New Hire Roundup: Beale, Kayajanian Join Security Benefit; DOL Picks New ERISA Council Members

The newly appointed members and the expertise they represent are:

Investment counseling: Josh Cohen is the defined contribution practice leader at Russell Investments in Chicago. He provides advice on fund selection, plan structure and participant support issues. He has authored numerous papers on defined contribution plan issues. He is a member of the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute and the Investment Analyst Society of Chicago.

Employers: Christina R. Cutlip is managing director and the head of plan sponsor service at TIAA-CREF in Fairfax, Va. She manages a team that works directly with nonprofit employers in the administration of their retirement and other welfare benefit plans. Cutlip has been active in the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources and the Council of Independent Colleges.

Actuarial consulting: Ronald Gebhardtsbauer is a professor in the actuarial science program of the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pa. Previously, he held positions with the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, the American Academy of Actuaries, Mercer's New York City Retirement Practice and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.

General public: Paul M. Secunda is a professor at Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, and has authored books and articles on employee benefits law. He previously practiced labor law at two firms in Philadelphia, and is a past chair of the section on employee benefits and executive compensation of the Association of American Law Schools.

Employee organizations: James I. Singer is a partner at the Schuchat, Cook & Werner law firm in St. Louis. He counsels labor unions and multiemployer benefit plans on the operation and administration of plans, and on compliance with ERISA and the tax code. He also represents employees in claims against employee benefit plans. Singer has served as senior editor of "Employee Benefits Law."

Signature Welcomes Carnathan

Signature Estate and Investment Advisors announced Monday the addition of Peter Carnathan to its Virginia offices.

With 20 years of industry experience, Carnathan joins from Fiduciary Trust Co. International. He also held previous roles at U.S. Trust, Mellon Private Wealth Management and Bank of America.

Backer Is New President of Hedge Funds Care

Hedge Funds Care announced Monday that Dean Backer has become its new president. He takes over from John Budzyna, who has just completed the second of his two-year terms in the post. Budzyna has been active in the organization as one of the original founders since 1998 and will remain available for help and guidance to the organization.

Backer has been a partner at Goldman Sachs since 2002, and is global head of sales and capital introduction in the firm's global securities services business. He has worked closely with and has serviced the hedge fund and broader alternative asset industry for most of his 21-year current tenure at Goldman.

Read the Dec. 13 New Hire Roundup at AdvisorOne.com.