Five Prominent Industry Leaders Join Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) today announced the expansion of its Board of Directors, adding five prominent industry leaders to the ranks of its leadership. Marking nearly one year since IRI initiated its extensive and successful rebranding efforts, the addition of the new Board members underscores the strength and continued rapid growth of the organization.

Joining the IRI Board are: 

• Gary C. Bhojwani, president and chief executive officer for Allianz Life;
• Chris Blunt, executive vice president, Retirement Income Security at New York Life Insurance Company;
• Lynne Ford, chief executive officer of ING Financial Solutions;
• George Gatch, president and chief executive officer of JP Morgan Funds; and
• John Papadopulos, president of Wells Fargo Retirement.

"Over the course of the past year, IRI has embraced a new dynamic - championing the virtues of insured retirement strategies while delivering rich education and resources to advisors and consumers alike," said IRI President and CEO Cathy Weatherford. "Under the strategic direction of our outstanding Board of Directors, IRI has successfully helped reshape the debate on holistic retirement planning. By expanding the Board to include five of the nation's most prominent leaders, we will further position ourselves as the preeminent lifetime income organization."

"IRI has quickly filled an important void within our industry, bringing the entire supply chain of insured retirement strategies into one organization," added IRI Board of Directors Chairman, President of Retirement Savings for AXA Equitable Jamie Shepherdson. "Insiders and external audiences alike are taking notice of the strength of IRI's membership and the positive role the association plays as an expert resource. We are pleased to have these leaders join the Board, and look forward working as a team to foster additional successes at IRI."

The Insured Retirement Institute recently launched its member's only website - www.myIRIonline.org - offering more than 30,000 financial professionals exclusive access to the latest industry news, resources, client approved materials, continuing education credits, research and more. Over the past year, IRI has made measureable inroads with key regulators, Administration leaders and elected state officials.

From working with the SEC to create and make available a variable annuity summary prospectus, to meeting Department of Treasury officials to discuss guaranteed lifetime income strategies, IRI's successful advocacy has positively affected every corner of the industry. This past April, IRI led a coalition to help educate the 77 million Baby Boomers on the need for quality retirement planning during National Retirement Planning Week. In total, since May of 2009, IRI has successfully messaged the one-of-a kind value proposition of insured retirement strategies to a unique audience of more than 130 million readers.

About the Insured Retirement Institute: The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) is a not-for-profit organization and is the authoritative source of all things pertaining to annuities, insured retirement strategies and retirement planning. IRI exists to vigorously promote consumer confidence in the value and viability of insured retirement strategies, bringing together the interests of the industry, financial advisors and consumers under one umbrella. IRI's mission is to: encourage industry adherence to highest ethical principles; promote better understanding of the insured retirement value proposition; develop and promote best practice standards to improve value delivery; and to advocate before public policy makers on critical issues affecting insured retirement strategies. Visit www.IRIonline.org to experience the new, vast resources of the new Insured Retirement Institute for yourself.               

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