Industry experts worked alongside representatives from Pensions & Investments and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association to evaluate entries in the 2018 Excellence & Innovation Awards.
The program recognizes DC plan executives who develop creative and innovative programs to help improve participants' retirement incomes. The awards also strive to recognize excellence in execution.
To arrive at the nine winners, judges individually scored each online entry, trimming the initial list to 16 finalists.
"We were heartened to see all of the very good work that's being done across the country to try to bolster retirement preparedness and security for Americans," said Amy Resnick, editor of Pensions & Investments as well as a program judge. "The work of these nine individuals epitomizes excellence in execution and innovation in plan design."
The external judges were:
- Katie Archer, director, health and welfare plans benefits design, planning and analysis, The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., Hartford, Conn.
- Peg Knox, chief operating officer, Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association, San Francisco.
- Lori Lucas, president and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute, Washington.
- Annamaria Lusardi, academic director, Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center, George Washington University School of Business, Washington.
- Christopher Lyon, partner, Rocaton Investment Advisors LLC, Norwalk, Conn.
- Jamie McAllister, senior vice president and defined contribution consultant, Callan LLC, Chicago.
- Lew Minsky, president and chief executive officer, Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
- Mikaylee O'Connor, consultant, principal, RVK Inc., New York.
- Keith Overly, executive director, Ohio Deferred Compensation, Columbus.
- William Ryan, associate partner, Aon Hewitt Investment Consulting, Chicago.
Additional P&I judges were Julie Tatge, executive editor, Chicago; Robert Steyer, defined contribution reporter, New York; and Meaghan Kilroy, former defined contribution reporter.
