Our Company
Retirement consulting professionals with a passion for client satisfaction
The Benefit Practice was founded in 2000 by Peter Coleman and Lloyd Katz. Their shared vision then remains the company’s mission today: Offer clients something they can’t get from other retirement consulting firms: unique, creative, independent solutions supported by an unparalleled level of service and expertise.
Today, The Benefit Practice is a leading national consulting firm comprised of renowned defined contribution specialists, actuaries, and attorneys. Offices are located in Connecticut, California, and Florida.
Peter M. Coleman
Managing Partner
Peter Coleman is a Managing Partner of The Benefit Practice. Peter is an actuary with over 25 years of experience as a retirement consultant working with small businesses owners to Fortune 500 companies. His primary role at The Benefit Practice is as the firm’s expert in Strategic Plan Design/Cost Impact and HR Communications. He works closely with clients and their financial advisors ensuring smooth design implementation, employee communication, and overall transition with qualified and non-qualified retirement programs.
In his role as a consulting actuary, Peter has developed several cutting edge programs to utilize traditional retirement programs in non-traditional ways:
- Defined Contribution Plans (“profit sharing” programs) that are an integral part of the firm’s compensation program to best allocate dollars to key employees.
- Defined Benefit plans to function primarily as a buy-out benefit program for the owners of partnerships.
- Developing 401(k) Repair Strategies
- Modernization of the traditional “law firm” plan for use by hedge funds, medical practices and law firms while minimizing its complexities.
- “Qualified” Deferred Compensation programs as a way to reward senior management (utilizing golden handcuffs) at no additional cost to the employer.
Professional Credentials
- Associate, Society of Actuaries (ASA)
- Enrolled Actuary (EA)
- Fellow, Conference of Consulting Actuaries (FCA)
- Member, American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
Additional Experience
- Expert at local government finance committee meetings specifically dealing with benefit and compensation issues
- Task force participant for several retirement organizations
- Previously a frequent speaker at CBANYS (now NYBA) and IBANYS conferences on retirement issues and plan design
- Over the last 12 months have been asked to speak at numerous accounting seminars (where he is able to provide CE credit), financial institutions, accounting firms, and law firms regarding recent changes in pension legislation, retirement strategies for business owners, and deferred compensation programs for not-for-profit and government entities
- Speaker at a prominent Not-For-Profit seminar on ways to rethink how to use traditional retirement programs to attract and retain top talent without “breaking the bank”
Education
- MBA, NYU Stern School of Business
- BA, Economics and Mathematics, NYU
To contact him, call (203) 517-3502 or e-mail at PColeman@BenefitPractice.com.
Lloyd A. Katz
Managing Partner
Lloyd Katz is a Managing Partner of The Benefit Practice. Lloyd is an actuary with over 30 years of experience as a retirement consultant working with Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities.
His primary role at The Benefit Practice is as the firm’s Chief Actuary and Senior Retirement Consultant. Lloyd works closely with clients and their accountants and financial advisors to develop creative plan designs that benefit key personnel. He is an expert at working with complex issues including plan valuation, financial disclosure, nondiscrimination, plan termination, and asset/liability projections.
In his role as the Chief Actuary, Lloyd has successfully developed state-of-the-art programs and strategies to assist plan sponsors in making the most of their retirement plan budgets and to resolve issues with their existing programs:
- Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution combination programs to optimize benefits for owners & key employees
- Architect of the RiskFree Plan® to reduce investment risk under a DB plan
- Development of creative funding solutions to minimize required plan contributions
- Determination of “what-if” scenarios to meet cash-flow constraints and to assist in union negotiations
Professional Credentials
- Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA)
- Enrolled Actuary (EA)
- Fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries (FCA)
- Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
A Recognized Authority
- Speaker & Moderator at the Enrolled Actuaries Meeting as well as numerous meetings and seminars presented by the Society of Actuaries, to present material on technical and regulatory topics to other actuaries
- Member, Society of Actuaries Committee on Retirement Systems Professional Education and Development
- Author, “Cash Balance Plans: A Guaranteed Minimum Approach” – American Compensation Association Journal
- Instructor at Continuing Education seminars for other financial professionals
Education
- BS, Mathematics, MIT
To contact him, call (203) 517-3501 or email at LKatz@BenefitPractice.com.
