WiRC

The Women in Retirement Conference (WiRC) sponsors unique events that provide content built by women — and for women — in the retirement plan industry. Through in-person and virtual events, WiRC uniquely brings together women from across the industry to focus on five key areas: leadership, marketing, practice management, personal growth and advocacy.

Attendees of WiRC events are typically TPAs and financial advisors, but we also welcome advisor-firm home office staff and professionals in closely related job functions (ERISA attorneys, client service staff, relationship managers, etc.). Many WiRC participants are members of one or more of the American Retirement Association’s (ARA) sister organizations: American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA), American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).

THiRD THURSDAYS
with WiRC

In response to pandemic issues, WiRC created a series of virtual gatherings called “Third Thursdays.” These events are offered monthly and are complimentary to members. Like the in person WiRC conference, these 60-to-90-minute events have a unique vibe and feature industry presentations and attendee interaction. Each Third Thursdays experience focuses on one of the four core topic areas: leadership, marketing, practice management, or personal growth. They offer an accessible option to a wide range of women in the retirement industry and an opportunity to meet and connect with other professionals on a regular basis.

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Workplace Culture: Investing in diversity to create a financially strong workforce and company

August 18, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

HR professionals realize that we can all do better when assessing our culture and inclusiveness. What is an Employee Resource Group (“ERG”) or Employee Affinity Group (“EAG”)? How can these groups inspire a more engaged workforce? Can they be leveraged to promote financial literacy and security?
Join us to learn ways to promote diversity to attract, retain and engage the workforce while encouraging financial security.

Join us to learn ways to promote diversity to attract, retain and engage the workforce while encouraging financial security.

This session will provide:

- - Ideas for working with your clients, or as an HR professional and leadership team, to honor foundational values and support a diverse workforce in attaining financial security
  - How to retain and support a diverse workforce; what are actions you can take to align leadership and the different areas of a workforce for improved retirement savings or financial wellness
  - A forum to discuss how national DEI trends may be tailored to how you impact (interact) with your clients locally

Guest Speakers:
Stephanie Wemusa, MSOD, Director, Diversity, Equity Inclusion and Belonging, Mindbody and Adjunct Professor – Communications Trainer, San Jose State University
Kay Prescher, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Director, Total Rewards, Webcor
Barbara Giesing, MPA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CPSP, Owner, BAG HR Consulting

Hosted by: Third Thursday Committee Members

This session is complimentary to all members.

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Winning the Talent War: Arming yourself with knowledge of Non-Qualified Plans to recruit and retain top talent

July 21, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

What if you had the tools to help solve the biggest challenge companies are facing today? To win the “talent war” consider arming yourself with knowledge of Non-Qualified Plans. You don’t need to be an expert to be a resource. Join us to learn how strategically investing in your key employees can better your chances of recruiting and retaining top talent.

Learning Objectives:

- - Learn what non-qualified plans are, who is eligible, and how they work
  - How to identify when there is a great fit for non-qualified plan in an organization
  - Gain knowledge about the industry partners and resources who can assist with implementation and servicing these plans

In addition, there will be a special 5-minute segment at the beginning of our webcast from Newport highlighting the recent Newport/PLANSPONSOR NQDC survey. Attendees will be provided an advance copy of Newport’s full survey report.

Guest Speakers:
Jeffery Acheson, CPWA®, CFP®, CPFA®, AIF®, CEPA®
Chief Business Development Officer
Independent Financial Partners

Nicole Corning, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF®
Managing Partner
Buckman & Corning Financial Strategies Group

Erin Hall, MBA, AIF®, C(k)P®, CPFA®
Managing Director
Strategic Retirement Partners

Hosted by: Third Thursday Committee Members

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by:

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Level Up Your Advocacy

June 16, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Knowing what’s new, what’s not, and what’s relevant NOW is a key to leveling up in your career. Join us for an interactive (and sometimes surprisingly passionate) discourse on current retirement policy legislation, the ones we like, like but would modify, and the ideas that are already outdated and behind the times. During this session, Kelsey Mayo and the Government Affairs team will seek your direct input on the provisions that should be included in the next retirement legislative package. We will encourage a high level of interactivity between attendees.

