When I joined the firm as a Financial Professional nearly 20 years ago, I made a commitment to focus primarily on America’s emerging retirement crisis. I soon recognized that the best way to make an impact was by improving the condition of 401(k) plans since they were quickly becoming the primary workplace retirement vehicle as traditional pensions began to fade. I discovered that at the time, most plans had hidden fees, mediocre investments, no fiduciary governance process, and offered little participant support. So, over the years I’ve worked to gain the specialized knowledge and to build the team required to provide the best possible outcomes for our employer clients and their employees. The 401(k) team I manage spends all of its time helping employers run successful group retirement plans and individuals plan and invest for an enjoyable and durable retirement.My journey into the group retirement plan advising arena began back in 2005 with my first 401k client and then in 2006 when I earned the Qualified Plan Specialist title from Equitable Advisors, LLC. Then in 2009 I completed the Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) and have been an active member ever since. In 2012, I had the opportunity to get involved with the “At Retirement” program offered through The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which focuses primarily on the decumulation and retirement income phase of life. Through this program I received the Retirement Planning Specialist title awarded by Equitable Advisors. Also in 2012, we joined the Retirement Plan Advisory Group (RPAG), which provides the best-in-class practice management platform in the industry.To keep current on the constantly shifting 401(k) landscape, I participate in quarterly industry calls with ERISA attorneys as well as Department of Labor (D.O.L.) and Washington DC policy experts and regularly attend a variety of annual 401(k) conferences. We take a neutral approach to all recordkeepers, TPAs, and investment options, which allows us to offer objective and conflict free advice to our clients. Retirement Planning Specialist -- Retirement Planning Specialist title awarded by Equitable Advisors, based upon receipt of a Certificate in Retirement Planning from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.Qualified Plan Specialist -- Qualified Plan Specialist title awarded by Equitable Advisors, based upon successful completion of an internal training program and written assessment.