Daniel Crevani
Vice President, Defined Contribution Manager
Dan Crevani joined The Benefit Practice in 2007 and has over 15 years of experience consulting with clients on their defined contribution issues. Dan’s experience is varied having worked both as an internal consultant at a large human resources firm as well as his current role as retirement consultant to some of our larger relationships.
His primary role at The Benefit Practice is as the Defined Contribution Department Manager and Senior DC Consultant. Dan’s responsibilities include overseeing a multi-office staff and ensuring they are up to date on the latest regulatory changes. He also manages the overall workflow of client projects and government filings. He has an expertise in handling complex compliance issues often coming up with creative solutions to mitigate or eliminate failed test results.
In his role as a Senior DC Consultant, Dan has successfully delivered the highest level of services to his clients, including:
- Preparation of valuation services for qualified and non-qualified retirement plans.
- Redesigning of 401(k)/Profit Sharing plans to better meet the needs of the organization.
- Audit review – Performing a “mock” audit to ensure that a client has proper documentation and processes in place should they be faced with an actual IRS/DOL audit.
- Consulting on plan compliance and correction issues.
Education
- Bachelors in Mathematics, Binghamton University
To contact him, call (203) 517-3506 or e-mail at DCrevani@BenefitPractice.com.
Scott Rosenberg
Defined Benefit Manager
Scott Rosenberg joined The Benefit Practice in 2015 with over 15 years of experience as a retirement consulting actuary at one of the largest national actuarial firms. Scott has worked with a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 companies in industries such as finance and banking, retail, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, law firms, and marketing.
His primary role at The Benefit Practice is the Manager of the Defined Benefit team and one of the firm’s Senior Retirement Consultants. Scott works directly with clients, their advisors and accountants to design and maintain retirement programs that best fit the goals and needs of those clients. His experience and knowledge include plan valuations for ERISA funding and US and International GAAP Accounting purposes, nondiscrimination testing, plan termination, asset/liability projections, and ongoing compliance. As the Defined Benefit manager, he oversees the training and workflow of his staff, as well as ensuring each client’s deadlines are met and that proper processes are followed to maintain a high quality of work product and compliance with all applicable rules and regulations.
In his role as Senior Retirement Consultant, Scott has worked with clients to:
- Provide annual contribution requirements for qualified retirement plans and develop funding strategies to maximize the utility of those programs
- Design defined benefit and defined contribution combination programs based on the long-term goals of each company
- Determine appropriate pension risk management strategies
- Ensure compliance with all IRS and DOL rules and regulations for the maintenance of defined benefit and defined contribution plans
Professional Credentials
- Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA)
- Enrolled Actuary (EA)
- Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
Education
- BA, Mathematics and Economics, Emory University
To contact him, call (203) 517-3519 or e-mail at SRosenberg@BenefitPractice.com.
Steven Schumpp
Sr. Consulting Actuary
Steven Schumpp joined The Benefit Practice in 2014 and has over 10 years of experience consulting with clients on both benefit and design issues. Before coming to The Benefit Practice he worked at one of the larger national actuarial firms and managed a large “book of business” ranging from 20 participants to over 5,000. He also has non-traditional pension experience working on both retiree medical and supplement plans.
His primary role at The Benefit Practice is as a Sr. Consulting Actuary in our Maitland Florida office. Steven’s responsibilities include overseeing and training the actuarial staff in the office; developing creative plan designs, preparing and overseeing the preparation of actuarial valuations, and consulting with a variety of clients on privately sponsored pension plans of all sizes.