Moderated by: Kelsey Mayo, Lead Employee Benefits Attorney at Poyner Spruill LLP, Director of Regulatory Affairs, American Retirement Association

Hosted by: Third Thursday Committee Members

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by:

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Grief & Loss of the Life that Was: Acknowledging Struggle & Learning How to Cope

May 19, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

To say that life has fundamentally changed since 2019 is something that you’ve all heard before. What we don’t talk about as much are the complex feelings so many people have as a result of that process. While we have mourned the physical loss of so many people in the past 2 years, it’s also important that we acknowledge the feelings of longing, grief, and loss of how we used to go about our daily lives. Not knowing how to name those feelings or how to deal with those emotions can sometimes be as painful as the loss itself. Whether it was a change in how you work, how you socialize, how your relationships have changed, or things even bigger than that – we’ve all lost a certain way of how we lived our lives in the ‘Before Time’. We want to normalize discussing this topic in our community, and that’s why we’ve invited a mental health at work specialist to come speak with us for that purpose.

Melissa Doman, MA is an Organizational Psychologist, Former Clinical Mental Health Therapist, & Author of Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work (Here’s Why And How To Do It Really Well).

Join us for a fireside interview with Melissa so that we can get a better understanding of what so many of us have experienced, why we need to normalize these discussions and practical tools we can use to manage this transition we’re all in. After the interview, there will be an opportunity to ask Melissa questions in real-time about the content that was discussed and we absolutely encourage you to participate in that portion of the event. You never how your question, or the resulting answer, may benefit others in our community. If you would like to learn more about Melissa, her work, or her book – please visit www.melissadoman.com. We look forward to seeing you there.

Speaker:
Melissa Doman, MA

Hosted by Third Thursday Committee Members:
Julie A. Altig, QPA, QKA
Owner/Partner
Atlantic Pension Services, Inc.

Kelly A. Hummel, QKA
Pension Administrator
Limestone Pension Associates, LLC

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by:

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Out Care Your Competition: The Power of a Customer-Centric Brand

April 21, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Think of today’s great consumer brands — Apple, Starbucks, Zappos. These companies have profoundly shifted their focus from commodities (cell phones, coffee, shoes) to the customer for long-term sustainable competitive advantage. The “secret sauce” these companies are bottling is simple: they get personal and connect at a human level. They create fierce brand loyalty, and those ecstatic fans willingly refer new customers. By focusing on exceeding expectations and “out-caring” the competition, attendees can drive new relationships and growth for their firms (and their careers). To be successful, leaders must deliver a customer-centric brand experience – one that builds trust, engagement and loyalty. Out Care Your Competition attendees will discover the essential elements that can turn customer-centric businesses into referrals and new growth for their practice.

Attendees will discover:

How to link customer discovery to strategy development
What it takes to understand customer needs and create the experience that goes beyond selling
Strategies for more impactful customer relationships

Speaker:

Sheri Fitts, Speaker | Consultant | Creator – Sheri Fitts & CO.

This session is complimentary to all members.

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Women Continue to #BreakTheBias

March 17, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

State Street Global Advisors takes action against companies who fail to add female directors to their boards – and as a result, companies are continuing to respond to their call and adding women to the highest positions of their organizations. With their gender diversity efforts and Fearless Girl campaign playing no small part, today there is global focus on the value of diversity in the boardrooms. Join State Street Global Advisors and the American Retirement Association, Thursday, March 17th at 4:30 p.m. ET as we celebrate Women’s Month and continue the work to #BreakTheBias – 365 days of the year. Let’s #GetToWiRC!

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Suze Orman on Empowering Employees through Financial Security

February 17, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

The true goal of money is security and empowerment, however around 65% of women feel anxious about their finances. Suze Orman, Co-founder of SecureSave, and Frances Evensen, Vice President of Sales at SecureSave, are on a mission to change that and help under-represented people in the workplace gain the financial security and empowerment we all deserve.

Join Suze and Frances for practical and tangible steps on how to effect positive change in your workplace by helping employees build financial security. During this session, Suze and Frances will discuss how to:

Generate a foundation of financial security for yourself and all of your employees through Emergency Savings Accounts
Ensure you have a financial wellness program that can actually drive impact and benefit your diverse workforce
Minimize the cost employee financial stress has on your business
Empower your employees and generate better business outcomes

Guest Speakers: Suze Orman Bestselling Author | Host of the Women & Money Podcast | Co-Founder of SecureSave and Frances Evensen, Vice President of Sales at SecureSave

Moderator: Nicole Corning, CFP^®, CRPC^®, AIF^® – Managing Partner, Fundamental Choice Portfolio Manager

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Giving the Gift of Service: Redefining Mentorship and Service with Rock the Street Wallstreet and The Standard

December 16, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

The Women in Retirement Community supports, strengthens, and educates women in the retirement industry profession. We’ve spent an entire year investing in ourselves through Third Thursday’s with WiRC. And now it’s time to pay it forward. In December, we will give the gift of service by investing in others. Our special guest will be Rock the Street, Wall Street (RTSW), a nonprofit financial and investment literacy program designed to spark the interest of a diverse population of high school girls into careers of finance through in school programming.

