Nationwide’s John Carter Named IRI Board Chairman

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) today announced the election of John Carter, President and Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Retirement Plans, as the new Chairman of the IRI Board of Directors. As Chairman, Mr. Carter follows Larry Roth, Immediate Past Chairman of the IRI Board. IRI also announced the election of eight new Board members, the re-election of three Board members, as well as the election of officers and Executive Committee members.

New Board members elected to serve three-year terms expiring in 2016 are: William Benjamin, CEO, U.S. Bancorp Investments Inc. and U.S. Bancorp Insurance Services; Mitchell H. Caplan, CEO, Jefferson National Financial; Caroline O’Connell, Chief Strategy Officer and Managing Director, Pershing LLC, a BNY Mellon company; Michael Perry, Managing Director and Head of Wealth Management Advice and Platforms, UBS Distribution; Michael G. Saliba, Managing Director, Strategic Alliances Group, BlackRock; Thomas A. Swank, President and CEO, Individual Savings and Retirement, Transamerica; Edward D. Van Dolsen, EVP and President, Retirement and Individual Financial Services, TIAA-CREF; and Marc A. Vosen, CEO, Key Investment Services.

Board members re-elected to serve three-year terms expiring in 2016 are: Ben Huneke, Managing Partner, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Investment Products and Services; John Papadopulos, President, Wells Fargo Retirement, Wells Fargo & Company; and David Tyrie, Managing Director, Head of Personal Wealth and Retirement, Global Wealth and Retirement Solutions, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

IRI also announced the election of three Board members to serve as officers for one-year terms expiring in 2014. Robert Moore, President, LPL Financial, was elected Vice Chairman; Wells Fargo’s Papadopulos was elected Treasurer; and Thomas Streiff, Executive Vice President, Retirement Product Manager, PIMCO, was elected Secretary. Joining them on the IRI Executive Committee, elected to one-year terms expiring in 2014, are four at-large members: Bruce Ferris, Executive Vice President, Annuities Sales and Distribution, Product Marketing, Prudential Annuities; Lynne Ford, Executive Vice President, Head of Distribution, Calvert Investments Inc.; Paula Nelson, Executive Vice President, Head of Annuity Distribution, Forethought Financial Group; and Nick Lane, Senior Executive Director, Head of U.S. Life and Retirement, AXA Equitable.

Statement from John Carter: It’s a great honor to have the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the IRI Board of Directors. As IRI continues to expand its work promoting the value of insured retirement strategies in helping Americans prepare for a financially secure retirement, during the next year we must also look to enrich the IRI member experience, expand our profile and footprint on Capitol Hill, and reimagine our research agenda to reflect a growing association. At the same time, we must ensure that we maintain broad industry representation, covering all corners of our industry and unmistakably defining the organization as one that is inclusive, one that is diverse, and one that provides leadership on the issues that advance the collective priorities of our industry.

About the Insured Retirement Institute:The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) is the leading association for the retirement income industry. IRI proudly leads a national consumer coalition of more than 20 organizations, and is the only association that represents the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies. IRI members are the major insurers, asset managers, broker-dealers/distributors, and 150,000 financial professionals. As a not-for-profit organization, IRI provides an objective forum for communication and education, and advocates for the sustainable retirement solutions Americans need to help achieve a secure and dignified retirement. Learn more at www.irionline.org.