Press Release

Institutional Retirement Income Council Appoints Michelle Richter as Executive Director

Issued by Institutional Retirement Income Council

Sept. 14, 2021

ISELIN, NJ -- The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC), a non-profit think tank for the retirement income planning community, today announced the appointment of Michelle Richter as executive director, effective October 1, 2021. Ms. Richter, a 20-year retirement industry veteran, becomes IRIC’s second executive director and will succeed Robert Melia, who is retiring at the end of September.

"The Board is thrilled to have Michelle lead IRIC at a time when plan sponsors are searching for innovative and effective ways to provide their employees with retirement income security,” said William Charyk, IRIC's Board Chairman. "Michelle brings a unique combination of experience, knowledge and proven track record in the wealth management, insurance and retirement industries and we look forward to her energy and thought leadership. On behalf of the Board, we want to thank Bob for his many contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.”  

Ms. Richter is the founder of Fiduciary Insurance Services, LLC, a strategic consultancy and Registered Investment Adviser, and will continue in that role. She has 20 years of experience inventing, deploying, advocating for, and scaling innovative products and programs at the intersection between insurance and wealth management. Ms. Richter serves in both retail and institutional channels, advising insurers, financial institutions and academics on new product and program design, strategic planning, launch execution, industry advocacy, marketing, and competitive intelligence.  Ms. Richter holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wesleyan University, and an MBA in both Management and Finance from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.

“I am honored and incredibly excited to work with IRIC’s membership, as well as with other industry organizations that share IRIC’s mission and goals,” said Ms. Richter. “Our nation is at a critical junction to foster connections between retirement plan participants, and efficient income sources and strategies for reliable and secure retirement income. I am grateful for the opportunity to lead IRIC and offer my experience to our members at this pivotal moment.”

Melia was appointed IRIC’s first executive director in 2017.  His retirement is effective September 30.  He will remain actively involved with the organization through the end of the year to help ensure a smooth leadership transition.

About The Institutional Retirement Income Council

The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) is a non-profit, membership-based organization of industry advisors who are dedicated to sharing best practices, informing about legislative and regulatory issues, and facilitating solutions for plan sponsors and their participants. IRIC's mission is to facilitate the culture shift of defined contribution plans from supplemental savings programs to programs that provide retirement security. By providing a forum for insightful, solutions-oriented thought leadership on institutional retirement income, the IRIC is promoting the need for retirement income adequacy for defined contribution plan participants.

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