2026 Best Minds Retirement Symposium

David Chavern

As President and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), David leads an industry focused on strengthening Americans’ financial security across every stage of life. As America’s population ages, he is advancing the industry’s critical role in providing financial guarantees that can last for decades.

With more than 30 years of executive, operational and legal experience — including senior roles at the Consumer Brands Association, the News Media Alliance and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — David brings a deep understanding of how business, policy and leadership intersect to drive lasting impact.

Wayne Chopus

Wayne Chopus is President and CEO of the Insured Retirement Institute (IRI), the leading association for the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies. IRI champions retirement security for all through leadership in advocacy, awareness, research, the advancement of digital solutions, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within a collaborative industry community.

Upon joining IRI in 2019, Chopus initiated a reorganization to amplify the association's longstanding strengths and position it for new challenges. Under his leadership, IRI has advanced several advocacy objectives, including two major retirement security laws and enhanced federal and state consumer protection regulations for financial professionals. 

IRI also launched a groundbreaking initiative to advance digital solutions throughout the annuity lifecycle to better address consumers' retirement needs.

Chopus revamped IRI's conference and events strategy to improve member engagement, resulting in record-breaking attendance and sponsorship revenue. Additionally, under his guidance, IRI created a Women in Leadership Initiative to promote the advancement and inclusion of women in the finance industry. He focused IRI's research and media communications efforts to extend the association's reach and thought leadership.

In elevating IRI's reputation and stature, Chopus has emphasized delivering value, leading to an increase in members, record member retention, and increased revenue. His commitment to industry collaboration led to Chopus organizing and hosting a first-of-its-kind summit with the CEOs and senior staff of eight financial industry trade associations.

Under Chopus, the association's advocacy and marketing efforts have been recognized. Chopus was listed among "Washington DC's 500 Most Influential People" by Washingtonian magazine and named a "Top Lobbyist" by The Hill, a notable Washington, D.C. periodical.

Chopus is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Committee of 100 and the American Society of Association Executives Key Industry Associations Committee.

Before IRI, Chopus was a respected retirement income industry executive for nearly three decades with Prudential Financial and The Hartford, two of the nation's major life insurance companies. He held executive leadership positions in sales, strategy, and business intelligence. He is widely recognized for his annuity product distribution and broker-dealer engagement expertise.

Charles "Chuck" J. DiVencenzo, Jr.

Charles “Chuck” J. DiVencenzo, Jr. is the President & CEO of The National Association of Fixed Annuities (“NAFA”). Over the past seven years, he has overseen NAFA’s efforts to promote and expand the utilization of Fixed and Fixed Index Annuity products through independent distribution. His work on advocacy at the state and federal levels, thought leadership, consumer
education efforts, and working on industry best practices have aided product acceptance and industry growth. Before joining NAFA, DiVencenzo held executive leadership positions in the life insurance industry at Allianz Life of North America and Hartford Life. In these roles, he worked closely with the actuarial, sales & marketing, and legal departments to develop content and
products and deliver thought leadership to wholesalers and distribution partners. Throughout his tenure, his efforts contributed significantly to industry leadership in the FIA, VA, mutual fund, 401(k), and 529 plan areas.

DiVencenzo also worked in the asset management industry as the COO/CMO of Paradigm Capital Management, leading P&L, marketing, sales, client services, administration, regulatory, and other operating issues for the small cap. value hedge fund and money management firm. DiVencenzo has also held positions in academia, practiced Tax & ERISA law, and began his career
as a consultant with Ernst & Young. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and earned his JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He completed the Securities Industry Institute® at The Wharton School in addition to Executive Management Programs at Columbia University and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. In addition, DiVencenzo is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Jason J. Fichtner, Ph.D.

Jason J. Fichtner is Executive Director of the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute. His areas of expertise focus on Social Security, federal tax policy, federal budget policy, retirement security, and policy proposals to increase saving and investment.

He is a Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) at Stanford University, a Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Social Development (CSD) at the Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, and a Senior Fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI).

Fichtner is on the Board of Directors for the FINRA Investor Education Foundation and a Member of the Puerto Rico Pension Reserve Trust, where he serves on both the Pension Benefits Council and the Pension Reserve Board.

