Ronnie Nichols
What do you do in the retirement industry? I am the National Retiree Advocate consultant for Great West Retirement Services. After 40 years of assisting participants save money, we need to assist them with ways to make that money last as long as possible.
How has your membership in NAGDCA benefited you/your entity? I have attended every annual meeting for the last 30 years. The networking and the friends that I have made over the last 30 years both Industry and Government is invaluable. Also, the InFRE designation and education.
What is your favorite NAGDCA memory? This is a sad but important memory, as we gathered in Savannah on September 11, 2001, the tears and the togetherness as we all made it through that day and that week brought us together as a group and as a people. The military choir on the last night added a special period to this very trying week.
If you could meet anyone in the world for a cup of coffee and an hour of conversation, who would you like to meet? My father who died twenty years ago.
How do you like to spend time away from work? I play a little golf since I live in Myrtle Beach where we have over 100 courses. I am President of a condo association and also an Elvis Tribute Artist.
Doug Miller
What do you do in the retirement industry?
I work for Suffolk County New York and serve on the county’s 457 deferred compensation board as a management representative. I also manage the county’s deferred compensation website and the onsite vendor visits and marketing.
How has your membership in NAGDCA benefited you/your entity?
Our plan has two vendors and just over 7,000 participants that include retirees. I would say that my membership in NAGDCA has greatly improved my understanding of the Deferred Compensation plans, how to improve our plan and how best to serve the participants who depend on us to make the right decisions for their retirement planning. As members our board uses the NAGDCA website throughout the year to keep track of changes to laws, take advantage of the online training and connect with other members. Recently NAGDCA helped us with a problem we were having with our local community college becoming independent and how it would impact our plan. NAGDCA was instrumental in arranging a meeting with the IRS and also the New York State model plan administrators that resulted in a resolution. It would have been a very difficult process if wasn’t for the guidance and support that we received as members of NAGDCA.
What is your favorite NAGDCA memory?
Our Board attended the Annual Conference in Nashville and aside from the great location it was also the conference that our plan administrator Regina Hilbert was elected as NAGDCA President.
If you could meet anyone in the world for a cup of coffee and an hour of conversation, who would you like to meet?
Robert Ben Moshe The CEO of AIG, I think he is a real salt of the earth New York financial guy that is interested in making the business work in the global market and not just chasing returns.
How do you like to spend time away from work?
I am active in my community and in the Fire Department and enjoy restoring classic cars and antique wooden boats.
Mary Moglia-Cannon
What do you do in the retirement industry?
As a portfolio strategist with a specialty in defined contribution asset allocation products, I am an adjunct to Manning & Napier’s investment management team. Much of my time is spent with investment consultants, institutional clients and record keepers. The focus is typically on due diligence issues regarding Manning & Napier’s unique approach to investing and to achieving participant objectives.
How has your membership in NAGDCA benefited you/your entity?
I’ve benefited from increased knowledge of public sector plan specific concerns, and from participation in the investment policy task force. Moreover, the NAGDCA website has proven to be a timely and reliable resource for GAO releases, relevant industry discussions and many important DC-related considerations. While NAGDCA has been providing a valuable service since the 1980s, the association’s united effort in the current environment is critical for increased understanding and to impact change.
What is your favorite NAGDCA memory?
I enjoy the industry break out sessions at the annual NAGDCA Conference. The discussions are open, frank and collegial, and there is the sense that committee participation provides a vital service. My favorite memory is that of the candidacy speech given by Cathie Eitelberg of Segal Advisors, just prior to her election to the NAGDCA Industry Committee. She aptly reviewed her qualifications with greater emphasis on the responsibility at large than the individual achievements. In fact, it was that particular session which inspired me to volunteer.
If you could meet anyone in the world for a cup of coffee and an hour of conversation, who would you like to meet?
It’s a tie between John Adams and Nelson Mandela, agents of great change at pivotal times in history. Both served as negotiators of peace, both exhibited integrity and commitment to serve the greater good, and both were gifted with superior command of language and intellect. However, similarities end there as Adams was known for his less-than-diplomatic demeanor while the charismatic Mandela became appreciated even by those who would otherwise hate him if inherent biases were not overcome.
How do you like to spend time away from work?
Spending quality time with my husband, Rich, and our daughters, Lauren and Meghan, provides the optimal counterbalance to work. We live on the peripheries of a county park and ‘forever wild’ foundation land; and we prefer vacations that afford us plenty of time outdoors. Our family seems to re-connect easily when we connect with nature. Hiking fosters conversation, and road biking is a great stress reliever.
| 