Roundup: New York Life leads Million Dollar Round Table for 60th consecutive year

The QoL Performer Plus policy pays currently competitive interest, with guaranteed minimum interest crediting of 4 percent for the first five years and 2.25 percent thereafter. For more information on QoL Performer, visit www.qualityoflifeinsurance.com

Prudential Retirement adds new plan sponsor client Pittsburgh Glass Works

Prudential Retirement has added new plan sponsor client Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC, a manufacturer and distributor of automotive glass products. Prudential Retirement is a business unit of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU).

Pittsburgh Glass Works, LLC has 3,500 participants in its defined contribution plan with $232 million in assets. Founded in 1883, Pittsburgh Glass is a global leader in the manufacturing and distribution of a full range of automotive glass products, including windshields, sidelites, backlites and sunroofs. PGW's products serve the automotive original equipment market as well as the aftermarket and also subsequently added Prudential Retirement's managed account product as well.

Four new members join Benefit Advisors Network

Benefit Advisors Network (BAN) announced that four new benefit firms have been accepted as the newest members of the organization. BAN is a national network of progressive and visionary employee benefit brokers and consulting firms from across the United States. The five members include:

• Shirazi Benefits, LLC – Founded in 1976, Shirazi Benefits is one of the largest group benefits brokerages in northern Colorado – representing approximately 167 employer groups, ranging in size from one to 1,000 employees.
• The Insurance Exchange, Inc. – The Rockville, Maryland-based agency was founded in 1967 and serves the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland markets. The firm specializes in working with government contractors, technology, non-profits, social service organizations, associations, and construction.
• Morris & Reynolds Insurance – A family run business, Morris & Reynolds was founded in 1950 and currently employs over 65 people and writes nearly 10,000 policies per year. Their preferred client is in the middle market, with 100 or more employees. They offer a range of benefit, administration, loss control, and risk management-related solutions to the non-profit, medical, government, manufacturing, real estate, energy distribution, and hospitality industries.
• Insurity Group, LLC –Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the firm specializes in employee benefits, property & casualty, and personal lines of insurance. Insurity Group is licensed in all 50 states although their primary territory is the Chattanooga and North Georgia area. In the eight years since the company launched, it has grown into the second largest independent agency in the area with revenues at $2.5 million and 2000 customers in 2013.

"We have really seen an uptick in membership over the past few years as the industry is experiencing the "New Normal," said BAN executive director Perry Braun. "We continue to only admit the best-of-the-best firms across the country that recognize the need to collaborate with others, enabling them to enhance the value they bring to their clients," he added.

Pamela Sandy, CFP^® named 2015 FPA president-elect

The Financial Planning Association^® (FPA^®) announced that the board of directors has elected Pamela Sandy, CFP^® as the 2015 FPA president-elect for a one-year term. Sandy's term will begin on January 1, 2015, succeeding incoming 2015 FPA President Edward W. Gjertsen II, CFP^®.

Pamela Sandy has been providing financial advice to clients for nearly 25 years and is the founder and CEO of Cleveland-based CONFIANCE, LLC, a boutique advisory firm that offers financial planning and wealth management services to individuals across the country. She became a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP^®) professional in 1997 through the College for Financial Planning and an Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor^SM in 2013.

Sandy currently serves on the FPA board of directors where she is concluding a three-year term in 2014, and has held various FPA leadership roles both locally and nationally. She served on the FPA of Northeast Ohio Board and as the chapter's government relations director.

Sandy splits her time between Cleveland and Boston, Mass. and is a member of the FPA of Northeast Ohio and the FPA of Massachusetts chapters. She is currently pursuing an individualized focus degree she has deemed Political Finance – the study of how politics and public policy decisions affect the lives of individuals – through DePaul University in Chicago.

MassMutual adds seven regional sales directors for retirement plans

MassMutual's Retirement Services has added seven regional sales directors (RSDs) to support sales of defined contribution retirement plans in the emerging market. The additional RSDs will help support what MassMutual defines as the "emerging market" or typically retirement plans with less than $15 million in assets, according to Scott Buffington, vice president of sales for Retirement Services.

The RSDs support financial advisors and third-party administrators (TPAs), helping them to expand and diversify their practices by selling MassMutual's retirement plan products and services. The new RSDs and their territories are:

• Brian Cahal: Supports retirement plan sales in Southern Ohio. Cahal has more than 20 years of industry experience. Before joining MassMutual, he served Principal Financial Group, Fidelity and Paychex. He earned a Bachelor of Science at Ohio University, holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses, and life, variable and health insurance licenses.
• Will Deyoung, CEBS: Was promoted after serving as a regional sales consultant at MassMutual. He covers Fairfield County in Connecticut and Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam Counties in New York. He has 10 years of industry experience and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Anne Maria College, FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses, and a life insurance license.
• Jeff Isaac: Covers all distribution channels (wire houses, regional firms, independents and TPAs) on Long Island, New York. He has more than 10 years of industry experience, most recently at a regional advisor firm and previously at UBS in New York City. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New York at Albany, holds FINRA Series 7 and 66 licenses, a life insurance license, is a CRPS, and has obtained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation to improve his understanding of fiduciary roles.
• Tom O'Connell: Supports wire house advisors in Boston and Southern Massachusetts. He brings more than 10 years of experience to his role and was most recently at Lincoln Financial Group. Prior to that, he worked at ADP.  He earned a Bachelor of Science at Stonehill College and holds FINRA Series 6, 26 and 63 licenses and life, health and variable insurance licenses.
• Mark Robinson: Supports all channels in western North Carolina and has seven years of retirement plan experience, most recently with Paychex. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. John Fisher College.
• Ryan Rustler: Supports all distribution channels in Wisconsin. He has seven years of retirement plan sales experience with Paychex, The Retirement Advantage and ADP. He earned a Bachelor of Science at the University of Wisconsin and holds FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.
• Matt Solomon: Covers all channels in Indiana and most recently worked in retirement sales for TransAmerica; previously served as both an external and internal wholesaler for Nationwide. He has 13 years of experience in the retirement plans marketplace and has a Bachelor of Arts from Bluffton University and, FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses, and a life insurance license.

Standard Life Investment U.S. sales team adds insurance expertise

Standard Life Investments, a global investment manager, announced the appointment of Jim Giacin as head of insurance business development based in Boston. Giacin joins an expanding office at Standard Life Investments' U.S. headquarters and adds to a team focused on providing a variety of solutions for institutional investors. 

Previously, he was a director in the Financial Institutions Group at Bancorp Services, LLC. He has more than 20 years of extensive experience executing structured finance and investment management transactions in the financial institution marketplace.

OneAmerica^® appoints Pete J. Schroedle as retirement sales VP

Pete Schroedle has been named regional vice president of retirement sales for the central region of the companies of OneAmerica. In this newly created role, Schroedle will oversee the Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minnesota, San Antonio and St. Louis offices and will be based out of the corporate office in Indianapolis. Schroedle had previously been at Principal Financial Group for 22 years.

"Our clients and staff will undoubtedly benefit from Pete's extensive experience in the retirement plan market," said Paul Citron, vice president of national sales for the companies of OneAmerica. "Pete is a great fit for OneAmerica. He shares our core value of stewardship and aspires to help people secure their financial futures."