Executive Leadership
Executive Leadership
Our leaders live our values every day and pave the way to help our company, customers and clients achieve positive results.
Edmund F. Murphy III
Edmund F. Murphy III
Edmund F. Murphy III is President and Chief Executive Officer of Empower, a leading provider of financial services for consumers that include retirement services, wealth management, advice, and asset management. He also serves as a Board Member of Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company and as a Strategic Advisor to Diagram Ventures.1
Ed brings decades of broad leadership experience to his role. He was appointed as the inaugural President of Empower upon its formation in 2014 and has led the organization through a period of strong and sustained growth, positioning the firm as the go-to provider of financial services for more than 18 million investors.2
Under his leadership, Empower has grown into a national leader serving working Americans through all sectors of the U.S. economy and across the spectrum of wealth segments. Empower has completed several strategic acquisitions, including the retirement businesses of J.P. Morgan, Prudential, MassMutual, Truist Bank, and Fifth Third Bank. In 2020, Empower acquired Personal Capital, a registered investment adviser and wealth manager. Empower has assets under administration of more than $1.4 trillion and serves some 82,000 corporate, government, and not-for-profit plans.2
A much sought-after thought leader as an advocate for investors and the defined contribution system, Ed is regarded as a driving force for industry innovation and public policy reform. He meets regularly with policymakers in Washington, D.C., and has testified before Congress, the Department of Labor, the Treasury Department, and the IRS.
Ed speaks and writes about financial topics ranging from retirement issues and public policy to investment advice and lifetime income strategies. He has been interviewed by CNBC, Bloomberg News, “MarketWatch,” “The Wall Street Journal,” “Barron’s,” “The Financial Times,” and many other media outlets.
Under Ed’s leadership, Empower has earned multiple industry accolades. In 2020 and 2016, the firm was named Retirement Leader of the Year by Financial Advisor, and it is regularly recognized for outstanding client service, innovative product solutions, and pioneering work with financial intermediaries.
Empower employs more than 12,000 associates and has been recognized for its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community service. Ed is a founding member of Inclusive Economy, a movement focused on driving diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Colorado business community, and is a signatory to A Day for Democracy, a national effort to support voting rights. “The Denver Business Journal” named him a Most Admired CEO in 2020.
Before his appointment as CEO of Empower, Ed served as Managing Director at Putnam Investments and was a member of the firm’s operating committee. Prior to Putnam, he held executive leadership roles at Fidelity Investments in its institutional, private equity, and retail businesses. During his time at Fidelity, he served as CEO of Veritude, LLC and as a board member of several Fidelity-owned companies. He spent the early portion of his career at Merrill Lynch.
Ed is a board member of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, Boston College Wall Street Council, Colorado Inclusive Economy, and the American Enterprise Institute National Council and a member of The Wall Street Journal CEO Council. He is active in supporting numerous not-for-profit, educational, and charitable causes, including service to Boston College through the Board of Regents, the board of Cristo Rey High School in Boston, and as a board member of The Ireland Funds and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Ed is a former board member of the New England Council and a past Trustee of Emmanuel College in Boston.
Ed holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and is a graduate of the General Manager Program at Harvard Business School.
1 His role at Diagram Ventures is not related to the business of Empower Financial Services, Inc.
2 As of September 30, 2023. Information refers to all retirement business of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America (EAICA) and its subsidiaries, including Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York (ELAINY); and Empower Annuity Insurance Company (EAIC), marketed under the Empower brand. Information refers to all retirement business of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America (EAICA) and its subsidiaries, including Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York (ELAINY); and Empower Annuity Insurance Company (EAIC), marketed under the Empower brand. EAICA’s consolidated total assets under administration (AUA) were $1,372.7B. AUA is a non-GAAP measure and does not reflect the financial stability or strength of a company. EAICA’s statutory assets total $71.5B and liabilities total $67.5B. ELAINY’s statutory assets total $7.2B and liabilities total $6.8B. EAIC’s statutory assets total $88.1B and liabilities total $87.0B.
