ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Aug. 1, 2018— Dave Evans CFP, AIFA, has rejoined the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I") as senior vice president, Big I Advantage Life & Retirement Solutions. Evans previously spent two decades at the Big “I" managing a variety of key areas for the association prior to co-founding 401ksleuth LLC. Evans will now focus on growing the Big “I" MEP 401(k) plan and launch of the Big “I" lifetime income initiative, which is aimed at helping members and their clients manage longevity risk.
“With the success we have seen with member agencies signing up for the Big 'I' MEP 401(k) plan, it is clear we have a great value to offer member agencies," says Paul A. Buse, president of Big I Advantage and Big I Advisory Resources, LLC. “The world has moved from traditional pensions to reliance on 401k plans. In 1980, 70% of retirees had a defined benefit plan. Today, the opposite is true with 72% of all retirees participating in a defined contribution plan like a 401k. The Big 'I' MEP 401k is a well-designed and efficient plan and we need to get the word out to more members about the advantages of our plan."
Bob Rusbuldt, Big “I" president & CEO, notes the tie between defined contribution plans and the need for everyone to plan for their retirement longevity risk. “The same forces driving our members to want the best 401k plan is also creating an opportunity for agencies to offer retirement risk management products through personal pensions," says Rusbuldt. “Unlike in the past where the employer guaranteed the employee a monthly pension for life, today's retirees have the risk they will outlive their retirement assets. With Dave Evans joining the Big I Advantage products team, we will use our national licenses and wholesale ability to build products that help agents enter the longevity risk business."
Evans is a frequent speaker in the areas of employee benefits, retirement planning and financial literacy. He has authored over 150 articles, co-authored The Practical Agency Planner and has testified before a Congressional Committee overseeing 401(k) plan legislation following Enron's collapse. He holds 11 industry designations as well as an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. in economics from Grove City College.
“I am excited to be a part of the association's broader initiative to offer members resources to meet the various life events and retirement challenges that Americans face," says Evans. “Helping members with their own 401k plans is a passion of mine, and I look forward to continuing that work. Trusted Choice independent agents are well positioned to provide holistic risk management to their clients, and we are going to provide the tools they need to help manage their clients' longevity risk."
Big I Advantage® is a for-profit subsidiary of IIABA and wholly owned holding company that operates a nationally licensed insurance agency administering the Big “I" Professional Liability program, Big “I" Markets and a number of other well-known member benefits including personal umbrella and flood programs, and providing oversight of more than $150 million in retirement assets. Big I Advantage seeks to unite the 51 IIABA state associations in pursuing IIABA's mission of creating a sustainable competitive advantage for members by deploying member agency buying and distribution power to develop innovative, member-exclusive and profitable products while supporting the advocacy efforts of the Big “I".
The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I") was founded in 1896 and is the nation's oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of approximately a quarter of a million agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life and health—as well as employee benefit plans and retirement products.
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