Kevin Takinen

Kevin Takinen has a diverse work experience spanning multiple industries. Kevin began their career as a Front Office Manager at Holiday Inn Express from October 2002 to August 2005. Kevin then worked as a Corporate Performance Trainer at Choice Hotels International in 2006 before moving to Vanguard in August 2007. At Vanguard, Kevin served as a Communication Consultant, leading retirement education and communication strategies for Institutional Plan Sponsors. Kevin stayed with Vanguard until August 2016.

Following Vanguard, Kevin joined KeyBank in November 2016 as an Enterprise Relationship Manager. In this role, they strategically managed plan sponsors and benefit platforms, developed client relationships, and closed new contracts.

In January 2018, Kevin joined FIS as a Client Relationship Manager, where they maintained relationships with financial institutions across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Kevin focused on meeting clients' strategic business needs, compliance, and regulatory reporting.

In August 2019, Kevin moved on to ADP as a Relationship Manager. Kevin managed a book of large and mid-sized companies, exceeding retention targets and improving profitability by tailoring business services to meet individual client needs.

Kevin then transitioned to the Pensionmark Financial Group in July 2020, where they served as an Advisor and Manager in Financial Services. Kevin built and maintained relationships with C-suite and management, delivering investment reviews, providing fiduciary plan governance training, and designing participant-facing education programs to enhance plan adoption.

Most recently, Kevin joined Sequoia Consulting Group in July 2022 as a Manager in Financial Services. In this role, they manage a portfolio of retirement plans across multiple industries, striving for client retention and improving employer-sponsored retirement plan offerings.

Kevin Takinen received their education in a variety of fields. In 2001-2002, they attended Johnson & Wales University and earned an Associate of Science Degree in Culinary Arts. From 2002 to 2006, they studied at Northern Arizona University, where they obtained two Bachelor of Science Degrees, one in International Hospitality Management and the other in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Subsequently, they pursued further education and completed a Master of Science Degree in Applied Leadership and Management at Arizona State University from 2007 to 2009.

Additionally, Kevin Takinen has obtained several certifications throughout their career. In 2007, they acquired the Series 6 & Series 63 certifications from FINRA. Moving forward, they achieved the Qualified 401(k) Plan Administrator (QKA) certification from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries in January 2015. In February 2020, they attained the Professional in Human Resources® (PHR®) designation from HRCI. Kevin duplicated this accomplishment with another PHR® certification later in the same year. The following year, in September 2020, they became a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFAᵠ) through the National Association of Plan Advisors. More recently, in November 2020, they obtained the Series 65 certification from FINRA. Lastly, in August 2021, they received the Nonqualified Plan Advisor certification from the National Association of Plan Advisors.