Executive Profile

The newest member of the PenChecks Trust sales team, Mark is a veteran of the retirement industry, having previously worked for a retirement plan communications firm for almost a decade. When that small family business was acquired by a large public company, he decided it was time for a change.

“I’ve always enjoyed working in a family business,” says Mark, “and my previous employer had good things to say about the people at PenChecks Trust. I did some research on the company and liked what they bring to the marketplace. But it was the quality of the people that convinced me to come aboard. You can have the best products and services in the industry, but if you don’t have good people to stand behind them, you won’t get very far.”

Knowledge and Expertise Open the Door

Mark believes that working with clients requires more than just a good understanding of PenChecks Trust’s service offerings; it also requires in-depth knowledge of industry regulations and trends, as well as the issues clients wrestle with on a daily basis. With his extensive background and experience in the industry, Mark can quickly zero in on the unique distribution challenges prospective clients are facing and work with them to devise appropriate solutions.

“PenChecks Trust is known throughout the industry for our innovative distribution technologies,” says Mark. “But our clients don’t care about technology for technology’s sake. They want to know how we can help them serve their clients more effectively. My job is to learn about their businesses and identify tasks or processes that we can do more efficiently and for less cost. That way, they can focus on doing what they do best.”

In addition to the people, Mark enjoys all facets of working at PenChecks Trust. The challenge of keeping up with a constantly evolving industry. Being part of a company that constantly leads the way in new product and service development. And knowing that by helping their clients operate more efficiently, PenChecks Trust ultimately helps America’s workers do a better job of saving for their retirement.

“As long as people keep retiring, leaving jobs and starting new ones, there will be a need for distribution solutions,” says Mark. “As a company, we focus on a few of those solutions and we do them really well. I also like the fact that we don’t have a lot of red tape at PenChecks Trust. When someone brings up a new idea, senior management really listens. If it’s a good idea, they empower us to make things happen.”

Born and raised in New England, Mark has always been an outdoor, sports-oriented person – in warm weather and cold. He works out daily to stay healthy in mind and body, skiing in the winter and biking in the summer for his primary recreational pursuits. He also enjoys travelling, spending time with friends and family, and volunteers with Therapy Dogs International to help recruit pet therapy volunteers who visit patients in rehab facilities.

Meet the Team:

> Peter Preovolos, APA, RIA, AIFA, PPC / Chairman Emeritus
> Spiro Preovolos / President and CEO
> Mike McWherter, JD / Chief Compliance Officer
> David Peace / Chief Technology Officer
> Kevin D. Smallen / Chief Information Officer
> Wendy Henderson / Vice President / Director of Operations
> Scott Okrasinski / Vice President/National Sales Director
> Steve Wagoner / Vice President of Institutional Sales
> Tom Drosky / West Regional Vice President
> Mark Russell / Eastern Regional Director
> Chip Davis / Southern Regional Director
> Paul Kociuruba / Central Regional Director
> Laurie Kemp / South Central Regional Director