Our sponsor, The Standard, will take us beyond the traditional definition of mentorship and share a new definition, as an act of ongoing service — of giving and receiving.

Join us in our collective effort to Change who we invest in, to change what we invest in

Rock the Street, Wall Street Mission
To close the gender gap in wages, wealth accumulation and in financial professions, inspire girls to pursue the M in STEM, by exposing them to real life, positive money management role models. RTSWS sparks girls’ interest at a critical juncture in their lives, pre-college planning, and expands their perceptions of what a person who works in finance looks like beyond the traditional stereotypes. Since launching in 2013, more than 3,000 girls have graduated from the year-long program.

Hosted by:
Emily Minnich and Megan Crawford
(Women in Retirement Conference Co-Chairs)

Presenters:
Katie Sheliga, Institutional Sales Director
Rita Taylor-Rodriguez, TPA Sales Director at The Standard

Special guest:
Rep., Rock the Street, Wall Street

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Thankful for Our Industry Partners

November 18, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

With all we’ve navigated over the past two years, we’ve got a lot to be thankful for. Have you ever taken a moment to be intentional about thanking your industry partners? Join us for a discussion about different retirement plan solutions, best practices, and partners, and how these can make a positive difference in your professional life, the life of your participants, and help you to accomplish better outcomes for plan participants.

Speakers:
Gabrielle Turner, CPSP™, PSCA, Director of Human Resources at Caroo.
Ryan Stover, NAPA, Principal, Retirement Services at Marsh and McLennan

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Women's Economic Security. Get the Facts. Get Engaged.

August 19, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Women are too often reduced to their positions on social issues in political conversations.

Women have an important voice on economic issues as they balance and navigate challenges of gender equality, the high cost of healthcare and education, working while raising children, the burden of caregiving, the future of jobs in the new economy, preparedness for retirement, and access to capital for small businesses.

Join us to learn How to Get Engaged on issues promoting women’s economic security. Why Engage? Because money issues are the ultimate women’s issue. Rooted in the reality that women outnumber, outvote and outlive men, Engage places economic security at the forefront of the legislative agenda.

Speaker:
Rachel Pearson, Engage

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

Beautiful,Afro,American,Woman,Eating,Vegetable,Salad,At,Home.

* Session is complimentary for all members.

“Right Now” Health Hacks for the Busy Professional

July 15, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Join us as we expand one of this year’s first third Thursday topics, not just living but “thriving”. Lack of time, too much stress, and burnout are common complaints from buy professional. It’s time to re-up on the things that keep us well. Join us and get some of what you really need . . . right NOW: health hacks to help busy professional women manage their lives!

We will have two external experts join us as we learn more about this important topic!

First, we will meet Dr. Jennifer Lin sharing her passion for taking conventional medicine, mixing in alternative treatments, then throwing in functional medicine to help busy professionals manage and biohack a healthy life! A busy and successful professional woman herself, Dr. Lin understands the challenges women face and she strives to provide useful and valuable information to help women lead a healthier, less stressed life with more time to enjoy the things they are passionate about.

No question for the doctor is off limits! We’ll hear about:

Biohacks gain more free time in our lives
Biohacks to reduce inflammation (the usual cause of disease)
Tips and tricks to reduce stress (for real)
Clearing up nutrition confusion
Other things that affect our health that we’ve likely never heard about

After increasing our health knowledge, we will move our bodies! We will get some tips and tricks from a certified yoga teacher! Patricia will show us some great yoga that we can do every day no matter where we are (even in our office!). Wear comfortable clothes as we will be exploring some yoga and breathing tips together!

Join us as Dr. Lin and Patricia help you solve for the most difficult issue especially for the modern professional woman – figure out what you can do NOW to thrive.