Fichtner has significant government experience, having served in several positions at the Social Security Administration, including as Deputy Commissioner of Social Security (acting), Chief Economist, and Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. He also served as a senior economist with the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress and as an economist with the Internal Revenue Service. He has held teaching positions at Johns Hopkins University – School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Georgetown University and Virginia Tech.

He has testified on numerous occasions before the United States Congress and his work has been featured in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, the Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic, the USA Today, and other major media outlets, as well as on broadcasts by C-SPAN, PBS, NBC, NPR, and SiriusXM.

Fichtner earned his BA from the University of Michigan; his MPP from Georgetown University; and his PhD from Virginia Tech.

Fichtner is the author of “The Hidden Cost of Federal Tax Policy” and the editor of “The Economics of Medicaid.”

Michael Finke, Ph.D.

Michael Finke, Ph.D. is a Professor of wealth management and Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security at The American College of Financial Services. He leads the O. Alfred Granum Center for Financial Security at the American College, is a Fellow at the Retirement Income Institute, and serves as a Trustee on the Pension Reserve Trust of Puerto Rico. He was named one of the 25 most influential people in the field of investment advising in 2020 and 2021 by Investment Advisor Magazine.

Brian H. Graff, Esq,

Brian H. Graff, Esq., is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Retirement Association, the umbrella organization for the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor
Council of America (PSCA). Graff oversees the American Retirement Association’s operations, and working with the Board of Directors, charts the strategic direction for the organization. Graff also serves as the Executive Director of ASPPA and NAPA. The American Retirement Association is a national organization of more than 34,000 retirement plan professionals who
provide advisory and administrative services for qualified retirement plans covering tens of millions of American workers. In addition to representing the interests of its members before Congress and federal regulatory agencies on a combined basis, the American Retirement Association annually conducts more than a dozen industry conferences, and annually administers more than 7,000 examinations leading to various industry-related professional credentials.

Graff actively speaks on behalf of the retirement plan system and has been quoted in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and interviewed by various television outlets. He has testified on retirement policy issues before Congress and various federal regulators on numerous occasions.

An attorney (District of Columbia) and certified public accountant (New York-inactive), Graff was formerly Legislation Counsel to the U.S. Congress Joint Committee on Taxation where he provided policy and technical analysis relating to employee benefits, health care and Social Security to members of Congress. While working for Congress, Graff participated in the development of legislation, including the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 and the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Graff was associated with the Washington, DC, law firm, The Groom Law Group, which specializes in employee benefits. Graff has also served in a leadership volunteer capacity for various organizations. He currently serves on the Board and as Treasurer of the Congressional
Coalition on Adoption Institute and previously was Chair of the Board of the Jane Goodall Institute. Graff received his doctoral degree in law, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with distinction from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

Bryan Hodgens, AIF

Bryan Hodgens is Senior Vice President and Head of Research for LIMRA and LOMA. In this capacity, he develops and executes the research strategy for both the distribution and retirement research programs, focused on providing insights and best practices to address the current and emerging business challenges facing LIMRA members.

Hodgens joined LIMRA in 2022 with more than 25 years of executive experience at companies such as AIG, Wells Fargo Advisors and Asset Growth Partners. Most recently, he was senior vice president and head of LPL Financials’ Retirement Plans and Financial Planning Group.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Emory University in Atlanta Georgia.

Mark Kemp, CFP®, AIF® , CEPA®

Mark brings more than thirty-five years of financial services experience to his work with clients, with a particular focus on retirees navigating the complexities of retirement planning. His deep expertise in retirement plans and income strategies — combined with a talent for communicating clearly — allows him to help clients make confident, informed decisions about their financial future. Mark loves visiting the Jersey shore, traveling to see his three children & grandchildren, and spending time with his wife, Shelley.

Meredith Kroger

With more than two decades of experience in the financial services industry, Meredith Kroger has been insurance and securities licensed since 2004. She holds the CRC and NSSA designations and is currently pursuing both the CKA and CEPA to further expand her expertise.

She spent 13 years at Protective Life as a top‑performing Annuity Wholesaler, consistently ranking in the top two nationwide. She then transitioned to Edward Jones, where she served as a high‑level Financial Advisor for nine years, managing $245 million in client assets and building a reputation for trusted, relationship‑driven guidance.