Empower Retirement, LLC and its affiliates are not affiliated with Diagram Ventures
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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Richard H. Linton, Jr
Richard H. Linton, Jr
Rich Linton is President and Chief Operating Officer for Empower. In his role, he oversees Empower’s distribution and service across all market segments, including corporate, corporate large and mega, not-for- profit, government, and Taft-Hartley plans. He also manages all aspects of recordkeeping operations for Empower, including plan administration, the Customer Care Center, implementation, client service, processing operations, financial controls, and transformation functions. Additionally, he has responsibility for Empower’s product, technology, Empower Investments, and Empower India organizations.
Rich joined Empower in 2016 and has 33 years of experience in the retirement plan services industry. Before joining Empower, he served as President of Large Corporate Markets and Retail Wealth Management for Voya Financial. There, he oversaw sales and marketing, relationship management, product development, platform management, field representative service, brokerage operations, and strategic planning.
Rich has also worked at Bank of America, where he was Managing Director of the Business Retirement Solutions Group, and at Fidelity Investments, where he served in a variety of leadership roles in operations, sales, product, client service, and general management.
Rich holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from Boston University. He serves on the Executive Dinner Committee for the Hope on the Harbor annual Alzheimer’s Association fundraising gala in Boston and on the Conference Board Chief Operating Officer Council. Rich is the former Board Chairman/President of the Society of Professional Asset-Managers and Recordkeepers (SPARK) and a former Board Chair for the Greater Cincinnati affiliate of the American Heart Association.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice. “EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO2834462-0423
Carol E. Waddell
Carol E. Waddell
Carol Waddell is President of Empower Personal Wealth, an innovative and rapidly growing wealth management business. In her role, she oversees all aspects of the wealth business, including advisory and investments, distribution, operations, marketing, product, and consumer-facing technology and experience. In addition, her teams deliver advice, professionally managed accounts, and financial wellness and planning across Empower’s wealth management and workplace businesses.
Carol joined the organization in 2012. Prior to that, she served as Head of Product and Marketing for J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services. At J.P. Morgan, she led product management and development, which included products, services, tools, and websites for advisors, plan sponsors, and participants, and oversaw the firm’s marketing strategy and communications, segment management, and award-winning participant experience.
Carol has also worked for T. Rowe Price, where she served in various leadership roles, providing oversight for defined contribution, defined benefit, and nonqualified plan product development and marketing. The scope of her work included customer digital channels; investment products; and services for intermediaries, plan sponsors, and participants, and she contributed significantly to the firm’s overall retirement income and target date product strategies. Carol has also worked at Citibank in a variety of positions focused on marketing and customer experience.
Carol holds an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. She currently maintains FINRA Series 6, 7, and 24 securities registrations. She sits on the boards of the Empower Advisory Group; Empower Trust Company; Empower Financial Services, Inc.; and Empower Insurance Agency and is the Chair, President, and CEO of Empower Financial Services, Inc., Empower’s broker-dealer. She is also Co-Chair of the Empower Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council and Executive Sponsor of the Women’s Empowerment Network Business Resource Group at Empower. In addition, she serves on the Mile High United Way Board of Trustees and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board and is a member of the Colorado Investment Services Coalition.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO2765805-0323
Carol Kline
Carol Kline
Carol Kline is Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Empower. In her role, she provides strategic information technology (IT) leadership by working with the technology and business teams to define and deliver IT strategy and capabilities across the company. She is also a key contributor to business-to-business and business-to-consumer engagement strategies.
Carol joined Empower in 2019 with a demonstrated track record of developing and driving innovative technology strategies to improve business processes and performance. Before joining Empower, she served as CIO at Conduent, Inc., a business process services provider. She has also served as CIO at TTEC Holdings, Inc. (formerly TeleTech) and held multiple executive and senior leadership roles at technology and communications firms such as EchoStar, America Online (now Historic AOL LLC), and Qwest Communications (now CenturyLink).
Carol holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Ohio Northern University and an MBA from the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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John Bevacqua
John Bevacqua
John Bevacqua is the Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer for Empower. In his role, he is responsible for the oversight of enterprise risk management, capital management, corporate actuarial, and compliance activities across the company.
