Deals & People

In his new role at Mesirow Financial, Matt Ferullo will be responsible for collaborating with partners on strategic initiatives, business development, sales and marketing.

HighTower, the Baltimore-based financial services firm delivering differentiated solutions to corporate plan sponsors, announced the addition of Charlie Vieth and Steve Zients to its team.

Drew Miyawaki and Aodhagan Byrne, both members of the U.K. operations of Legal & General Investment Management America Inc. (LGIMA), have joined the U.S. division.

MassMutual’s retirement services group has added several members to its Taft-Hartley retirement plan client service team.

Michael Kushner has joined retirement plan consulting firm Cafaro Greenleaf as director of participant services.

Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (LGIMA) announced that it has hired four executives to support its expanding liability-driven investing (LDI) business.

Voya Financial Chairman and CEO Rodney Martin Jr. has taken over direct leadership of the company’s retirement solutions business.

The Newport Group, Inc. and Verisight, Inc. are joining forces to increase the size, scale and reach of their respective businesses.

John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (RPS) hired Chris Bradford as regional vice president for sales and relationship development among advisers and plan consultants in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

Abigail P. Johnson, the granddaughter of Fidelity’s founder, has agreed to accept the position of chief executive officer (CEO) of FMR, LLC.

Janus Capital Group Inc. has agreed to acquire VS Holdings Inc., the parent company of institutionally-focused exchange-traded fund (ETF) provider VelocityShares LLC.

Mariner Holdings, an independent financial services firm and the parent company of Mariner Wealth Advisors and Montage Investments, launched an affiliate firm specializing in retirement plans.

SageView Advisory Group added three staffers to the firm’s regional office in Chicago.

Cafaro Greenleaf, an advisory firm to corporate and institutional retirement plans, hired Walter Ziffer to its team of advisers and consultants.

Fiduciary Investment Advisors (FIA) has taken steps to enhance its employee communication and education services within its defined contribution business.

James Napoli has joined Seyfarth Shaw LLP as a partner in the law firm’s employee benefits and executive compensation practice.

Chris Simmons, Kamila Kowalke and Robert Stapleton have joined the U.S. team of BMO Global Asset Management.

Nancy G. Ross has joined global law firm Mayer Brown in Chicago as a partner in the employment and ERISA litigation practice.

Michael A. Bell was named chief financial officer of Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of Voya Financial Inc.  

Renowned fixed-income manager William H. Gross is leaving PIMCO, the company he co-founded, to join Janus Capital Group.