NIPA Celebrates 25 Years!
NIPA's First Female President Donna Hopson
In 1983, four individuals watched their idea blossom. When Jim Christenson, APA, along with Bob Carolan, APA, Roger Renfro, APA, Esq. and Charles Johnson, APA, APR, pooled money for a TPA mailing, their venture to educate pension administrators was put in full motion. Five years later, 1988 was another landmark year for NIPA and Donna Hopson. Hopson became the association's first female president, and 25 years later, she recalls how much the association has grown.
When the four founding fathers began plugging NIPA's mission, the pension industry still referenced many individuals as clerks. Lacking the professional credit, Christenson took a stab at increasing the overall skill level. Prior to NIPA and 1984, the number of pension administration courses taught nationally totaled zero. It left limited education for practicing and aspiring third-party pension administrators.
Thanks to the Accredited Pension Administrator (APA) program, NIPA devised, created and implemented a route to recognize those who successfully complete a series of examinations. Marilyn Ryding, APA, QPA, Truog-Ryding Co., took the first APA with Christenson as moderator.
Originally, the APA program was managed by very professional practitioners, but not professional educators. After several years, Glenn Wood, Ph.D., CLU, CPCU, IES Central, stepped into the shoes of NIPA's Education Director, and gave the APA program and its management a new face.
The program is one in a long line of successful developments NIPA has witnessed over 25 years -- The Annual Forum & Expo; Business Management Conference; APR Exams; Webcasts; among others.
Programs aside, NIPA wouldn't be the force it is today without its many leaders. Hopson got her foot in the industry in 1975 as a receptionist for a TPA firm. After working through several positions, she experienced all aspects of TPA services and by 1984, was a partner in a start-up firm.
Involvement with NIPA came naturally since her partner was Christenson. After passing the APA exam, she volunteered to work on NIPA's Education Committee. Hospon's presidency rolled around a few years later and in 2003, she was recipient to NIPA's first Lifetime Achievement Award.
"When I was elected, it looked like NIPA would be out of business within a year," says Hopson. "The NIPA Board of Directors took that as a challenge and NIPA was off to a fresh start, thanks to the untiring efforts of Marilyn Ryding, Valerie Stevens and other NIPA members who prepared and presented workshops throughout Southern California ."
Like many evolutions, NIPA's came full circle. "I loved my time with NIPA and treasured the opportunities to work with so many talented pension professionals who were so generous with their time and energy," says Hopson. "I often said that being president was the most fun I ever had in a professional position."
Over NIPA's 25 years, Hopson's found one trend to remain steady -- the complexity of the industry. "Technology has evolved to meet much of the challenge," she says. "There are now many options for technical training. The biggest shift is to 401(k) plans, now a household word and TPA firms are becoming specialized and compartmentalized as each plan type, defined benefit/defined contribution, requires advanced technical experts."
As the industry's complexity isn't going anywhere, neither is NIPA's assistance with education and programs. Twenty five years from its start, NIPA successful journey to shape plan administration education continues.
NIPA's First President Roger Renfro APA, Esq., Renfro & Associates Law Corp.
Q: What most about your presidential year do you remember?
Renfro: I was elected NIPA's first president and re-elected president for the second year. I recall many dilemmas we faced: no organization money; no names of non-actuaries who labored in the pension industry; the need to expend lots of time organizing NIPA; and the endless discussions with my three colleagues about the association's initial development and its core principles, objectives and activities.
Q: How did you get your start in the industry, and then become involved in NIPA?
Renfro: At the time of NIPA's start, I previously owned and operated an Orange County, Calif., third-party pension administration firm for 10 years. Around 1981, save for ASPA, the pension industry as a whole was pretty much disorganized. In the middle of 1982, Congress bombarded the pension/profit sharing plan industry with three major pieces of litigation (tefra, defra & rea). I decided at that time pension plan administration firms needed to organize and meet to discuss the implementation of sound administrative practices from a plan administration perspective, and not just from an actuarial perspective. I called approximately 12 other owners of third-party pension administration firms, explained what I wanted to do and invited them to join me in starting NIPA. I successfully convinced three of the 12 to join me. Besides myself, Robert Carolan, Jim Christensen and Charles Johnson were the initial pioneers and volunteers.
Q: Since joining NIPA, what has been a memorable experience?
Renfro: Witnessing the fruition and ultimate success of an idea.
Q: How have you seen the industry evolve over the years?
Renfro: There have been too many iterations of pension/profit sharing issues, processes and solutions to mention. I do believe one issue does stand out: because of NIPA and its volunteers, the non-actuary individuals who work in the pension administration trenches at long last have been able to set themselves apart from the actuary and are, I believe, viewed nationally as being equally qualified pension/profit sharing "experts" with nationally recognized credentials as well as APA.
NIPA Past President Peter Stephan, President and CEO, The Pension Group, Inc.
Q: What most about your presidential year do you remember?
Stephan: I started out as a NIPA Board member and was president for the 1995-96 year. In 1994-95, it was the start of NIPA's transition to SmithBucklin for association management and the aggressive progression of NIPA's national growth, which was a very challenging time. At the time of my presidency, I was fortunate to have an Executive Committee that saw the big picture and a plan for the next five years to transition NIPA.
Q: How did you get your start in the industry, and then become involved in NIPA?
Stephan: I started in the industry in 1975 working for CPI Pension Services, which is headquartered in Newport Beach , Calif. I became actively involved with NIPA around 1989-90 when I was recruited by Tom Burkhart.
Q: Since joining NIPA, what has been a memorable experience?
Stephan: My most memorable experience was working with the NIPA Board of Directors during the transition period in 1995. Many NIPA members do not know that there were several challenging financial years for NIPA and the ability of the NIPA Board of Directors, the various committees and involved chapters. To chart the course of NIPA into the future is a rewarding memory for me.
Q: How have you seen the industry evolve over the years?
Stephan: The industry has become increasingly regulatory which increases the overall cost to an employer in providing a qualified retirement program. This increasing compliance cost factor may limit the financial ability of employers to offer a retirement plan in light of other benefits. In addition, the lack of a focused national retirement policy will continue to undermine our country's savings rate and put more pressure on employee's to be self-sufficient for retirement adequacy.
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