The nine-month rotational program will train the next generation of Pension Actuaries through mentorship, structured learning, and live client work
CHICAGO, July 9, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Strongpoint Partners ("Strongpoint"), a leading tech-enabled retirement services platform serving small- to mid-sized businesses with integrated retirement third-party administration, recordkeeping, payroll, actuarial, and HR solutions, announced the launch of its Actuarial Career Development Program (ACDP), a structured nine-month rotational program designed to develop the next generation of pension actuaries. The program's inaugural cohort gathered at Strongpoint's Chicago headquarters in May for its kickoff, marking a significant investment in actuarial talent development across the retirement services industry.
"The ACDP was created in response to a pressing challenge facing the retirement industry: how to build deeply trained actuarial professionals in a field that is growing in complexity, regulatory scrutiny, and competitive demand for qualified talent," said Danny Hest, CEO of Strongpoint Partners. "The program provides participants with structured mentorship, credentialed exam support, and real client exposure from right away."
The ACDP is built around three sequential rotations, each expanding participants' competency across the full scope of pension actuarial work:
- Rotation A (Months 1–3): Data & Foundations – Participants develop the foundational skills that underpin all actuarial work, including census data scrubbing and reconciliation, trust accounting, Excel fluency, plan design basics, present value calculations, and introductory plan testing concepts. The accuracy and discipline established in this rotation carry through the remainder of the program.
- Rotation B (Months 4–6): Valuation & Compliance – Participants develop core valuation competency, including Funding Target and Target Normal Cost calculations, accrued benefit calculations, Section 415 limit rules, and structured navigation of plan documents and IRS regulatory requirements.
- Rotation C (Months 7–9): Reporting & Advanced Topics – Participants engage with regulatory filings and participant-facing deliverables, including Form 5500 and Schedule SB, PBGC premium calculations, participant statements, plan amendments, and distribution packet preparation.
"As our national network of TPAs continues to grow, so does our need for actuarial professionals who are technically excellent and deeply committed to this industry," said Michael Heflin, Chief Operating Officer for Strongpoint Partners. "The ACDP isn't just a training program. It's the first program of its kind, and we're building for the long term by giving participants the foundation to have exceptional careers. In doing so, we're shaping the Strongpoint we want to be ten years from now."
The program's time is allocated as follows:
- 50% On-the-Job Work: Applying actuarial concepts to active client engagements under experienced supervision.
- 30% Technical Training: Structured learning in actuarial systems, Excel, and compliance frameworks, plus study time for ASPPA and Joint Board exams.
- 20% Professional Development: Communication, analytical reasoning, time management, and professional judgment.
"This breakdown reflects the real-life, hands-on experiences of the 40+ actuarial professionals within the Strongpoint family today," said Marta Sullivan, Chief People Officer for Strongpoint Partners. "When we developed the program, it was critical to us that participants would apply actuarial concepts to client work early on, rather than progressing through a traditional classroom model. This will set them up for greater success as they begin their careers."
"We're only a few weeks in, but I can already see what this program is going to mean for the participants, and for the rest of our Strongpoint team," said Charlie Steingas, President of Cash Balance Actuaries and ACDP mentor. "From day one, the participants have brought an energy and commitment that reminds me of why I love this work. We're really fortunate to get to work with this wonderful group of future actuaries. I can't wait to see where they are nine months from now."
Completing the program positions participants for Enrolled Actuary (EA) eligibility within 36 months – a credential that takes years to earn and is in high demand across the retirement services industry.
"To us, these aren't just future actuaries," continued Sullivan. "They're the next generation of the Strongpoint family. We're investing in their careers because they're investing in our mission."
About Strongpoint Partners
Strongpoint Partners is a tech-enabled retirement services platform serving small- to mid-sized businesses with integrated retirement third party administration, recordkeeping, payroll, actuarial, and HR solutions. Recognized as one of Inc. 5000's Fastest Growing Private Companies in America and certified as a Great Place to Work for two consecutive years, Strongpoint offers a suite of services that prioritizes accuracy, compliance, and reduction of regulatory risk for its clients, delivered by local client success teams that understand the nuances of the markets they serve. With a coast-to-coast network of leading firms including HowardSimon, Jocelyn Pension Consulting, Retirement Strategies Group ("RSG"), Retirement Planners and Administrators ("RPA"), Pension Financial Services ("PFS"), Pollard & Associates, Carlson Quinn, SI GROUP, Retirement Planning Consulting Group ("RPCG"), Karel-Gordon & Associates, Cash Balance Actuaries ("CBA"), Pension Consultants, Inc. ("PCI"), Actuaries Unlimited ("AUI"), CRP – California Retirement Plans ("CRP"), Benefit Equity, Inc. ("BEI"), United Benefit Pensions, LLC ("UBP"), Associated Pension Consultants ("APC"), Creative Retirement Systems, LLC ("CRS"), Allied Consultants, Inc. ("ACI"), American Retirement Plan Services, LLC ("ARPS"), SMS Retirement ("SMS"), Bidwell Consulting Services, Inc. ("BCS"), and Integrated Pension Design, Inc. ("IPD"). Strongpoint Partners combines a relentless passion for service and innovation with the experience and expertise required to make retirement work for everyone. For more information, please visit: www.strongpointpartners.com.
About Shore Capital Partners
Shore Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm with offices in Nashville, is an investor in lower middle market companies in the Healthcare, Food and Beverage, Business Services, Industrial, and Real Estate industries. Shore's strategy is to support management partners to grow faster with less risk through access to capital, world-class board and operational resources, and unmatched networking, development, and shared learnings across the portfolio. From 2020-2025, Shore received recognition from Inc. Magazine as a 6x Top Founder Friendly Investor and by Pitchbook Research for leading U.S. Private Equity deal volume for the past 10 years, from 2015-2024. Shore targets investments in proven, successful private companies with superior management teams, stable cash flow, and significant potential to grow through industry consolidation and organic growth to generate value for shareholders. Shore has approximately $14 billion of assets under management and in additional investment platforms to which it provides business and operational consulting services. For more information on these awards and investment platforms, please visit: www.shorecp.com.
Media Contact
Lauren Lillis, Strongpoint Partners, 1 309-301-2231, [email protected], https://www.strongpointpartners.com/
SOURCE Strongpoint Partners
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