Press Release

Strongpoint Partners Announces Partnership with American Retirement Plan Services, LLC

Issued by Strongpoint Partners

Oct. 9, 2025

American Retirement Plan Services, LLC (ARPS), Strongpoint Partners' 20th full-service partner, further strengthens Strongpoint's leading coast-to-coast retirement network

CHICAGO -- Strongpoint Partners ("Strongpoint"), a tech-enabled retirement services platform serving small- to mid-sized businesses with integrated retirement third-party administration, recordkeeping, payroll, and HR solutions, announced their 20th Partnership as American Retirement Plan Services, LLC ("ARPS") joins the network. ARPS is an actuarial, consulting, design and administration firm for tax-qualified retirement plans, serving the mid-Atlantic region from their home office in Hunt Valley, Maryland, since 1997.

"Our business is built on the strength of great people leading great TPA partners, and we love it when new partners are referred to us based on decades of relationships with our existing leaders," said Danny Hest, CEO of Strongpoint Partners. "Meeting Amy (Uddeme, President of ARPS) and her father, David (Cohen, Founder of ARPS), it was clear that the ringing endorsement of this team was well-founded. Amy and David are strong, servant-minded leaders, who have established an incredible reputation in their local market. The knowledge and expertise they have cultivated in their team is a great asset to Strongpoint and a natural fit with our group of coast-to-coast Partners. We are thrilled to welcome them to the Strongpoint family."

"I'm proud of the strong relationships we've built with our team members, clients, and partners over the years at ARPS," said Uddeme. "When David and I thought about a potential partnership, it was important to us that those relationships would continue to be taken care of with quality and care. Meeting the Strongpoint leaders, including other Partner presidents and founders, demonstrated to me that this is an ideal home for ARPS. Not only will our clients continue to receive the care that they are accustomed to, but they'll have access to even more resources, thanks to Strongpoint's national infrastructure and emphasis on collaboration. I'm looking forward to this new chapter for our firm, our clients, and our team."

"Welcoming ARPS as our 20th Partner is an exciting moment in Strongpoint's growth," continued Hest. "Strongpoint announced its first TPA partnership just 3 short years ago, and this milestone today demonstrates that our model of putting people at the center of what we do has been the right fit for the best TPA leaders and entrepreneurs in the country. In a short time, we've grown from a leading independent retirement TPA to the leading platform for retirement TPAs in the nation. What I'm most proud of is the team we've built, without ever wavering on our values and our mission to make retirement work for everyone."

As with all Strongpoint Partners, the team at ARPS will remain in their roles, continuing to provide high-quality service and expertise to their clients, while sharing their knowledge with colleagues across the Strongpoint network.

About Strongpoint Partners

Strongpoint Partners is a tech-enabled retirement services platform serving small- to mid-sized businesses with integrated retirement third party administration, recordkeeping, payroll, and HR solutions. Recognized as one of Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Private Companies in America and certified as a Great Place to Work, Strongpoint offers a suite of services that prioritizes accuracy, compliance, and reduction of regulatory risk for its clients, delivered by local client success teams that understand the nuances of the markets they serve. With a coast-to-coast network of 20 leading firms including HowardSimon, Jocelyn Pension Consulting, Retirement Strategies Group ("RSG"), Retirement Planners and Administrators ("RPA"), Pension Financial Services ("PFS"), Pollard & Associates, Carlson Quinn, SI GROUP, Retirement Planning Consulting Group ("RPCG"), Karel-Gordon & Associates, Cash Balance Actuaries, Pension Consultants, Inc. ("PCI"), Actuaries Unlimited ("AUI"), CRP – California Retirement Plans ("CRP"), Benefit Equity, Inc. ("BEI"), United Benefit Pensions, LLC ("UBP"), Allied Consultants, Inc. ("ACI"), Creative Retirement Systems, LLC ("CRS"), Allied Consultants, Inc. ("ACI"), and American Retirement Plan Services, LLC ("ARPS"). Strongpoint Partners combines a relentless passion for service and innovation with the experience and expertise required to make retirement work for everyone. For more information, please visit: www.strongpointpartners.com.

About American Retirement Plan Services, LLC

American Retirement Plan Services, LLC, based in Hunt Valley, Maryland, is a full-service third-party administration firm and a leader in the retirement services industry for over 28 years. The ARPS retirement consultancy team is committed to delivering customized, personal service to each of their clients. Specializing in administration services, plan design, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, Cash Balance plans, 457(b) plans, and more, ARPS' team helps their clients reach their objectives with plans that secure their retirement future. For more information, please visit: www.arpsllc.com/

About Shore Capital Partners

Shore Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm with offices in Nashville, is an investor in lower middle market companies in the Healthcare, Food and Beverage, Business Services, Industrial, and Real Estate industries. Shore's strategy is to support management partners to grow faster with less risk through access to capital, world-class board and operational resources, and unmatched networking, development, and shared learnings across the portfolio. From 2020-2024, Shore received recognition from Inc. Magazine as a 5x Top Founder Friendly Investor and by Pitchbook Research for leading U.S. Private Equity deal volume for the past 10 years, from 2015-2024. Shore targets investments in proven, successful private companies with superior management teams, stable cash flow, and significant potential to grow through industry consolidation and organic growth to generate value for shareholders. Shore has approximately $13 billion of assets under management and in additional investment platforms to which it provides business and operational consulting services. For more information on these awards and investment platforms, please visit: www.shorecp.com.

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