We want to recognize those people – and their employers – who are ahead of the herd – those making new and unusual changes in plan design that ultimately will improve participant outcomes in retirement.  

Last year, P&I and Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) recognized four individuals – and one team – for diverse projects featuring everything from providing a guaranteed income solution, to offering a retirement-plan lifeline to employees in small businesses and to providing a corporate match if employees paid off student debt and/or contributed more to their 401(k) accounts. An executive was also recognized for giving participants a chance to select an investment usually available only to defined benefit plan participants. To learn more about their efforts CLICK HERE.

Maybe you would be the ideal nominee. Or maybe you know someone who has done something innovative or unique. Please help ensure that these leaders are nominated.

Note: Only defined contribution plan sponsors and their teams are eligible to win an Award of Excellence & Innovation.

Winners will be announced and recognized at Pensions & Investments’ 2024 West Coast Defined Contribution Conference, to be held Oct. 20 - 22, 2024.

For those looking to showcase plan sponsors' best practices in participant communications, education and engagement, please submit your campaigns for the 2025 Eddy Awards, which will be open for nominations in September, 2024. 

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 17, 2024  There is no fee to enter.

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Excellence & Innovation

The focus on driving successful outcomes has been accelerating in defined contribution plans, and Pensions & Investments and DCIIA want to highlight and celebrate the plan sponsors that are leading the charge through their innovation and excellence.

There are no predetermined categories; the possibilities are endless. Past winners, for example, were chosen for their cutting-edge ideas in plan design, new or additions to investment line-ups, automatic features, retirement income, and new ways to help employees improve their retirement security. Browse past honorees here.

Now in its 13th year, the Excellence & Innovation Awards, sponsored by Pensions & Investments and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association, is evolving. Founded to recognize DC plan executives who are developing creative and unusual programs to help improve their participants' retirement incomes, the judges have seen that there are multiple factors driving good outcomes, including both innovation in design and excellence in execution. The program will now aim to evaluate both.

Help your peers by sharing your own innovation, and receive recognition for your ingenuity.

We are looking to recognize new ideas, so programs must have been implemented no earlier than Jan. 1, 2023.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 17, 2024