The retirement plan landscape is changing fast, and employers have more options than ever. MEPs (Multiple Employer Plans) and PEPs (Pooled Employer Plans) offer cost savings, compliance relief, and simplified administration—but standalone plans still provide unmatched control, flexibility, and customization. In this Point/Counterpoint session, you’ll discover the advantages and trade-offs of pooled versus standalone plans, understand how the marketplace is evolving, and gain strategies to guide clients toward the right solution. Whether your clients are exploring MEPs/PEPs for the first time or considering leaving a pooled plan, this webcast equips you with the insights you need to lead confident, high-value conversations.
About the Speakers
Jeff Atwell, CPFA® SR VP Fiduciary Services, American TCS Fiduciary Services, LLC
Mr. Atwell has specialized and excelled in the qualified retirement plan area for over 40 years. During this time, period he has owned a third-party administration firm, represented a national record-keeping platform, created, and implemented retirement plan trust and fiduciary services within a bank trust department, and owned an interest in a fiduciary consulting company. He has been involved in over 3,000 plans since 1978. Mr. Atwell and his wife, Lori, have two daughters and 5 grandchildren. In addition to enjoying the grandchildren, he and Lori enjoy playing golf on a regular basis. Mr. Atwell attended Texas Tech University and entered the financial services industry in 1974.
Pete Swisher, CFP®, CPC™, QPA™, TGPC, Managing Partner, Group Plan Systems
Pete is a founding member of the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) and its Leadership Council. As the first Chair of NAPA’s government affairs committee, Pete testified for the ERISA Advisory Council and worked with the staffs of the DOL, IRS, SEC, and members of the U.S. Congress on fiduciary regulations, disclosures, open MEPs, the “bad apple” rule, conflicts of interest, and various legislative drafts. He is the author of several dozen articles in peer-reviewed publications and hundreds of other articles, white papers, and national conference presentations. He wrote 401(k) Fiduciary Governance: An Advisor’s Guide (3rd Edition, 2011), an early textbook for investment advisors pursuing the QPFC and CPFA credentials of the American Retirement Association. In addition to being a Managing Partner at GPS, Pete is the founder and President of the consulting firm Waypoint Fiduciary, LLC, a specialist in group retirement plans. As an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia Pete graduated with a degree in Linguistics and never lost his love of language. He did coursework in seven languages, remains literate at an intermediate level in French and Spanish, and plays a mean game of Scrabble. He served in the first Gulf War as the Executive Officer of a U.S. Marine infantry company and left the Marines as a Captain. He lives with his wife, Shannon, in the horse country of Central Kentucky and spends as much time as possible with his three grown children.
Participant Information
Each attendee/viewer must have their own registration for each event and access it through their own device in order to receive continuing education credit.
Registration for on-demand webcasts includes unlimited viewing of the webcast recording, webcast outline, and any additional presentation materials for 180 days following the registration date.
Recordings are available one week after the live webcast takes place.
To receive CE for the on-demand version, viewers must pass a brief quiz following the recorded session.