Ascensus Expands Pacific Northwest Footprint with Agreement to Acquire Moran Knobel

Pending Transaction Also Includes Acquisition of San Diego-Based Means & Associates

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Dec 19, 2018, 14:15 ET

DRESHER, Pa., Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascensus—whose technology and expertise helps millions of people save for retirement, education, and healthcare—has entered into an agreement to acquire Moran Knobel and its subsidiary Means & Associates. The third-party administration (TPA) firms will immediately become part of Ascensus' TPA Solutions division.

Based in Bellevue, Washington, Moran Knobel provides retirement plan consulting and administration services for safe harbor 401(k), profit sharing, cash balance, defined benefit, 403(b), and all other ERISA-qualified plans. The firm also offers consulting and administration services for non-qualified and expatriate plans. Moran Knobel has administered plans for businesses that include medical groups, technology firms, and non-profit organizations for over 30 years. San Diego-based Means & Associates offers the same services as Moran Knobel, with additional expertise in Tribal government plans.

"Moran Knobel holds the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) seal of excellence for third-party administrators, as certified by the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence, LLC (CEFEX)," states Jerry Bramlett, head of TPA Solutions. "This is the highest recognition in the industry; we're proud to welcome the expertise and knowledge of Moran Knobel's and Means & Associates' experienced staff members to Ascensus."

"At Moran Knobel, we're proud of the fact that we can help clients with their retirement planning goals whether they're looking to find a plan that best suits their needs or if they know exactly what kind of plan they want," says Rich Sanidad, Moran Knobel's president. "Along with Means & Associates, we're looking forward to becoming part of Ascensus—a company that shares our dedication to providing personalized, caring client services that reflect the highest standard of quality."

"We're excited to grow our geographic footprint in the West and Pacific Northwest regions by bringing Moran Knobel and Means & Associates into the Ascensus family," states Raghav Nandagopal, Ascensus' executive vice president of corporate development and M&A. "Specifically, their track record of success and expertise in the tribal plan space—along with their defined contribution and defined benefit experience—will allow us to further strengthen and diversify our product offerings."

"Their talented associates will be an excellent addition within our TPA Solutions division," concludes Nandagopal.

About Ascensus
Ascensus is the largest independent recordkeeping services provider, third-party administrator, and government savings facilitator in the United States. The firm delivers technology and expertise to help millions of people save for what matters most—retirement, education, and healthcare. For more information about Ascensus, visit ascensus.com. View career opportunities at careers.ascensus.com/page/show/tpa and careers.ascensus.com.

SOURCE Ascensus