Press Release

SPARK Institute Announces New Governing Board Leadership

Issued by SPARK Institute

June 10, 2026

Will Hicks Elected Chair, Judy Nelson as Treasurer and Francisco Negrón as Vice Chair

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The SPARK Institute, the premier trade association representing retirement plan service providers, today announced a leadership transition on its Governing Board following the Board’s June 3, 2026, meeting in Washington, D.C.

Mike Miller, who has served as Chair of the SPARK Governing Board while at PGIM, is departing from the Board as he assumes a new role at Blackstone. The SPARK Board and staff extend their deep appreciation to Mike for his dedicated service, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to strengthening SPARK’s strategic direction, governance practices, and long-term organizational effectiveness.

At its June 3 meeting, the Governing Board elected the following new officers:

• Will Hicks of FIS Global – Chair of the Governing Board
• Francisco Negrón of T. Rowe Price – Vice Chair
• Judy Nelson of SS&C – Treasurer

“I am honored to assume the role of Chair and look forward to working closely with the Board, Tim Rouse, and the entire SPARK team to advance policies that strengthen retirement security for American workers,” said Will Hicks. “SPARK’s collaborative approach and focus on practical, member-driven solutions have never been more important. I am committed to building on the strong foundation laid by Mike Miller and previous leaders.”

“We are deeply grateful to Mike Miller for his steady hand and forward-looking perspective during his time as Chair,” said Tim Rouse, Executive Director of the SPARK Institute. “His emphasis on strategic governance, succession planning, and positioning SPARK for continued relevance has left the organization stronger. We warmly welcome Will Hicks, Francisco Negrón, and Judy Nelson into their new leadership roles. Their combined experience across recordkeeping, asset management, and operations will be invaluable as we tackle key priorities including AI integration and standards, fraud prevention, SECURE 2.0 implementation, Trump Account and Saver’s Match readiness, and the Global Retirement Summit in Oxford this September.”

The SPARK Governing Board provides strategic oversight for the association’s policy advocacy, educational programs, research initiatives, and member services.

The new leadership team will guide SPARK’s continued work on critical industry issues, including alternative investments in defined contribution plans, data privacy and security standards, financial literacy efforts, and cross-border retirement policy collaboration.

About the SPARK Institute

The SPARK Institute is the leading nonprofit trade association representing the interests of retirement plan service providers, including recordkeepers, mutual fund companies, insurance companies, banks, consultants, and third-party administrators. SPARK advocates for policies that expand access to workplace retirement savings, improve plan operations and participant outcomes, and promote financial literacy. For more information, visit www.sparkinstitute.org.

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