Press Release

The SPARK Institute Appoints New Governing Board

Issued by SPARK Institute

Dec. 7, 2020

SIMSBURY, CT – Today, the SPARK Institute announced its Governing Board elections.  Ralph Ferraro, SVP, Head of Product and Solutions Management, Lincoln Financial has been elected Chair succeeding Rich Linton, EVP Group Distribution and Operations, Empower Retirement who has completed his term as the Chair of SPARK’s Governing Board.  Kevin Collins, Head of Retirement Plan Services, T. Rowe Price has also been elected as Vice Chair.

“We are excited to welcome Ralph Ferraro as our incoming Chair and deeply appreciate all of the time and dedication Rich has shown to the SPARK organization.  During his tenure as Chair , the SPARK Institute has achieved significant legislative and regulatory success – particularly concerning e-delivery and the passage of the SECURE Act. ”  says Tim Rouse, Executive Director of the SPARK Institute.

“I am honored to accept my new role as the Chair of the SPARK Governing Board and look forward to continuing the great work Rich has done.” said Ralph Ferraro, Senior Vice President, Retirement Plan Services, Product Solutions at Lincoln Financial Group.  “Late last year SPARK’s Governing Board voted to expand the mission of this organization beyond retirement here in the U.S. to now include all workplace savings and look to increase our focus globally.  I look forward helping our organization take on these new challenges” added Ferraro.

Kevin Collins, The Head of Retirement Plan Services at T. Rowe Price, takes on the role of Vice Chair and will support Ferraro in helping guide SPARK’s Governing Board.  “I look forward to working with Ralph and contributing to the great work this organization does for our industry,” says Collins.    

The SPARK Institute is managed by a Governing Board of twelve firms represented by: AIG

Ameritas Life Insurance Corp, Ascensus, BlackRock, Empower Retirement, FIS Global, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Lincoln Financial Group, Prudential Retirement, SS&C, T. Rowe Price and Wells Fargo Institutional Retirement. Rich Linton of Empower has been the Chair of the SPARK Governing Board since 2017 and will remain as an active member of the board.   

For more information, please contact Tim Rouse at tim@sparkinstitute.org.

About the SPARK Institute

The SPARK Institute represents the interests of a broad-based cross section of retirement plan service providers and investment managers, including members that are banks, mutual fund companies, insurance companies, third-party administrators, trade clearing firms, and benefits consultants. Through the combined expertise of its member companies, the Institute provides research, education, testimony, and comments on pending legislative and regulatory issues to members of Congress and relevant Government agency officials. Collectively, its members serve approximately 100 million participants in 401(k) and other defined contribution plans.

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