Event Speakers:
Patricia Puig, Pinnacle Plan Design, Certified Yoga Instructor
Dr. Jennifer Lin, Concierge Family Practice Medical Doctor

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

Business,Woman,Taking,Rest,At,The,Rooftop

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Intentional Networking

June 17, 2021
4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

The program you are about to experience – Intentional Networking – is designed to help you maximize relationships and ultimately transform the way you network. In this highly interactive session, we will cover the art and science behind networking, tips to approach networking, and the practical application. The session will take approximately 1.5 hours and will conclude with the 1-2 immediate action steps to catapult you towards a more intentional networking approach. Whether you’re an expert networker seeking to take your game to the next level or are starting from scratch, you’ll learn techniques to make your networking—and you—more intentional.

Event Presenter:
Jessica Fox, Vice President, Strategic Relations
Jessica currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Relations for Prudential Retirement. She is responsible for partnering with the nation’s top advisory and consulting firms throughout the U.S, with a focus on supporting growth initiatives and developing strong relationships with key intermediaries.

Prior to this role, Jessica specialized in nonqualified executive benefits. As a member of the Business Development team at MullinTBG, she was responsible for cultivating relationships with key intermediaries in an effort to drive new business opportunities. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise in plan design and informal funding strategy, and brings a unique perspective to her interactions with partners and clients.

Prudential Retirement delivers retirement plan solutions for public, private, and nonprofit organizations our services include state-of-the-art recordkeeping, administrative services, investment and risk management, comprehensive employee communications, and trustee services.

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Helping Executive Women Achieve their Biggest Dream

May 20, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

You grow in the direction of your goals. However, with a global pandemic and a lot of uncertainty, it can be challenging to get in the right mindset to set goals that actually matter.

During this workshop, participants will learn:

How to set personal and professional goals that align with their long-term vision.
The three things they need to move from setting a goal to confidently executing it with ease, even while juggling multiple responsibilities.
How to break their goals down to mini-milestones so they stay motivated, focused, and on track.

Event Presenter:
L’areal Lipkins, Author, A Woman with Vision

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Training Fundamentals for a Virtual Workplace

April 22, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Building and sustaining a great team starts with effective training. In this new era of remote learning, ensure your training program reaches your people when they work from home.

Set the virtual experience for maximum trainee engagement
Share training content for optimal retention in a remote environment
Assess your team’s performance and improvement

Presenter:
Amy Garman, Capital Group. TPA Internal Retirement Plan Counselor

This session is complimentary to all members.

Sponsored by

Head,Shot,Close,Up,Happy,Attractive,Businesswoman,Looking,Away,,Feeling

* Session is complimentary for all members.

One Voice. One Goal.

March 18, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

I was today years old when I realized I was a part of the American Retirement Association and had four sisters. You are not alone! Many of us get lost in the alphabet soup that is the American Retirement Association. But the ARA’s Council for Women is here to set the record straight and explain exactly what it is each sister organization does and most importantly how each can be a resource for you to grow your business and knowledge base. As members of the five sister organizations, we represent every aspect of the retirement industry. There is power in our breadth and depth of knowledge—especially when we speak with one voice and work towards one goal: to strengthen the American retirement system.

This session is complimentary to all members.

Presented by the ARA Council for Women.

Presented by:

ASEA – Lynn M. Young, EA, MSEA, Partner / Consulting Actuary, Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC
ASPPA – Shannon M. Edwards, ERPA, QPA, QKA, APA, APR, President, TriStar Pension Consulting
NAPA – Nicole Corning, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® – Managing Partner, Buckman & Corning Financial Strategies Group, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network
NTSA – Kristine J. Coffey, CPC, CPFA™, CRES, Executive Vice President, CPE Associates, Ltd. SOUTHWEST and MIDWEST, International Consulting
PSCA – Michelle R. McGovern, Director, Human Resources and Operations, American College of Surgeons

Sponsored by:

* Session is complimentary for all members.

THRIVE in 2021 with WiRC: A Virtual Wellbeing Experience

February 18, 2021
4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

2020 propelled us into a new reality – one which we did not choose and that felt, at times, overwhelming, frightening and chaotic. While many are focused on merely how to survive, those who attend this virtual event will leave with a mindset that will help them THRIVE in 2021.

This dynamic 90 minute virtual experience kicks off with a cooking class focusing on easy to prepare foods using ingredients that support optimizing our energy, followed by an interactive session that will focus on physical wellbeing as the cornerstone of our health so that we can be more fully engaged in our life and work heading into 2021.

This session is complimentary to all members.

