Employee Benefit Plans Conference (IN-PERSON)

Mr. Aron has over thirty years of experience with EBSA working with audits of ERISA-covered plans. As the Chief, Division of Accounting Services, Mr. Aron’s responsibilities include implementation of EBSA’s CPA Firm Inspection Program, providing technical assistance to plan filers and plan professionals, and providing ERISA-related accounting and auditing expertise within EBSA.

Mr. Aron is a certified public accountant and holds a B.B.A. degree with a major in accounting from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.

Jason Newman

Jason D. Newman, CPA, is a partner with CohnReznick with 28 years of public accounting experience in areas including auditing and strategic business planning. Jason is the Assurance Practice Leader for New England and also co-leads the efforts of our Firm’s Employee Benefit Plan Practice in New England, where he performs audits of defined contribution and defined benefit plans, and is a member of the Firm’s Capital Markets and SEC Practice, where he provides services to a variety of closely held businesses and public companies.

Utilizing his expertise in these areas, Jason has actively developed continuing education and professional resources for the Employee Benefit Plan Practice, including the creation of templates that aid in financial reporting, the performance of control assessment engagements for service organizations, the audits of investment vehicles, and consultation on various employee benefit plan issues.

In his role with the Firm’s Capital Markets and SEC Practice, Jason serves a variety of public and private entities, including private equity partnerships, broker-dealers in securities, SEC registrants, investment advisors, real estate entities, third party administrators, and insurance operations. Jason has gained additional expertise in providing technical accounting support to the firm’s litigation support practice and in providing business advisory services for a variety of closely-held businesses.

David Beck

David has over 15 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. After graduating from Babson College, David joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in their Boston office. David’s experience includes work for a regional accounting firm, where he acted in a managerial role in a team dedicated to audits of Employee Benefit Plans. David currently specializes in plan design and advanced compliance testing. David has extensive expertise all matters related to qualified plans, 403(b) Plans, as well as nonqualified deferred compensation Plans, including 409A and 457(b)/(f). David is also actively involved in the Connecticut Society of CPA’s Employee Benefits Committee and is a past chairperson. He is a frequent panelist and session leader for their annual Employee Benefits Conference.

Amber Kendrick

Amber has focused on helping America’s workforce retire on their own terms since 2007. As a Retirement Plan Consultant, she works closely with plan sponsors designing solutions to promote retirement readiness for their employees.

Amber cofounded the Women Owning their Wealth (WOW) Collaborative which brings together people, perspectives, and tools that women can use to take control of their finances today and realize their dreams in the future.

She graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. degree in Business Administration and holds the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS®) and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA®) designations.

Amber was recognized by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) as a Top Female Advisor. She was featured in Employee Benefit Adviser as a Rising Star in Advising and by Hartford Business Journal on its Top 40 Under 40 list.

Amber’s southern roots are evident in her love of college football and coaching her niece’s cheerleading squad. She resides in Haddam, CT with her family and fun-loving dog.

George Kasper

George J. Kasper is a partner in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits practice where employers and plan fiduciaries seek his counsel on all types of employee benefit plans, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, multiemployer plans, medical benefit plans, cafeteria plans, and disability plans.

Pulling from many years of diverse experience, George designs retirement and health care programs to meet the needs of today’s employers and their workforces. He has substantial experience with executive compensation issues and drafts non-qualified deferred compensation plans, supplemental executive retirement plans, severance plans, change-in-control agreements and stock-based compensation plans.

Employers seek George’s advice to work with them to manage the transition of employees and their benefits during and after a merger or acquisition, as well as ERISA issues stemming from investing in and structuring private equity and similar investments. He is sought after for his advice to employers and administrative committees on the fiduciary oversight of ERISA plans, including retirement plan investments, appropriate plan expenses, claims for benefits, self-funded health plans, and other plan administration issues. George has significant experience representing employers on IRS and Department of Labor audits and enforcement actions.

In June 2014, the Governor of Connecticut appointed George to the newly-established Connecticut Retirement Security Board. The Board explored options for a state-sponsored retirement plan for employers of small private sector employers and submitted a comprehensive proposal in April 2016 to implement the plan.

David Beck

David has over 15 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. After graduating from Babson College, David joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in their Boston office. David’s experience includes work for a regional accounting firm, where he acted in a managerial role in a team dedicated to audits of Employee Benefit Plans. David currently specializes in plan design and advanced compliance testing. David has extensive expertise all matters related to qualified plans, 403(b) Plans, as well as nonqualified deferred compensation Plans, including 409A and 457(b)/(f). David is also actively involved in the Connecticut Society of CPA’s Employee Benefits Committee and is a past chairperson. He is a frequent panelist and session leader for their annual Employee Benefits Conference.

George Kasper

George J. Kasper is a partner in the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits practice where employers and plan fiduciaries seek his counsel on all types of employee benefit plans, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, multiemployer plans, medical benefit plans, cafeteria plans, and disability plans.

Pulling from many years of diverse experience, George designs retirement and health care programs to meet the needs of today’s employers and their workforces. He has substantial experience with executive compensation issues and drafts non-qualified deferred compensation plans, supplemental executive retirement plans, severance plans, change-in-control agreements and stock-based compensation plans.

Employers seek George’s advice to work with them to manage the transition of employees and their benefits during and after a merger or acquisition, as well as ERISA issues stemming from investing in and structuring private equity and similar investments. He is sought after for his advice to employers and administrative committees on the fiduciary oversight of ERISA plans, including retirement plan investments, appropriate plan expenses, claims for benefits, self-funded health plans, and other plan administration issues. George has significant experience representing employers on IRS and Department of Labor audits and enforcement actions.

In June 2014, the Governor of Connecticut appointed George to the newly-established Connecticut Retirement Security Board. The Board explored options for a state-sponsored retirement plan for employers of small private sector employers and submitted a comprehensive proposal in April 2016 to implement the plan.