Press Release

The Cerrado Group Announces Qualified Retirement Plan Services as Newest Member Firm

Issued by The Cerrado Group

Sept. 30, 2022

NATIONAL – The Cerrado Group is pleased to announce its 6th new member firm since its launch. Effective October 1, 2022, Qualified Retirement Plan Services (QRPS) will become a member firm of the group. The firm was founded in 1988 by Ross Knowles and today is run by his son and 2nd generation owner, Forrest Knowles. The firm, headquartered in Raleigh North Carolina has spent its 35 years in operation growing to become one of the largest and most respected in the region.

Says Knowles of joining the group; “When I was approached by the Cerrado Group with the opportunity to join this amazing organization, my immediate response was Yes! The group members represent the most respected TPA practices in the retirement plan consulting field. We are excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the Cerrado Group members to advance the retirement plan industry for all employers, regardless of their size. Joining the Cerrado Group will allow us to bring new and innovative technologies, methods, and practices to the plan sponsors and financial service partners we support.”

Those sentiments are echoed by Jordan Cross, President of CrossPlans, a founding member firm of The Cerrado Group; "As The Cerrado Group continues to grow and expand our presence with the strongest independently owned TPA's in each region, QRPS was an obvious choice. QRPS has a tremendous reputation and Forrest's vision of where the actuarial and ERISA consulting industry is heading aligns perfectly with The Cerrado Group's vision. Forrest is thoughtful, deliberate and brings a strong operational voice to the table which will help us continue to shape and grow The Cerrado Group's next phase. We are fortunate to add QRPS and look forward to their immediate impact on our group."

The addition of QRPS brings the Cerrado Group membership to 14 firms representing the absolute best that the industry has to offer both from a service and industry wide knowledge base point of view. These firms have a footprint that covers more than 87% of the nation and service retirement plans of all types that total more $44 billion in assets under management in over 23,000 plans and serving more than 720,000 participants. The Cerrado Group continues to grow organically as new member firm applicants are identified and vetted for inclusion. Making a continuing impact on the industry, members can be seen speaking at industry events, sales meetings, educational forums, and industry webinars, sharing their knowledge and expertise with other firms, advisors, and employers.

About the Cerrado Group:

The Cerrado Group was founded by Nine of the nation’s preeminent Third Party Administrator (TPA) consulting firms, this member only, 501(c)(6) Trade Association was established to offer an entirely new approach to the highly-specialized work of retirement plan design, reporting, compliance, administration, and industry education. The Cerrado Group members, while remaining independent regional operators, actively combine their vast resources to fully serve the retirement plan industry at large.

Website: www.CerradoGroup.org

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