David Laibson

David Laibson is the Robert I. Goldman Professor of Economics and a Faculty Dean of Lowell House at Harvard University. Laibson’s research focuses on the topic of behavioral economics, with emphasis on intertemporal choice, self-regulation, behavior change, household finance, public finance, macroeconomics, asset pricing, aging, and biosocial science. Laibson is a member of the National Bureau of Economic Research, where he is a Research Associate in the Aging, Asset Pricing, and Economic Fluctuations Working Groups. Laibson serves on Harvard’s Pension Investment Committee and on the Board of the Russell Sage Foundation, where he chairs the finance committee. Laibson serves on the advisory boards of the Social Science Genetics Association Consortium and the Consumer Finance Institute of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Laibson has served as the Chair of the Department of Economics at Harvard University and as a member of the Academic Research Council of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laibson is a recipient of a Marshall Scholarship. He is an elected member of the Econometric Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Social Insurance, and the National Academy of Sciences. He is a two-time recipient of the TIAA-CREF Paul A. Samuelson Award for Outstanding Scholarly Writing on Lifelong Financial Security. Laibson holds degrees from Harvard University (AB Economics, summa cum laude), the London School of Economic (MSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD in Economics). He received his PhD in 1994 and has taught at Harvard since then. In recognition of his teaching, he has been awarded Harvard’s ΦΒΚ Prize and a Harvard College Professorship. 

David Levenson, DBA, FSA, CFA

David Levenson is responsible for leading one of the world’s largest associations of life insurance and financial services companies, representing 700 member organizations across 70 countries. Most recently, Levenson was a principal at Edward Jones and served on its management committee from 2015–2018. He was responsible for all products distributed through its network of 17,000 advisors in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to 2012, Levenson was president of wealth management at The Hartford Financial Services Group, responsible for the firm’s individual annuity, individual life, mutual fund, and retirement plan businesses. He also served as president and CEO of Hartford Life, KK in Tokyo, where he was responsible for leading the largest annuity provider in Japan.

Levenson holds his Bachelor of Science from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, his Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a doctorate in business administration from The School of International Corporate Strategy at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan. 

Jamie Metzl

Jamie Metzl is one of the world’s leading technology and healthcare futurists and strategists, Founder and Chair of the global social movement OneShared.World, a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council, a faculty member of NextMed Health, and a Singularity University expert. He appears regularly on national and international media and his syndicated columns, podcasts, and interviews on AI, science, technology, and global affairs have reached hundreds of millions of people across the globe. Jamie is the author of seven books, including Superconvergence: How the Genetics, Biotech and AI Revolutions Will Transform Our Lives, Work, and World, Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity, The AI Ten Commandments: A New Moral Code for Humanity, and the sci-fi thrillers Genesis Code and Eternal Sonata. In 2026, Jamie was appointed as a Commissioner of The Lancet Commission on Precision Health, which will develop a definitive framework for the future of technology-enhanced healthcare. He previously served in the U.S. National Security Council, State Department, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with the United Nations in Cambodia, and on the World Health Organization expert advisory committee on human genome editing. A former partner in a global private equity firm, he sits on advisory boards for multiple biotechnology and other companies and co-established the WisdomTree BioRevolution Exchange Traded Fund. Jamie holds a Ph.D. from Oxford, a law degree from Harvard, and an undergraduate degree from Brown and is an avid ironman triathlete and ultramarathon runner.

Edmund F. Murphy III

Edmund F. Murphy III is President and Chief Executive Officer of Empower, a leading provider of financial services for consumers that include retirement services, wealth management, advice, and asset management. He also serves as a board member of Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company and as a Strategic Advisor to Diagram Ventures.

Ed brings decades of broad leadership experience to his role. He was appointed as the inaugural President of Empower upon its formation in 2014 and has led the organization through a period of strong and sustained growth, positioning the firm as the go-to provider of financial services for approximately 20 million investors. Empower has assets under administration (AUA) of approximately $2 trillion and serves more than 89,000 corporate, government, and not-for-profit plans.

Since Empower’s founding in 2014, the firm has grown earnings at a 22% compound annual growth rate, or more than 750% through the end of 2025. During that same period, Empower’s AUA grew more than 400%
and its customer base nearly tripled.

