Sikich LLP Names Joe Connell as Director of Retirement Plan Services

Sikich LLP, a leading professional services firm specializing in accounting, technology, investment banking and advisory services, hired Joe Connell as a director of retirement plan services.

Previously, Connell served as the president of Retirement Plan Partners. In his new role, he will lead Sikich’s retirement plan advisory practice, oversee its growth in Minnesota and South Dakota and provide current clients with quality service. PLANADVISER recently named him the 2014 PLANSPONSOR Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year.

Connell has more than 15 years of experience in retirement planning with expertise in all areas of 401(k) plan consulting, including investment selection and performance monitoring, vendor negotiation, participant education and plan administration and design. He joins a talented wealth management team with assets under management and administration that total over $650 million.

“Joe is a nationally recognized thought leader in the retirement planning services industry. He has a long track record of helping organizations make smarter retirement plan decisions, which enables their participants to retire successfully,” said Jim Sikich, CEO of Sikich LLP. “Joe will increase our assets under management and administration to approximately $850 million. This places Sikich in the top 30 on Accounting Today’s Wealth Magnets list and paves the way for continued growth moving forward.”

Connell is currently licensed as an Investment Advisor Representative and an insurance producer. He is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) and also holds the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®), Registered Fiduciary (RF™) and Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designations.

Editors often ask Connell to comment on retirement planning trends and issues. He frequently speaks to employer and industry groups about the key elements of successful retirement plans, and he regularly presents at PLANADVISER’s national conference, the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) 401(k) Summit and PLANSPONSOR’s national conference.

Connell has received numerous industry accolades in addition to the recent PLANADVISER award. In 2011, Morningstar and ASPPA honored him as a finalist for the 401(k) Advisor Leadership award. The Defined Contribution Plan Institute (DCPI) named him one of the Top 300 Most Influential 401(k) Advisers in Defined Contribution in 2009, 2010 and 2011.