Behavioral Economist Shlomo Benartzi To Open the 2018 Retirement Industry Conference in April

WINDSOR, Conn., March 8, 2018 –Acclaimed Behavioral Economist and UCLA Professor Shlomo Benartzi will open the annual Retirement Industry Conference in Chicago on April 11 – 13, 2018. In his address to more than 400 retirement industry professionals, he will share his latest behavioral economics research and discuss how it can be applied to important financial decisions.

“LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute research finds only 1 in 5 Americans feel very confident that they are saving enough to last throughout their retirement. Half say they can’t save because they can’t afford it,” noted Judy Zaiken, corporate vice president, LIMRA Strategic Initiatives Research. “As our industry strives to find better ways to encourage people to make sound financial decisions, learning more about how to leverage the tenants of behavioral economics will be invaluable. We are honored to have Dr. Benartzi speak to our attendees and share his expertise.”

The conference also features Maria Ferrante-Schepis, president, Maddock Douglas, Inc., who will discuss drivers of change in the retirement market – including longevity, technology, regulation, and the economy – and explore the steps needed to ensure companies play a significant role in the future. Tom Crawford, senior managing director, FTI Consulting, will close the conference, providing a Washington-insider’s view on policy and politics of financial services.

The 2018 Retirement Industry Conference offers attendees a cross-sector view to help them understand the wide-range of issues facing the retirement industry. The event focuses on the latest market research, product development trends and innovative approaches to address the top challenges facing retirees and the industry as a whole. Attendees will join top retirement leaders and practitioners as they discuss best practices about management, operations and marketing.

This year’s event also features the official conferment of the inaugural class for Fellow, Secure Retirement Institute (FSRI) designation. Nearly 300 industry professionals have completed the coursework on the entire retirement planning and income marketplace, exploring the broad challenges facing society and the retirement industry, as well as strategic approaches for meeting these challenges. A FSRI designation offers the knowledge and skills to help an industry professional support retirement plans and products, deliver effective service and solutions to clients and advisors, and address the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving retirement marketplace.

The annual Retirement Industry Conference event, hosted by LIMRA LOMA Secure Retirement Institute and the Society of Actuaries (SOA), attracts more than 400 retirement industry professionals from companies across the globe to gain insights on the latest industry developments and equip themselves with solutions to address the complex challenges they face every day.

To learn more about the conference and to register, please visit 2018 Retirement Industry Conference. Members of the press are welcome to attend the event at no cost. Please email media contacts for more details.

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About LOMA

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About The SOA

With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world’s largest actuarial professional organization with more than 28,000 actuaries as members. Through research and education, the SOA's mission is to advance actuarial knowledge and to enhance the ability of actuaries to provide expert advice and relevant solutions for financial, business and societal challenges. The SOA's vision is for actuaries to be the leading professionals in the measurement and management of risk. Visit SOA at www.SOA.org