The 20 Rising Stars of Retirement Plan Advisory 2008

As Pensionmark’s business grows, however, the industry will see substantial consolidation, Hammond predicted. “The momentum has already begun, where plan sponsors are recognizing the value of an experienced, dedicated retirement plan advisor to help them meet their fiduciary responsibilities,” he said.“The advisors that specialize in this industry and already have a substantial client base and infrastructure will most likely dominate the industry.” That bodes well for Hammond, who holds numerous certifications including Certified Financial Planner, Accredited Investment Fiduciary, PlanSponsor Retirement Professional, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist. In addition, he is a published author on retirement plans. 10 . EVA KALIVAS Kalivas obtained her NASD Series 7 and 63 licenses when she was just a sophomore in college. “The decision to specialize in the retirement services arena was two-fold: I viewed it as a long-term career, and I sincerely enjoy helping my clients make a difference in their future,” she said. Since then, she has obtained several additional licenses, as well as the Accredited Investment Fiduciary designation. EPIC Retirement Services, a National Retirement Partners member firm with seven employees, services 38 corporate and 200 retail clients with $202 million in plan assets. While the firm primarily targets mid-sized plans, it also works with small and large clients, Kalivas noted. “The utilization of an independent consultant has surfaced and is being examined more and more by clients,” she said.“The industry has been changing since the day I was first exposed to it more than 20 years ago, and it will continue to change. However, one thing continues to remain intact: Both corporate and individual clients are always in need of a professional’s assistance. What separates a dedicated professional in our field is dedication, honesty and proper ethics.” Kalivas, a first-generation Greek New Yorker who spends a lot of her free time in her parents’ homeland, is a pub- 11 . T. GREY KENNEDY lished author. Her book, I Get Knocked Down – A Woman’s Survival Guide to Business Life, was published in 2006, and she counts this as her biggest professional accomplishment to date. She has conducted numerous financial planning seminars and lectures throughout the country and has been a keynote speaker at industry events. 10. EVA KALIVAS Co-Founder EPIC Retirement Services Consulting, New York Age: 39 Education: St. John’s University (B.A. in Business Management) Mentors: Jeff Greenberg, CoFounder, EPIC Retirement Services Consulting; Robin Weingast, President, Robin S. Weingast & Associates; Frank Zappone, Principal, Maxim Group Kalivas co-founded EPIC Retirement Services in 1999 to provide independent, unbiased advice to the mid-sized 401(k) plan market.That move followed 10 years of working in the retirement plan industry, beginning with an internship at D.H. Blair & Co. while she was still a college student. She then worked for Prudential Insurance & Financial Services as a sales manager from December 1991 until September 1997 and at USI from January 1998 to September 1999 before deciding to venture out on her own. 28 RETIREMENT PLAN ADVISORY RISING STARS 1. 1 T. GREY KENNEDY 401(k) Practice Leader and Senior Investment Advisor Hylant Group, Cleveland Age: 32 Education: University of Colorado at Boulder (B.A. in Business Administration and Marketing) Mentor: Mike Hylant, Chief Executive Officer, Hylant Group Kennedy has worked in the 401(k) plan industry for more than 10 years and has been in his current role at the Hylant Group for more than seven years. The firm targets small to mid-sized companies with 50 to 2,000 employees, and his daily responsibilities include servicing SEPTEMBER 2008

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The 20 Rising Stars of Retirement Plan Advisory 2008 Contents Doing Well By Doing Good The Post-PPA Bounce Automatic Enrollment vs. Managed Account Unfair Advantage? You Bet The New World Order 20 Rising Stars of Retirement Plan Advisory Mentors’ Page

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