John joined the organization in 2016 and has 30 years of experience in risk management, actuarial science and finance within the financial services industry. Prior to joining Empower, he served as Senior Vice President & Chief Risk Officer of Market Risk and Long Term Care Risk at Genworth Financial. Prior to that, he held senior actuarial and risk management positions at AIG and was a Partner in Deloitte’s Actuarial & Insurance Solutions practice.
John holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO3334881-0124
Stephen J. Gawlik
Stephen J. Gawlik
Steve Gawlik is Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Empower. In his role, he is responsible for the development and execution of the company’s external communications strategy, as well as corporate-wide issues management, media relations, public policy, and executive communications. He also works with internal business teams to raise the visibility of Empower capabilities, product solutions, and best thinking.
Steve joined the organization in 2015 and has 22 years of experience in public relations in the corporate, not-for-profit and higher education sectors, most recently with TIAA-CREF and Western Union.
Steve holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Boston College. He currently holds FINRA Series 7 credentials and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO2958142-0623
Stephen E. Jenks
Stephen E. Jenks
Steve Jenks is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Empower. In his role, he oversees all advertising, performance marketing, and product marketing for Empower’s business-to-business and consumer offerings. His team includes an in-house creative organization as well as customer experience, primary and secondary research, direct response, product marketing, digital marketing, UI/UX design, and marketing effectiveness teams.
Steve joined the organization in 2011 and has over 30 years of marketing, product, and business leadership experience. Prior to joining the firm, he served as Head of Defined Contribution Product and Marketing for Putnam Investments, where he helped shape and execute growth strategies for the organization’s defined contribution, investment-only, and rollover businesses. He has also held leadership roles in marketing, product, finance, and relationship management at Fidelity Investments. In addition, Steve co-founded Acceleration Retirement, a marketing analytics and outsourcing firm, and Stable Two Financial, a registered investment advisory company, and served as CEO of both.
Steve holds a bachelor’s degree with distinction in business analysis from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. He is a registered representative of Empower Financial Services, Inc. and currently maintains FINRA Series 6 and 26 securities registrations and the Series 63 state securities license. Steve also currently chairs the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO3422054-0224
Jonathan D. Kreider
Jonathan D. Kreider
Jonathan Kreider is Executive Vice President and Head of Empower Investments. He leads the team responsible for product development, management, and distribution of Empower Investments’ proprietary investment solutions. His team is responsible for the management and distribution of the Empower Funds’ series of proprietary mutual funds; stable value products; and the broader due diligence, monitoring, and selection of investment options for company platforms.
Jonathan joined the organization in 2012. Prior to joining Empower he worked as a consultant with JDL Consultants, LLC, a boutique management consulting firm specializing in strategic and analytical work for mutual fund boards. Before that, he served as a senior research analyst at Lipper, Inc.
Jonathan has spoken at industry conferences on manager due diligence and subadvisor selection, retirement income, the practical interpretation of investment risk metrics, and other topics. He has been quoted in numerous financial publications including the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Money and SmartMoney. In 2016, he was named as a Rising Star of Retirement Under 40 by LIMRA.
Jonathan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and an MBA from the University of Colorado. He is a member of the CFA Society of Colorado and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charterholder.
Empower Investments is a marketing name of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America and certain subsidiaries.
“EMPOWER INVESTMENTS” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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David G. McLeod
David G. McLeod
Dave McLeod is Executive Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer for Empower. In his role, he identifies markets, partners, products, and services he believes will help expand Empower offerings in the marketplace and position the company for strategic growth.
Dave joined the organization in 1985. He has held several leadership positions, including Senior Vice President of Product, Vice President of Investment Operations, and Controller/Treasurer of Great-West Funds (now Empower Funds).
Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Manitoba. He currently maintains FINRA Series 6 and 26 securities registrations and the Series 65 state securities license. He also holds the Certified Management Accountant® (CMA®) designation from the Chartered Professional Accountants of Manitoba.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO3422054-0224
Christine Moritz
Christine Moritz
Christine Moritz is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Empower. In her role, she is responsible for leading Empower’s financial teams and providing financial and strategic support for the organization.
