I am proud to have been named of the Top 100 Most Influential in Defined Contribution/ 401(k)  by 401(k)wire.com for the second year in a row. While I dropped from #73 to #100, you get no extra money for finishing higher. