Press Release

10th Annual QKA Scholarship Program Announced by PenChecks, ARA

Issued by American Retirement Association [ARA]

June 28, 2023

PenChecks Trust Company of America and ASPPA are pleased to offer the tenth annual QKA Scholarship Program for ASPPA’s credentials, including the QKA, QKC, QPA, and CPC.

The 2023 PenChecks Trust ASPPA Scholarship will be awarded to 14 individuals who make the most compelling case for how the prestigious ASPPA designations will enhance their careers in the retirement plan industry. The scholarship will cover the expenses associated with course registration and materials necessary to attain the credential. 

Launched in 2014, the scholarship is designed to cover the expenses associated with course registration and materials necessary to attain ASPPA credentials such as the QKA, QKC, QPA or CPC.

Once the credential is earned, PenChecks Trust will also sponsor the recipient’s first year of ASPPA membership. 

“In a complex and constantly changing retirement plan environment, it is critically important that industry professionals maintain a high level of proficiency,” Brian Graff, CEO of the American Retirement Association and Executive Director of ASPPA, said. “The QKA credential was designed with that need in mind, and we appreciate PenChecks’ continued commitment to this scholarship program as a way of bringing focus to the importance of the QKA credential.”

This year’s recipients will be announced at the 2023 ASPPA Annual Conference on October 22-25 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD. 

“Well-trained professionals are essential to sustaining excellence in the retirement industry,” Spiro Preovolos, President and CEO of PenChecks Trust, said. “PenChecks is proud to continue our partnership with ASPPA and support their educational programs because we believe that developing highly skilled professionals plays a key role in helping America’s workers achieve better retirement outcomes. The growing number of applicants each year reinforces the importance of these scholarships in maintaining ongoing innovation and thought leadership in our industry.”

APPLICATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S SCHOLARSHIP OPEN ON JULY 1 AND ARE DUE NO LATER THAN SEPT. 15.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, VISIT ASPPA-NET/PENCHECKS-SCHOLARSHIP-PROGRAM

About PenChecks Trust

PenChecks Trust is a state-chartered, non-depository trust company and the largest independent provider of outsourced benefit distribution services, and Automatic Rollover IRAs and Missing Participant IRAs in the country. With over 20 years in business, PenChecks Trust (www.penchecks.com) is an expert and industry-leading provider of unique and comprehensive solutions for a myriad of plan and distribution issues. Services include automated and branded solutions for benefit payments, election processing, missing participant searches, Automatic Rollover IRAs, uncashed/stale-dated check solutions, and Abandoned Plan/QTA Services. Customers include financial institutions, third-party administrators, plan advisors, and plan sponsors.

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