ARA Council for Women
The ARA Council for Women is an advisory committee with a representative from each of the five sister organizations the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA), the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA), the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), the National Tax-deferred Savings Association (NTSA), and the Plan Sponsor Council of America (PSCA).
The purpose of the council is to share and implement best practices amongst the five organizations to help build and promote space for the growth of women in our respective fields.
The goals of the group are to increase the presence of women in our respective fields through our collective and coordinated efforts.
The council advises NAPA, ASPPA, NTSA, AESA and the PSCA and assists in the development of initiatives to increase the presence of women in the retirement industry so that it is a better reflection of those we serve.
ARA Thrive
The ARA Thrive Mentoring Program for Women facilitates mentoring relationships for female retirement professionals by pairing those newer to or aspiring to a career in the field with tenured, successful advisors, third party administrators, and industry professionals.
The program encourages deep partnerships between women who are seasoned in the retirement field and those coming up in their profession. This formalized relationship helps those newer to the industry learn how to successfully navigate the issues facing them as women in the retirement industry—from negotiating roles within a team to marketing and new client acquisition.
Mentors and mentees are encouraged to connect regularly. We recommend one to two touch points per month—or as needed.
Whether you’re looking for a mentor – willing to be one – or both – this is your opportunity to get (more) connected.
The Women in Retirement Conference
In 2018 the American Retirement Association (ARA) consolidated two events, The ASPPA Women in Business Leaders Forum (WBLF) and NAPA Connect to create the Women in Retirement Conference (WiRC), by bringing together two distinct groups: women advisors and TPAs. In 2019, a third sister organization, NTSA, joined to continue to attendance and expand the developing WiRC network. The purpose of our conference is to inspire women in the retirement services industry to seek their highest level of personal and professional growth.
The Women in Retirement Conference (WiRC) is the only conference of its kind, with conference content built by women advisors and TPAs for women in the retirement plan industry. WiRC brings together women in the retirement plan industry together to focus on four key areas: leadership, marketing, practice management, and personal growth.
About the Women in Retirement Conference
WiRC is designed to address the challenges and opportunities of women in the industry, both personally and professionally. This event — which features keynote speakers, as well as intimate roundtables and workshops — is designed to inspire women in the retirement services industry to seek their highest level of personal and professional growth.
Who Can Attend
Our primary attendees are TPAs and advisors, but we also welcome advisor firm home office staff and closely-related job functions (ERISA attorneys, client service staff, relationship managers, etc.). We believe that this event can be an introduction to new career paths for many women in the financial service industry.
NetWiRC
WiRC participants can network with professionals across the retirement industry to help build and grow their businesses. Industry partners participate in networking at the Women in Retirement Conference and beyond via the online LinkedIn Group.