Under Ed’s leadership, Empower has become a national leader serving working Americans through all sectors of the U.S. economy and across the spectrum of wealth segments. Empower has completed several
strategic acquisitions, including the retirement businesses of J.P. Morgan, Prudential, MassMutual, Truist Bank, and Fifth Third Bank. In 2020, Empower acquired Personal Capital, a registered investment adviser and wealth manager. In addition, Empower has opened new offerings to investors with its expansion into the equity compensation and consumer-directed healthcare markets. Empower employs more than 13,000 professionals located in the United States, India, and the Philippines.

A much sought-after thought leader as an advocate for investors and the nation’s retirement system, Ed is regarded as a driving force for industry innovation and public policy reform. He meets regularly with
policymakers in Washington, D.C., and has testified before Congress, the Department of Labor, the Treasury Department, and the IRS.

Ed speaks and writes about financial topics ranging from retirement issues and public policy to investment advice and lifetime income strategies. He has been interviewed by CNBC, Bloomberg News, Fox Business
News, MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, The Financial Times, and many other media outlets.

Under Ed’s leadership, Empower has earned multiple industry accolades and is regularly recognized for outstanding client service, innovative product solutions, and pioneering work with financial intermediaries.

Before his appointment as CEO of Empower, Ed served as Managing Director at Putnam Investments and was a member of the firm’s operating committee. Prior to Putnam, he held executive leadership roles at Fidelity Investments in its institutional, private equity, and retail businesses. He spent the early portion of his career at Merrill Lynch.

Ed is a board member of the Investment Company Institute, the American Enterprise Institute National Council, and a member of CEO councils of The Wall Street Journal and CNBC. He is active in supporting numerous not-for-profit, educational, and charitable causes, including service to Boston College through the Board of Regents, the board of Cristo Rey High School in Boston, and as a board member of The Ireland Funds. Ed holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and is a graduate of the General Manager
Program at Harvard Business School.

Suzanne Norman

Suzanne Norman is an Executive coach, speaker, writer, and financial literacy educator who lives by the motto, “Scientia potentia est” — knowledge is power. And when you have self-knowledge — who you are and what you want — you are much more likely to get it.

Suzanne spent three decades as a consultant and leader in the investment management industry working both with institutions and retail investors. In addition to learning many best practices about money, she also learned
that true financial wellness is a combination of mental health, physical health, and fiscal health.

Seeing an opportunity to combine her years of investment experience with her coaching, she founded The Whealthy Woman. Her programs cover topics ranging from retirement planning, finding purpose, networking, mental fitness, negotiation skills, financial communication for couples, emotional intelligence, emotion, money emotions, executive presence, public speaking. Building confidence and competence in these areas is an important first step towards financial empowerment.

In addition to her coaching and consulting business, her financial education work includes her role as a Fellow with The Retirement Institute by LIMRA, a faculty member of the Redwoods Initiative, and as Co-Chair for CFA
Society Boston’s Financial Literacy Initiative.

She holds a BA in Psychology and is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), Certified Positive Intelligence Coach®, and is Certified in EQ-I 2.0 EQ 360 (Emotional Intelligence). She also holds a Certificate in Women in Leadership and is a Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®).

Vicki Stout

Vicki Stout is a licensed Investment Adviser Representative and Fiduciary. She
specializes in income maximization and investment advice for pre-retirees and
retirees, with a concentration in advising the underserved women’s market. Vicki holds her Series 65 license and is licensed for insurance in multiple states across the country. Vicki has also received the Certified Senior Advisor Designation and is an Accredited National Social Security Advisor.

Phil Waldeck, Jr.

Phil Waldeck Jr. leads Prudential’s U.S. businesses, which deliver income and protection solutions and provide financial advice across Retirement Strategies, Group Insurance, Individual Life Insurance, and Prudential Advisors. He serves on Prudential’s executive leadership team.

Since joining Prudential in 2011, Waldeck has held several senior roles, most recently at PGIM, Prudential’s global asset management business, where he led Multi-Asset & Quantitative Solutions serving institutional clients with asset
allocation across public and private sectors. Earlier, he established and led Prudential’s Pension Risk Transfer business, which grew with landmark transactions in the U.S. and U.K., including pension buy-outs with General Motors and Verizon and a $28 billion longevity-risk transaction with the British Telecom Pension Scheme. Under his leadership, the business grew to more than $170 billion.

Waldeck has also served as Prudential’s chief transformation officer, CEO of Workplace Solutions Group, and president of Prudential Retirement. He previously held senior roles at Cigna. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Michigan.