In his role as a consulting actuary, Steven has successfully delivered the highest level of services to his clients, including:
- Preparation of full actuarial valuation services for qualified retirement plans and post-retirement medical plans.
- Plan design studies to review the goals and effectiveness of retirement and employee benefit programs.
- Designing and implementing new retirement programs.
- Consulting on plan compliance and correction issues.
Professional Credentials
- Associate, Society of Actuaries (ASA)
- Enrolled Actuary (EA)
- Member, American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA)
Education
- BS, Mathematics, University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
To contact him, call (203) 517-3537 or e-mail at SSchumpp@BenefitPractice.com.
Wendy Kihn
Implementation Manager
Wendy Kihn is the first contact for all new clients coming to The Benefit Practice. She joined The Benefit Practice in 2013 and has over 10 years of experience working in the retirement industry. Over the course of her working career she has been involved in plan document drafting, plan design consulting, and new business implementation. Because of this diverse background she understands the concerns of new clients and their financial advisors. When clients are unsure of plan provisions, or the effect it will have on their administration she aptly walks them through their options. Oftentimes during these implementation calls she is able to include the firm’s ERISA attorney to shed additional light on plan design decisions, when necessary.
Due to her previous tenure with a national investment/recordkeeping platform she understands what our recordkeeping partners require to properly “on-board” a plan onto their systems and is able to anticipate their requests that can typically hold up the installation process.
Wendy strives to deliver the highest level of client service to create an efficient installation process and has been told several times she has incredible patience. With her new ideas and processes as the Implementation Manager our clients have seen significant improvements in the overall installation process.
Education
- BA, Psychology – Pace University
To contact her, call (203) 517-3532 or e-mail at WKihn@BenefitPractice.com.
James E. Suessmann
Retirement Sales Director — New York/New Jersey
Jim is a retirement sales consultant with over 12 years of experience working with business owners, financial advisors, and investment platforms to develop and communicate the “right” retirement program for participants and plan sponsors. He believes that a well thought out and constructed retirement program is a basic building block for any firm’s overall compensation program. It will help ensure participants have a successful retirement career and that the business owner can maintain his/her standard of living during retirement.
His primary role at The Benefit Practice is as the firm’s Retirement Sales Director for the New York/New Jersey territory, meeting with industry professionals to help develop their retirement plan knowledge and assist their clients in implementing a successful retirement program.
Prior to joining The Benefit Practice, Jim worked for a well-respected local retirement consulting firm where he was responsible for exploring and evaluating different retirement designs but also assisting in fine-tuning the investment offerings. In his tenure within the industry he has implemented a multitude of retirement programs from start-up 401(k) plans to the very sophisticated Combination Plan (401(k)/Profit Sharing and Variable Cash Balance programs).
Jim has been asked by many different organizations to lead Retirement Master Classes to teach financial advisors and CPAs some of the finer points of retirement design and implementation.
Professional Credentials
- Series 7, 21, 25 & 66 Licensed
Education
- BA Finance, Ramapo College of New Jersey
To contact him, call (203) 921-6770 or e-mail at JSuessmann@BenefitPractice.com.
Bernadette Wegrzyn
Director of Accounting
Bernadette Wegrzyn joined The Benefit Practice in 2004. She began her career in accounts payable but since that time has taken on many more responsibilities. Over the past several years she consulted with clients on their defined contribution plans developing many strong relationships, took on responsibility for the overall office management, and management of administrative staff. Lately though as our firm continues to expand her focus has been on its accounting operations and management of the overall corporate office.
Her primary role at The Benefit Practice is as the firm’s Director of Accounting. She is responsible for working with our clients answering billing questions, following up with clients’ accounts, and interacting with the multitude of investment platforms our clients use to accurately reflect any revenue sharing payments offsets.
To contact her, call (203) 517-3504 or e-mail at BWegrzyn@BenefitPractice.com.