Featured Co-WiRCers:

Kim DiGiovanni, Your Chief Experience Officer
Rama Ginde, Chef
Melinda Dransfield, founder of the Breakthrough Performance Group and Chief Wellbeing Officer for Happiitude

Sponsored by:

* Session is complimentary for all members.

Session has been SOLD OUT.

HerStory: Leadership & Growth of Women in Retirement

January 21, 2021
4:30 p.m. Eastern

Join us for our first Third Thursday with WiRC session of 2021, HerStory: Leadership and Growth of Women in Retirement. Shape the story of your experience as a professional in the retirement industry. Hear the story of 4 women in the retirement industry and the opportunities they have participated in – also available to you!

Edit your story by strengthening your networks, sharpening your skills, or learning of new tools add to your tool box. This session is complimentary to all members.

Featured Co-WiRCers:

Nicole Corning, CFP®, CRPC®, AIF® – Managing Partner, Buckman & Corning Financial Strategies Group, Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network
Janine J. Moore, AIF, CFS, CPFA™, Senior Vice President, Retirement Practice Leader – Texas, Peak Financial Group, a division of HUB International
Apryl M. Pope, CFP, CPFA, Financial Advisor, Partner, Retirement Plan Partners, LLP, Owner, Pope Financial Planning, LLC
Lynn Young, Lynn M. Young, EA, MSEA, Partner / Consulting Actuary, Pinnacle Plan Design, LLC

Sponsored by:

WiRC Committee Steering Committee

ASPPA

Kelly Hummel, QKA
Limestone Pension Associates
Newark, DE

Angie Moore
Kemper CPA Group LLP
Vincennes, IN

PSCA

Barbara Giesing, CPSP™
Vice President of Human Resources
Plano, TX

Lenora Hernandez, PHRca®, CPSP

NTSA

Rian Steinbiss, CRES
Clearpath Wealth Partners, LLC -Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc.
Marlton, NJ

Darlene Flagg
Vice President, Retirement National Life Group

NAPA

Kathy Seimet
Gallagher
Bloomfield Hills, MI

ASEA

HuiHui Jiang
Chief Actuary & Partner
ERISA Pension Systems
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Emeritus Members

Julie A. Altig, QPA,QKA (ASPPA)
V.P. of Operations, Atlantic Pension Services, Inc.
Kennett Square, PA

Virginia Krieger Sutton, QKA, QPFC (ASPPA)
Consultant, Johnson & Dugan
Redwood City, CA

WiRC

THiRD THURSDAYS with WiRC

Workplace Culture: Investing in diversity to create a financially strong workforce and company

August 18, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Winning the Talent War: Arming yourself with knowledge of Non-Qualified Plans to recruit and retain top talent

July 21, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Level Up Your Advocacy

June 16, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Grief & Loss of the Life that Was: Acknowledging Struggle & Learning How to Cope

May 19, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Out Care Your Competition: The Power of a Customer-Centric Brand

April 21, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Women Continue to #BreakTheBias

March 17, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Suze Orman on Empowering Employees through Financial Security

February 17, 2022 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Giving the Gift of Service: Redefining Mentorship and Service with Rock the Street Wallstreet and The Standard

December 16, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Thankful for Our Industry Partners

November 18, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Women's Economic Security. Get the Facts. Get Engaged.

August 19, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

“Right Now” Health Hacks for the Busy Professional

July 15, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Intentional Networking

June 17, 2021 4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

Helping Executive Women Achieve their Biggest Dream

May 20, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

Training Fundamentals for a Virtual Workplace

April 22, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

One Voice. One Goal.

March 18, 2021 4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

THRIVE in 2021 with WiRC: A Virtual Wellbeing Experience

February 18, 2021 4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

HerStory: Leadership & Growth of Women in Retirement

January 21, 2021 4:30 p.m. Eastern

WiRC Committee Steering Committee

ASPPA

PSCA

NTSA

NAPA

ASEA

Emeritus Members

THiRD THURSDAYS
with WiRC

August 18, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

July 21, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

June 16, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

May 19, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

April 21, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

March 17, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

February 17, 2022
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

December 16, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

November 18, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

August 19, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

July 15, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

June 17, 2021
4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

May 20, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

April 22, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

March 18, 2021
4:30–5:30 p.m. Eastern

February 18, 2021
4:30–6:00 p.m. Eastern

January 21, 2021
4:30 p.m. Eastern