Joe Connell, a partner in the retirement plan services practice at Sikich LLP, was named to the Financial Times’ 2017 list of top retirement advisers in the U.S. Connell, who has more than 15 years of retirement program experience, has been included on the FT 401 list since its creation three years ago.

Royal Alliance Associates, a financial services firm representing more than 1,800 advisors across the country, announced that Kansas-based advisory firm, Strategic Partners, Inc., has chosen to affiliate with Royal Alliance. Since the start of 2017, more than 150 registered representatives have joined Royal Alliance and nearly 500 advisors have joined Advisor Group firms.

Jeffrey Schwantz has joined eMoney Advisor as SVP, Head of Enterprise Sales, and Shannon Porro has joined as VP, Strategic Partnerships. Schwantz joins eMoney from Morningstar where he was Head of Client Solutions focused on the advisor, asset management and wealth management segments. Porro joins eMoney from Fidelity Custody and Clearing Solutions, where she was VP, Practice Management and Consulting with an emphasis on technology solutions.

The American Fraternal Alliance welcomed two new fraternal executives to its Board of Directors: Matthew E. Ellis, Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel, WoodmenLife; and Joe Alvarez, Vice President of Operations and Information Technology, FaithLife Financial. The Alliance supports the missions of not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies, a different kind of life insurance provider that secures members’ futures through reliable financial service offerings.

EQIS Capital Management has appointed Joseph F. Hunter as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Hunter has over 25 years of experience in executive management, having held C-level positions at numerous financial firms. EQIS also announced the addition of Kari Franz, Senior Vice President of Marketing. Franz has 29 years of industry experience. She most recently led Mutual Fund and ETF Marketing at Charles Schwab.

The Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP) announced that Health Alliance Plan (HAP), a subsidiary of Henry Ford Health System, has joined ACHP. ACHP is a national leadership organization bringing together innovative health plans and provider groups delivering affordable, high-quality coverage and care. HAP is a Michigan-based nonprofit health plan that provides coverage to more than 650,000 members and companies.

LIMRA and LOMA announced the election of Michael J. Doughty, president and CEO, Manulife Canada, as chair of the LL Global board of directors for 2018. Doughty succeeds Rino D’Onofrio, president and CEO, RBC Life Insurance Company.

People's United Bank announced the appointment of Phil Boyle as Director, Life and Employee Benefits Division. Boyle brings more than 20 years’ experience in the Insurance and Employee Benefits arena. Most recently he was Director, Strategic Accounts at Connecture.

RxTE Health, which specializes in pharmacy cost reduction programs for employers, announced that its president, David Henka, has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer. Henka will continue to also serve as the company’s president, a position he has held since joining the company in May 2017.

SEC registered investment advisor, Vestwell Advisors, announced the creation of a new advisory board to provide guidance and advice as the firm experiences significant growth. The board includes six industry leaders:

• Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management

• Lori Hardwick, Founder & President at AI Labs, former Co-Founder & Group President at Envestnet, Inc. and Chief Operating Officer of BNY Mellon's Pershing

• Aaron Schildkrout, Global Head of Growth & Driver Product at Uber

• Lowell Putnam, Co-Founder and CEO of Quovo

• Jamie Bernardin, Former CTO at Integral Ad Science & Founder/President of DataSynapse (acquired by TIBCO Software)

• Peter Kennedy, Former Chief Operating Officer TIAA Individual & Institutional Services, LLC. and former Chief Administrative Officer for the Managed Account Business at UBS Financial