ASPPA Nation Loses a Legend

Tom Finnegan, the first American Retirement Association President, has passed away. A dear friend and colleague to many in the organization and the industry, he also served as president of both ASPPA and the ASPPA College of Pension Actuaries (ACOPA), now the American Society of Enrolled Actuaries (ASEA). 

“Tom was a fixture,” noted ARA Chief Executive Officer Brian Graff, and spoke at virtually every ASPPA and ASEA conference. He was a recipient of ASPPA’s Educator of the Year Award and just this past year was awarded ASPPA’s Harry T. Eidson Founders Award named after ASPPA's first president, Harry T. Eidson. Finnegan also was a recipient of the ASPPA Educators Award, as well as the 2020 recipient of the Edward E. Burrows Distinguished Achievement Award. 

Finnegan’s career spanned over 30 years in the employee benefits field. He most recently provided actuarial, design, and consulting services to a broad spectrum of plan sponsors in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Finnegan was President of the Actuarial Services Division at CBIZ Retirement Plan Services. He was also a former board member of the American Academy of Actuaries (AAA).

Finnegan is survived by his wife Renee, his son Tom, and stepdaughter Samantha. In fact, Tom and Renee met while serving for many years on ASPPA’s Education Committee. 

Among the many tributes to Finnegan are remarks by:

• ASPPA Past President Stephen Rosen, who said, “The profession has indeed been enhanced because of him and the impact that he had on the folks he touched along the way”;
• Ellen Kleinstuber, Chief Actuary at Bolton, who remarked, “He was one of a kind, a legend in our profession to those who knew him or had the honor to hear him speak on one of the thousands of topics he knew like the back of his hand”;
• Kizzy Gaul, ERISA Attorney at Ascensus, who said, “Tom was truly remarkable and his brilliance, wit, and kindness will be greatly missed”; and
• Alan Stone, ASEA 2018-19 Vice President and Executive Editor of ASEA Monthly, who commented that Finnegan was “a great person and actuary.”

“To say the least, Tom’s service to our industry and to this organization was without peer. It is truly a sad day for all of us. Our thoughts are with his family. Rest in peace, Tom,” said Graff.