Over the past decade, the retirement industry has undergone a structural transformation. The number of retirement plans has doubled. The Fiduciary Rule, SECURE 1 & 2, and new plan types like PEPs reshaped plan design. State programs expanded access. Recordkeepers consolidated. And participant expectations evolved in real time. This session examines the true growth engines of the past 10 years—and what they signal about what comes next. We’ll explore how policymakers are framing the future of retirement, what legislative signals may point toward a “SECURE 3.0,” and what real saver data reveals about investment preferences, personalization, and readiness.
About the Speakers
Courtney Eccles, SVP, State Relationship Management at Vestwell
Courtney leads the Vestwell Government Savings team that is responsible for program management and administration of state sponsored auto IRA retirement programs. She works directly on program implementation, as well as monitoring legislation and program development for future states. She joined Vestwell in November of 2021. Previously, Courtney spent six years as the Executive Director of IL Secure Choice, Illinois’ auto IRA program. She was responsible for all aspects of program implementation, ongoing operations, board engagement, and overseeing relationships with industry stakeholders, advocates, and state agencies. Prior to joining the Illinois Treasurer’s Office, Courtney served as the VP of Policy for Woodstock Institute, a Chicago-based research and advocacy non-profit. She was responsible for the organization’s state and federal policy initiatives in the areas of wealth creation and asset building, fair lending, and financial systems reform. Courtney received both her B.S. in Social Policy and Master’s in Public Policy from Northwestern University.
Kevin Gaston, CPC™, QPA™, QKC, QKA®, TGPC, Head of Strategic Retirement Consulting, Vestwell
Kevin Gaston is the Head of Strategic Retirement Consulting at Vestwell. He is a QPN - Qualified Plan Nerd(tm) with more than 15 years of experience ranging from sales, client service, operations, relationship management, and plan design. Kevin has worked with individuals, corporations, non-profits, advisors and TPAs, with a knack for making the esoteric easy for stakeholders. He graduated from Amherst with degrees in Economics, and Law. He holds the ASPPA CPC, QPA, QKC, QKA designations; NAPA CPFA and NQPA certificates, CRPS, and Green and Lean Six Sigma certifications. Kevin is the President of the Atlanta ASPPA Benefits Council, and serves on the ASPPA Leadership Council. He is an expert in all things SECURE 2.0, auto-enroll programs, tax credits, 529 rollovers, ESAs, retirement, savings programs, legislation, and more.
Lew Minsky, President & CEO, DCIIA
Biography Coming Soon.