Retirement benefits

May 7, 2012 story: Principal Funds has added three new regional directors to the firm's investment only team: Marcel Dawson, Gary Nakamura and Pamela Suing, focusing on growth within the registered investment advisor distribution channel.

On April 30, 2012, Prudential Annuity has unveiled two new asset allocation portfolios and two new sub-advisors.

On April 26, 2012, Prudential Retirement has four new plan sponsor clients: Clampitt Paper; the luxury travel agency Virtuoso; Fisher Auto Parts, and Trimac Transportation.

On April 25, 2012, TAMRO Capital launched the TAMRO Small Cap Collective Fund, which is sponsored by Global Trust Company and available to ERISA-only clients

On April 19, 2012, the financial research and consulting organization LIMRA has hired Alison Salka to serve as corporate vice president and director of its retirement research division.

On April 13, 2012, MassMutual's Retirement Services Division has added three new sales directors to its sales and client management organization: Dararith Ly; John Randall and Raymond Zittlow.

On APril 12, 2012 Two industry groups, the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (“DCIIA”) and the Retirement Income Industry Association (“RIIA”), are launching a joint effort to promote greater awareness and participation in retirement programs.

The usage of defined contribution plans and collective investment trusts is growing quickly, resulting in a big impact on the ways that pension holders invest for the future, according to research released by SEI.

Bank of Montreal Global Asset Management has moved its defined contribution business away from its Institutional Trust services arm and given it a new brand name, BMO Retirement Services.

A federal judge has declared that Fidelity Investments and the American unit of ABB, Inc. violated federal laws by making pension holders pay excessive 401(k) plan fees, and has ordered the defendants to pay $36.9 million in damages.

Investors’ confidence rose during the first quarter of 2012, according to the newly-released John Hancock Investor Sentiment Index.

Officials at State Street Corporation today have a few billion reasons to smile.

Retirement plan provider ShareBuilder 401k has expanded its All-ETF 401(k) platform with five new funds.

Pentegra Retirement Services has hired Pete Swisher to serve as senior vice president for national sales.

John Hancock Financial Services has launched a television campaign, titled “You Are Not Alone,” that Hancock’s chief marketing officer, David Longfritz, says taps into the frustrations, as well as the resilience, of American investors now.

The independent broker-dealer network National Planning Holdings, Inc. has named Frank Hayn vice president of retirement plans.

A shift in American investor appetite towards investment outcome, as opposed to relative return, is changing their buying behavior, according to research published by Casey, Quirk & Associates and the eVestment Alliance.

PIMCO and the Vanguard Group received the highest favorable ratings from prospective institutional investors amidst leading asset managers, according to a new study released by Cogent Research.

Thanks to this strong yearly start in stocks, the typical plan’s funded status reached 74.1%, according to BNY Mellon Asset Management.

The vast majority of executives responsible for 401(k) plans at their companies are feeling less confident that employees are financially prepared for retirement, according to a survey by Deloitte.