The Governing Board of Western Pension & Benefits Council invites you to the attend the following webinar:

Breaking Boundaries: Exploring the Future of DC Plans 

Wednesday, May 29, 2024
8:30 AM to 9:30 AM PDT 

Kate Whitmore 
Vice President, Business Development - Pooled Plans
Ascensus

Preston Traverse 
Partner, DC & Financial Wellness
Mercer

Alex Xie
Pooled Employer Plan Market Leader
AON 

Michael Clark, Moderator
Chief Commercial Officer 
Agilis

$50 for members / $65 for non-members
Continuing Education Credits Available!

Presentation Description

With the advent of Pooled Employer Plans and Group of Plan arrangements stemming from the SECURE Act, employers have numerous ways that they can implement defined contribution plan benefits. Speakers in this webinar will compare and contrast the features of three pooled arrangements: pooled employer plans (PEPs), group of plans (GOPs), and the traditional multiple employer plans (MEPs).

Learning Objectives

• Understand the structure of Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs), Group of Plans (GOPs), and the transition from Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs) to PEPs.
• Analyze the growth of the Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) industry, focusing on streamlined line-ups and their impact on retirement benefits.
• Explore the features and benefits of Group of Plans (GOPs), comparing them with PEPs and MEPs to identify opportunities, challenges, and future trends in defined contribution plans.

Kate Whitmore is the Vice President of Business Development, Pooled Plans at Ascensus, where she spearheads initiatives to expand pooled retirement plans by collaborating with advisors to drive adoption of existing programs and forge new partnerships. With 19 years of financial services expertise, Kate has cultivated a network of trusted alliances with numerous advisory and consulting firms.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Ithaca College. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kate resides in East Grand Rapids, MI, with her husband Ryan, and their children Lucas and Hayden.

Preston Traverse is currently a Partner in the Defined Contribution Segment since September 2018.  Prior to this position he was Chief Operating Officer for the DC & Financial Wellness group within Mercer Investment Management.  The DC & Financial group focusses on defined contribution and financial wellness advice and solutions for companies within the United States.  He has been in the position since March of 2016.

Prior to joining Mercer, Preston was Global Head of Marketing and Product Management.  He had overseen product management and development since The Boston Company in 2006. In addition, he assumed oversight of the Marketing/E-Business group and the Communications, Media and RFP team in 2013.  Preston also was chair of the Product Committee, which determined overall product strategy as well as specific product capabilities.  

Prior to joining The Boston Company, Preston held product management and development positions at Mellon Asset Management, where he worked from 2004 to 2006, and Fleet Bank/Bank of America, where he worked from 1998 to 2004.  In these roles, he was responsible for the development of legal structures and delivery vehicles for investment management capabilities; the creation, design and implementation of new products; and the launch of collective funds, hedge funds and mutual funds.  Previously, he worked as a Client Service Manager at Boston Financial Data Services from 1996 to 1998 and as a Mutual Fund Representative at Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc., from 1992 to 1994. 

Preston received a BA in History from Denison University and an MBA from Boston University.

Alex Xie is a retirement actuary and serves as a market leader for Aon’s 401(k) Pooled Employer Plan within Aon U.S. Wealth Solutions practice. In this role, he is responsible for delivering innovative retirement plan strategies and solutions to US employers. Following the passage of the SECURE Act, Alex has helped design, build, and launch the Aon Pooled Employer Plan that provides a more efficient retirement plan solution to American employers and workers.  

Michael Clark is a Managing Director and Consulting Actuary in Agilis’s Denver office. In his role he consults on all aspects of financial risk management for defined benefit plans as well as retiree medical plans and defined contribution plans. He also has led numerous clients through pension risk transfers as well as other complex, strategic pension projects. Michael leads River and Mercantile’s business in the West as well as Business Development for the US. Prior to joining River and Mercantile in 2013, Michael worked for Mercer as well as October Three. He is a Past President of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries and also participates in the leadership of the Western Pension & Benefits Council – Denver Chapter. Michael is a frequent speaker at industry and professional association conferences and has had several articles published in major trade magazines. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary, a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder, a Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Michael graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University with a BS in Statistics.

Continuing Education

• 1 hour CE for AIF (pending)
• 1 hour ur CE for CEBS
• 1 hour CE for CFP (pending)
• 1 hour CE for ERPA
• 1 hour CE for JBEA
• 1 hour CE for ASPPA
• 1 hour CPE for NIPA
• 1 hour CE for CRPS
• 1 hour CEP for California CPAs 
• 1 hour of California MCLE 

A Special Thank You to Our Sponsor

Sincerely,

Bridget Davidson 
Webinar Coordinator | Western Pension & Benefits Council 
(503) 866-6384 Mobile
PO Box 2023 | Gresham, OR 97030 
webinars@westernpension.org  |  www.westernpension.org

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