association. ASEA is responsible for identifying and addressing the professional development needs of the organization’s actuarial membership, preparing formal comments, position papers, and other relevant pronouncements involving federal regulatory authorities and standard setting bodies, and carrying out ASPPA’s responsibilities as one of the recognized U.S.-based actuarial organizations.

 

Media Contact:

Nevin E. Adams, JD, Chief Content Officer, (703) 516-9300 Ext. 114, [email protected]

ASPPA Welcomes Bonestroo as President
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 24, 2022

National Harbor, MD  - At its annual conference, the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)  welcomed Justin Bonestroo as the organization’s new president, with a term to begin on January 1, 2023.

 

Bonestroo is a senior vice president at CBIZ Retirement Plan Services.  He is a member of the Society of Pension Actuaries (MSPA), and an Enrolled Actuary (EA).  He recently concluded a term as President of the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries, one of the sister associations of the American Retirement Association.

 

Joining Bonestroo as ASPPA Officers for 2023 are:

  • President-Elect: Amanda Iverson, APM
  • Vice President: JJ McKinney, CPC, QPA, QKA
  • Immediate Past President: Natalie Wyatt

 

In addition to the ASPPA officer changes on January 1, there will be two new at-large members joining the ASPPA Leadership Council: Jason Grantz and Richard Phillips.  Missy Matrangola and Bill Presson will be leaving the ASPPA LC on December 31, 2022.

 

About ASPPA 

ASPPA and its four sister organizations — ASEA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 26,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, DC area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information, please visit www.ASPPA.org.

 

About the American Retirement Association

The American Retirement Association, based in the Washington, D.C. area, is a non-profit professional organization established to empower retirement plan professionals who are dedicated to building a better retirement for Americans. The American Retirement Association is comprised of five premier retirement industry associations; the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries  (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).  For more information, visit www.usaretirement.org. 

 

Media Contact:
Nevin E. Adams, JD
Chief Content Officer
703.516.9300 Ext 114
[email protected]

ASPPA Welcomes Nolan as 50th President
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 22, 2018

National Harbor, MD — The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries welcomed James R. Nolan, QPA, as the 2019 President of the organization during the 2018 ASPPA Annual Conference in National Harbor, MD.

Nolan will succeed current ASPPA President Adam Pozek in January.

Nolan is the founder (in 1979) and chairman of the board of The Nolan Company in Overland Park, KS, an independent TPA providing recordkeeping, administration, actuarial and plan design services serving clients in 49 states. He has served on ASPPA’s Leadership Council since 2013.

Joining Nolan as ASPPA Officers for 2019 are:

  • President-Elect: Miriam (“Missy”) Matrangola
  • Vice President: Frank Porter
  • Immediate Past President: Adam Pozek

In addition, three ASPPA members were elected to open seats on the ASPPA Leadership Council at the Oct. 21 Business Meeting:

  • JJ McKinney
  • Bill Presson
  • Natalie Wyatt
About the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)

ASPPA, and its four sister organizations — ACOPA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 20,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information please visit, www.ASPPA.org.

Media Contact: Nevin E. Adams, JD, Chief Content Officer, American Retirement Association, 703.516.9300 Ext. 114, [email protected]

Iwry Honored With ASPPA’s Harry T. Eidson Founders Award
American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) | October 22, 2018

National Harbor, MD — The American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) honored Mark Iwry with the prestigious Harry T. Eidson Founders Award during the Oct. 21 opening session of the 2018 ASPPA Annual Conference.

Iwry, currently a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC., a Visiting Scholar at The Wharton School, and a Senior Policy Advisor to AARP, also serves as a member of the board of advisors of, or otherwise advises, the American Benefits Institute, the Council of Scholar Advisors of the Georgetown University Center for Retirement Initiatives, the Panel of Outside Scholars of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, United Income, Inc., and Blueprint Income, Inc. From 2009 to 2017, he served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on employer-provided retirement, health plans and tax policy. Iwry is a long-time proponent of automatic features in 401(k) plans and auto-enrollment in IRA programs.

ASPPA established the Eidson Award in 1995 to honor the memory of its founder, Harry T. Eidson. His belief in the importance of the employer-sponsored retirement system in the United States and in having an organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing such a system was the inspiration for the formation of ASPPA in 1966.  A list of previous winners is available at https://www.asppa-net.org/member/eidson-award.  

Other industry awards presented at the organization’s Nation Conference included:

Educator’s Award

The 2018 Educator’s Award was presented to Margaret (“Maggie”) Younis, ERPA, CPC, QPA, QKA, TGPC. Younis is a Senior Consultant with Lincoln Financial Group with more than 19 years of experience in the industry.

The Educator’s Award was established in 1997 to recognize and honor outstanding educators. It is awarded to an ASPPA member who has made a significant contribution to retirement plan education.

Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award

At the annual ACOPA Actuarial Symposium in August, longtime ACOPA member Norman Levinrad was presented with the 2018 Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award. Levinrad is the founder, owner and chief actuary of Summit Benefit & Actuarial Services, Inc. in Eugene, OR. With more than 35 years of experience in the pension industry, he has been a frequent speaker at national pension conferences for the past 25 years and has served in many leadership roles in the profession.

The Burrows Award is presented annually to a pension actuary who has, by his or her actions, set an example for other pension actuaries. This is an actuary who has gone above and beyond in forwarding ethics, education, beneficial legislation or regulations (or such other actions as the selection committee deems appropriate) that enhance the private pension system or the professionalism of enrolled actuaries within the private pension system. Burrows was a beacon in this regard, and ACOPA honors him by presenting an award that recognizes those who follow in his path.

Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Awards

ASPPA honored three industry professionals with the 2018 Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Award:

  • Molly Tollefson, for receiving a perfect score and outstanding performance on the DC-1 exam;

  • Nita Parekh, for receiving a perfect score and outstanding performance on the DC-1 exam; and

  • Lauren Akisada, for receiving a perfect score and outstanding performance on the DC-2 exam.

The Martin Rosenberg Academic Achievement Awards are presented in honor of the late Martin Rosenberg, a Fellow of ASPPA, and are designed to recognize top performing examination candidates based upon their total score as well as their overall exam performance. ASPPA established the award in 1990.

PenChecks Trust/ASPPA QKA Scholarship Endowment

Six PenChecks Trust/ASPPA QKA Scholarships were awarded to individuals interested in pursuing ASPPA’s Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) credential. The scholarships will cover the QKA exam registration fees, related exam publications and the awardee’s first year of membership dues. The 2018 scholarship recipients are:

  • Calvan Medeiros-Rice, Client Service Manager at the Hilb Group of New England

  • Amy Evans, Compliance Analyst at Newport Group

  • Kevin Tomek, TPA Account Executive at American Retirement Plan Services

  • Grame Hansell, Retirement Plan Support Administrator at Associated Benefit Planners

  • Megan Yearous, Retirement Plan Services Consultant at Paradigm Benefits

  • Christina Smalls, Administrator at Midwest Pension Actuaries

 

About the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA)

ASPPA, and its four sister organizations — ACOPA, NTSA, NAPA, and PSCA — comprise the American Retirement Association, the premier organization for more than 20,000 retirement plan professionals nationwide. Based in the Washington, D.C. area, ASPPA is a non-profit professional organization established to educate all types of retirement plan professionals, and to preserve and enhance the employer-based retirement plan system as part of the development of a cohesive and coherent national retirement income policy. For more information please visit, www.ASPPA.org.

Media Contact: Nevin E. Adams, JD, Chief Content Officer, American Retirement Association, 703.516.9300 Ext. 114, [email protected]

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