By Mark Olsen, Managing Director at PlanPILOT
When it came time for me to choose a career path, I knew that whatever job I pursued needed to be in line with my passions. Most importantly, I wanted to serve others; to help people in a tangible way and add value to their lives. Working in the financial world checked both of those boxes, and now, more than 25 years later, I’m still just as passionate about what I do!
The Journey
Let’s rewind a bit. With finance on the brain, I graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. I then started getting my feet wet in the industry, working as an investment consultant and analyst. I eventually found my way into the retirement plan consulting space and realized that this role not only takes the stress off the plate of those sponsoring the plan but also makes a meaningful impact on those who are contributing to the plan. I had found my place.
Over 10 years later, I made my way to PlanPILOT as a senior consultant. Today, I am the managing director and spend my days providing institutional retirement plan consulting to 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit plans, specializing in plan governance, investment searches, investment monitoring, and plan oversight, serving as a lead consultant for higher education, government, energy, and manufacturing clients. I also get the incredible privilege of managing, developing, and implementing our firm’s goals and strategies to further our mission of delivering comprehensive advisory services that help plan sponsors meet and exceed their fiduciary responsibilities. I go the extra mile, personally selecting and training our staff so everyone is motivated and equipped to make our mission a reality.
The Best Part
I know money can’t buy happiness, but in my job, I can help my clients get closer to happiness by minimizing their stress. It is no easy task to be a plan sponsor, but through our work at PlanPILOT, I get to build plans and strategies that reduce plan costs, improve investment options, and drive better saving behavior—all of which will help our clients and their employees sleep better at night and improve their lives. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that I can use my knowledge, experience, and passion to empower plan sponsors to make great decisions that will ultimately allow their employees to experience a better retirement.
Are You Ready To Start?
If you’re a plan sponsor who wants to partner with an experienced, independent professional to lighten your stress load and exceed your fiduciary responsibilities, our team at PlanPILOT is ready to meet you. Call us at (312) 973-4913 or email mark.olsen@PlanPILOT.com to get started today!
About Mark
Mark Olsen is the Managing Director at PlanPILOT, an independent retirement plan consulting firm headquartered in Chicago. PlanPILOT delivers comprehensive retirement plan advisory services to 401(k) and 403(b) plan sponsors. Drawing on over two decades of experience, Mark provides institutional retirement plan consulting to 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit plans. His specialties include plan governance, investment searches, investment monitoring, and plan oversight. Mark is recognized as a leader in the industry and speaks at national conferences including Pensions & Investments, Stable Value Investment Association, and CUPA-HR.