Ascensus, the nation's largest independent retirement plan and college savings services provider, has appointed James Lucania as its new chief financial officer (CFO).

Prior to joining Ascensus, Mr. Lucania served as CFO of Checkpoint Systems, a publicly traded, NYSE-listed company. Before that, he spent a decade on Wall Street as an investment banker focusing on large capital markets and strategic transactions.

Mr. Lucania holds an economics degree from the Wharton School and a music degree from the School of Arts and Sciences, both at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.

"Jim's experience in investment banking and as the CFO of a public company will be extremely valuable as we enter our next chapter of growth here at Ascensus," said Ascensus President and CEO Bob Guillocheau. "He is a very experienced senior financial leader; it's my pleasure to welcome him to the company."

Mr. Lucania will immediately join Ascensus' executive committee and report directly to Mr. Guillocheau.

In addition, Mike Finn is transitioning from CFO to senior vice president of strategic analytics and reporting. In this newly created role, he will work closely with executive vice president Raghav Nandagopal to focus on the financial aspects of Ascensus' M&A efforts. Mr. Finn will also develop enhanced metrics and business analytics to drive growth and efficiencies within Ascensus' retirement business.

Mr. Finn holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University and a master's degree in information technology from The George Washington University. He joined Ascensus in 2004.

"I'm excited to have someone as talented as Mike take on this important new role that will help drive even greater organizational growth and success," stated Guillocheau. "Mike has done an outstanding job as our CFO and I know he will be a difference maker in this new position as well."

About Ascensus

Ascensus is the largest independent retirement and college savings services provider in the United States, helping over 7 million Americans save for the future. With more than 35 years of experience, the firm partners with financial institutions to offer tailored solutions that meet the needs of financial professionals, employers, and individuals. Ascensus specializes in recordkeeping, administrative, and program management services, supporting over 40,000 retirement plans and over 3.8 million 529 college savings accounts. It also administers more than 1.6 million IRAs and health savings accounts and is home to one of the largest ERISA consulting teams in the country. For more information about Ascensus, visit www.ascensus.com.