Key Takeaways
- • Pensions & Investments and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) named the winners of the inaugural P&I/DCIIA Plan Sponsor Workplace Excellence Awards, presented at P&I's 2026 DC West conference in Huntington Beach, Calif.
- • California Savings Plus redesigned its investment lineup for more than 262,000 participants, affecting $7.1 billion in assets and generating roughly $10 million in annual participant fee savings through a 14-basis-point cost reduction.
- • WATG raised 401(k) participation from 57% to 94% by the end of 2025 through automatic enrollment at 6%, immediate vesting and automatic escalation.
- • Sauk Prairie Healthcare enrolled 93% of 114 acquired Prairie Clinic employees in its 403(b) plan, with the average contribution rate reaching 7.5%.
- • HOH Water Technology lifted plan participation from 79.8% to 98.2%, while the average deferral rate rose from 9% to 9.6%.
Summary
Pensions & Investments and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA) have named the winners of the inaugural P&I/DCIIA Plan Sponsor Workplace Excellence Awards, which recognize defined contribution plan sponsors for initiatives that improve retirement outcomes. The awards build on P&I's former Excellence & Innovation Awards, launched in 2011, and were presented at P&I's 2026 DC West conference in Huntington Beach, Calif. The honored programs address participation and savings rates, lifetime income access and plan administration modernization.
California Savings Plus, under Sandy Blair, chief administrator, partnered with Bargaining Unit 6 to launch an autoenrollment and employer contribution initiative in January 2025 for correctional officers, despite state restrictions on automatic payroll deductions. The initiative reached nearly 29,400 participant accounts, and more than 18,300 participants contributed their own salaries. Thirteen percent of previously enrolled participants increased deferrals and 5% of previously unenrolled employees began saving. Separately, the program's two-phase investment redesign, beginning in 2025, replaced legacy target-date funds with State Street Target Retirement funds, extended glidepaths through 2070 and completed more than 350,000 participant mappings with zero errors.
Among employer-led plan designs, WATG redesigned its 401(k) plan between 2023 and 2025 under Chief Talent Officer Sandra Whipp, adding automatic enrollment at 6%, immediate eligibility, 100% immediate vesting, an enhanced match and automatic escalation, with a target contribution rate of 15%. HOH Water Technology, led by HR Director Tia Amundson, combined automatic enrollment and escalation, a qualified default investment alternative and Roth contributions. PwC, led by Senior Director Lisa Joe, introduced an automatic after-tax contribution-to-Roth conversion feature in April 2026, which about 3,000 participants have elected to use.
Sauk Prairie Healthcare, under Chief People and Culture Officer Anthony Dix, developed an onboarding program for 114 Prairie Clinic employees following a December 2025 acquisition, working with Lincoln Financial and Veratis Advisors. Results included 85% of employees meeting with a retirement consultant and 85% rolling former 401(k) balances into the new plan.
Conning's Financial Wellness Program, launched in 2025 with Marsh McLennan and Empower and led by James Moreno, reported a 92% retirement plan participation rate and an average deferral rate of 11.9%. MetLife, led by Thomas Ferraro, introduced 13 custom target-date funds, a managed account solution and an upcoming guaranteed lifetime income offering in 2026, supported by Alight, TNT, AllianceBernstein and Goldman Sachs.
Honorable mentions included Glen Raven, Gonzaga University, MERS of Michigan and Plannera Pensions & Benefits, as well as Advanced Technology Services, CNH Industrial, Prince William County Public Schools, Fluor Corporation, Alomere Health and National Gypsum.
California Savings Plus, under Sandy Blair, chief administrator, partnered with Bargaining Unit 6 to launch an autoenrollment and employer contribution initiative in January 2025 for correctional officers, despite state restrictions on automatic payroll deductions. The initiative reached nearly 29,400 participant accounts, and more than 18,300 participants contributed their own salaries. Thirteen percent of previously enrolled participants increased deferrals and 5% of previously unenrolled employees began saving. Separately, the program's two-phase investment redesign, beginning in 2025, replaced legacy target-date funds with State Street Target Retirement funds, extended glidepaths through 2070 and completed more than 350,000 participant mappings with zero errors.
Among employer-led plan designs, WATG redesigned its 401(k) plan between 2023 and 2025 under Chief Talent Officer Sandra Whipp, adding automatic enrollment at 6%, immediate eligibility, 100% immediate vesting, an enhanced match and automatic escalation, with a target contribution rate of 15%. HOH Water Technology, led by HR Director Tia Amundson, combined automatic enrollment and escalation, a qualified default investment alternative and Roth contributions. PwC, led by Senior Director Lisa Joe, introduced an automatic after-tax contribution-to-Roth conversion feature in April 2026, which about 3,000 participants have elected to use.
Sauk Prairie Healthcare, under Chief People and Culture Officer Anthony Dix, developed an onboarding program for 114 Prairie Clinic employees following a December 2025 acquisition, working with Lincoln Financial and Veratis Advisors. Results included 85% of employees meeting with a retirement consultant and 85% rolling former 401(k) balances into the new plan.
Conning's Financial Wellness Program, launched in 2025 with Marsh McLennan and Empower and led by James Moreno, reported a 92% retirement plan participation rate and an average deferral rate of 11.9%. MetLife, led by Thomas Ferraro, introduced 13 custom target-date funds, a managed account solution and an upcoming guaranteed lifetime income offering in 2026, supported by Alight, TNT, AllianceBernstein and Goldman Sachs.
Honorable mentions included Glen Raven, Gonzaga University, MERS of Michigan and Plannera Pensions & Benefits, as well as Advanced Technology Services, CNH Industrial, Prince William County Public Schools, Fluor Corporation, Alomere Health and National Gypsum.
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