Christine joined the organization in 2003 and has held various roles within the finance department. She has also served as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Christine holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on accounting and a master’s degree in professional accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a Colorado-certified public accountant and a board member of Sungate Kids in Colorado.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is
an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC.
This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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Kelly Noble
Kelly Noble
Kelly Noble is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer of Empower. In her role, she maintains oversight of the firm’s legal function and ensures company business strategies, policies, and programs are developed in full recognition of legal implications and risks. She advises Empower on areas of significant company-wide impact, such as acquisitions, mergers and divestitures, and actively participates in strategic planning.
Noble joined the organization in 1997 and has handled various legal matters, including those relating to acquisitions, commercial transactions, privacy, cybersecurity and litigation. She is an active member of the company’s Diversity, Belonging Inclusion and Equity Council and serves as the executive sponsor of the PRIDE Business Resource Group. Prior to Empower, Noble worked in private practice in the Denver area.
Noble is a graduate of the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver and holds an undergraduate degree from Ball State University in Indiana.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO3091050-0823
Jen Nyhouse
Jen Nyhouse
Jen Nyhouse is Senior Vice President and Chief Internal Auditor for Empower. In her role, she is responsible for overseeing the internal audit function, which provides independent and objective assurance to Empower and the board.
Jen joined Empower in 2015, serving as Vice President of Financial Process and Control. In this position, she oversaw internal control of the financial reporting program, the enterprise project management office, and overall finance process improvement initiatives. Jen has 27 years of progressive experience in a variety of industries and also served in KPMG’s advisory practice, where she delivered internal audit and management consulting services to clients.
Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado Boulder and an MBA from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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Suzanne M. Sanchez
Suzanne M. Sanchez
Suzanne Sanchez is the Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Empower. In her role, she is responsible for all human resources functions and leads the company’s efforts to attract, engage, and retain top talent in support of the company’s long-term strategic roadmap. This includes providing attractive benefits, competitive compensation, and leading-edge training. She is a member of the executive team and sits on the company’s Diversity & Inclusion Council.
Suzanne joined the organization in 2005 and has also served as Assistant Vice President of Talent Management and Corporate Social Responsibility. She spent her earliest years at the firm in talent acquisition roles.
Suzanne holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and the Senior Professional Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). Suzanne was a founding member of the Diversity & Inclusion Council.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is
an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC.
This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America.
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Tina Wilson
Tina Wilson
Tina Wilson is Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer for Empower. In her role, she is responsible for the strategy, ideation, and design of retirement and personal wealth products and solutions and oversees the team responsible for product development, management methodology, and governance. She is also responsible for the defined benefit and nonqualified businesses and serves as President of Empower Advisory Group, which is responsible for Empower’s advice and managed accounts solutions.
Tina joined Empower in 2019 and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Empower, she served as Head of Product & Investment Solutions Innovation for MassMutual’s Workplace organization. She has also served as Managing Director of Product & Investment Management for MassMutual International LLC and has led fund strategy within MassMutual’s Annuities and Retirement Services businesses. Prior to MassMutual, she was an Investment Officer at Connecticut Mutual.
Tina is a member of the Empower Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council and Co-Executive Sponsor of the Network of Asians Making Strides Together at Empower (NAMaSTE) business resource group.
Tina holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. She currently maintains FINRA Series 7 and 24 credentials and is a CFA® charterholder and a member of the Colorado CFA Society and the CFA Institute.
Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal, or tax recommendations or advice.
“EMPOWER” and all associated logos and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America. RO2804292-0323
Corporate Structure
Corporate Structure
Empower, which has been delivering financial solutions since 1891, is a wealth management organization and retirement plan provider that also supports asset management capabilities and advisory services.
Through our subsidiaries, we offer specialized, focused expertise to address the evolving needs of Americans.
We’re committed to innovation and expansion, and we are determined to equip millions of people with personalized advice, financial wellness technology and comprehensive wealth management planning. Our mission is to empower financial freedom for all, so everyone can reach their unique goals.