Empower Retirement today announced the appointment of Joseph Smolen to lead the firm’s core market segment, which consists of retirement plans with under $50 million in assets. The appointment is effective immediately.

Smolen joined Empower in 1999 and has held several sales and service leadership positions – most recently as vice president for sales strategy. He will report to Empower President Edmund F. Murphy, III.

“Joe has the rare ability to combine a strategic vision with the delivery of outstanding results -- and he’s proven it throughout his career,” said Murphy. “Under his leadership our core market team will continue to be of great service to the plan sponsors, advisors and consultants who rely on Empower to best serve the needs of retirement plan participants.”

Most recently, Smolen was responsible for the creation and distribution of core market retirement solutions, including multi-employer plans and investment trusts, management of the inside sales desks and sales and service to all national affinity relationships.

Smolen joined Empower as a pension consultant and has served in a number of different capacities, including outside sales, manager of internal and external sales and executive sponsorship for national account relationships.

Smolen said that the key to providing participants with the retirement security they deserve lies in Empower’s ability to team with advisors to serve plan sponsors and participants.

"Empower is delivering a cutting edge, innovative offering with a highly experienced, expert team,” said Smolen. “But that’s only possible by placing advisors at the center of our value proposition. I’m looking forward to further exceeding plan sponsor and participant expectations through this advisor-centric model.”

In total, Empower’s core market business manages some $88 billion for more than 1.6 million participants in 24,000 plans, as of June 30, 2017.

Smolen is a graduate of Kansas State University, where he earned a degree in management. He will continue to be based at Empower's headquarters in metro Denver. Smolen works with the Children’s Diabetes Foundation and the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes.

About Empower Retirement:

Headquartered in metro Denver, Empower Retirement administers $494 billion in assets for more than 8.2 million participants. It is the nation’s second-largest retirement plan record keeper by total participants (Pensions & Investments, April 2017). Empower serves all segments of the employer-sponsored retirement plan market: government 457 plans, small, midsize, and large corporate 401(k) clients, non-profit 403(b) entities and private-label recordkeeping clients. For more information, please visit www.Empower-Retirement.com.

Media Contact:

Stephen Gawlik – 303-737-0899 (office), 617-417-4408 (cell)

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