Denver, Colo – October 16, 2013 – Paula Hendrickson, director of retirement plan consulting at First Western Trust, was one of the 100 elite 401(k) plan advisors in the United States who gathered in Washington, DC, recently to listen to and advise top Congressional leaders about the future of the retirement savings industry and how proposed laws and regulations could affect American workers’ retirement security.
A member of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), Paula was invited to the first annual NAPA DC Fly-in Forum held on Capitol Hill in September. The delegates met with key members of Congress, top-level House and Senate aides, and a high-ranking Treasury Dept. official, to discuss issues including tax reform, proposed Department of Labor regulations on the definition of a fiduciary, and potential action by the Securities and Exchange Commission on its own fiduciary rule.
“Having access to the members of Congress and their staff allowed us to share how our industry works in great detail. I think they are starting to understand the importance of our work in building successful plans for employers and helping employees reach retirement readiness. It was exciting to be able to offer ourselves as a resource on key issues,” said Paula.
The Forum featured a day and a half of high-level discussions with members of Congress and others, including Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD); Rep. John Kline (R-Minn), Chairman of the House Education and Workforce Committee; Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), and Treasury’s Mark Iwry.
With more than 25 years of experience in retirement plan consulting, Paula brought her expertise in creative plan design, fiduciary oversight, and retirement consultation to the discussion of key issues facing retirement planning today. She has previously been recognized by 401k Wire as one of the Most Influential Advisors in Defined Contribution.
NAPA, a sister organization of the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), was created by and for retirement plan advisors. NAPA is the only advocacy group exclusively focused on the issues that matter to retirement plan advisors.
About First Western Trust
First Western Trust is uniquely positioned as the best private bank for the Western wealth management client by providing tailored solutions in the areas of wealth planning, private banking, investment management, and trusts and estates to meet client’s complex financial needs. With further specialties in retirement services, insurance, philanthropic services, and business banking, First Western delivers direct access to subject matter experts and sophisticated services through local, team-based relationships. First Western’s services are integrated through ConnectView, a proprietary approach that considers a client’s entire financial picture in designing integrated solutions to reach short- and long-term goals. Built specifically for clients based in the West, the firm has offices in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Wyoming.