Keynote Speakers
Christopher O. Blunt, EVP, Retirement Income Security, New York Life Insurance Company
Chris Blunt is executive vice president of Retirement Income Security (RIS), which encompasses New York Life’s income annuities, investment annuities, long-term care insurance, and the distribution of mutual funds. RIS is dedicated to providing solutions to consumers in both the accumulation and income phases of retirement. Mr. Blunt is responsible for establishing the overall strategic direction for these businesses.
Mr. Blunt joined the company in 2004 as executive vice president at New York Life Investment Management and was responsible for setting and executing New York Life Investment Management’s Retail Investments strategy, with particular emphasis on growing New York Life Investment Management’s sales of mutual funds and separate account wrap through all of its distribution partners. In March 2007 he was elected senior vice president and chief operating officer for the Life and Annuity department of New York Life Insurance Company, and in 2008 was appointed to his current role.
Prior to joining New York Life Investment Management, Mr. Blunt was chairman and chief executive officer of GivingCapital, Inc., a wealth management solutions provider serving the financial institutions marketplace, and before that spent 14 years in a variety of senior marketing and distribution roles in the investment management industry. Mr. Blunt was the chief marketing officer – Americas, for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, and president of Mercury Funds Distributors. Before working with Merrill Lynch, he was a managing director with Goldman Sachs & Co., and the national sales manager for Goldman Sachs Funds. Mr. Blunt holds an M.B.A. in Finance from The Wharton School and a B.A. in History from the University of Michigan. He is a trustee of The American College, and serves as the Chair of the Advisory Council of Comfort Zone Camps.
Dan Houston, President of Retirement and Investor Services, Principal Financial Group
Daniel J. Houston is president, Retirement and Investor Services (RIS) Division with the Principal Financial Group®. He is responsible for the company’s RIS business, the largest segment of the company; U.S. asset accumulation businesses, including Principal Bank and mutual fund and annuity lines of business.
Houston is a noted retirement and investment expert, with 20 years of experience working directly with businesses and American workers to help achieve retirement security. He joined the company in 1984 as a group representative in the Dallas group and pension office. He was promoted to senior group and pension representative in 1986, and named group and pension consultant in 1988. He was elected an officer and named regional director of group and pension sales in 1990 and promoted to regional vice president in 1993, to vice president in 1997, and to senior vice president in 2000. He was named executive vice president in 2006 and president in 2008.
Houston is a member of several boards, including Catalyst Health Solutions, Principal Financial Advisors, Principal Trust Company (Asia) Limited, Principal International, Principal Bank, Principal Global Services Private Limited and the Employee Benefits Research Institute (EBRI). He is on the Iowa State University Business School Dean’s Advisory Council.
Houston is also the chief spokesperson for The Principal Financial Well Being IndexSM, a quarterly survey of American workers detailing their attitudes and behaviors on financial well-being, retirement security and workplace benefits. Houston is called on frequently as an expert on retirement savings issues by the news media and Congress. Houston has appeared before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging to discuss the importance of educating the workforce about the financial needs in retirement. Houston also joined the joint forum of U.S. Senate Committees on Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to discuss “Private-Sector Retirement Savings Plans: What Does the Future Hold?
Houston received his bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in 1984 and attended graduate course studies at the Wharton School of Business.
Mark Tibergien, CEO, Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC
Mark Tibergien is Chief Executive Officer for Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC, an affiliate of Pershing LLC. Pershing Advisor Solutions LLC is one of the country’s leading custodians for registered investment advisors and family offices. Mr. Tibergien is also a Managing Director and member of the Executive Committee for Pershing LLC. Mr. Tibergien is a nationally-recognized expert on management and transition issues within the financial services industry. He joined Pershing in October 2007.
Prior to joining Pershing, Mr. Tibergien was a Principal at the accounting and consulting firm, Moss Adams LLP, where he was Partner-in-Charge of the Business Consulting Group, Chairman of the Financial Services Industry Group, and Partner-in-Charge of the Business Valuation Group. Mr. Tibergien has been working with public and private companies on matters related to business management, transition planning, and strategy formulation since 1973. He has worked closely with hundreds of independent registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, investment managers, insurance companies, and other financial services organizations in the United States, Australia, Europe, and Canada. For the past eight years, Accounting Today has recognized Mr. Tibergien as one of the “100 Most Influential” people in the accounting profession. In 2003 and 2008, Financial Planning magazine recognized him as a “Mover and Shaker” in their annual review of industry professionals; and, for the seventh time, in 2009, Investment Advisor magazine recognized him as one of the “25 Most Influential” people in the financial services industry.
Mr. Tibergien serves on the Board of the Foundation for Financial Planning and, within Pershing, is the Executive Sponsor of the Cultural Appreciation Network. He is the author of two books published by Bloomberg Press, Practice Made Perfect and How to Value, Buy or Sell a Financial Advisory Practice.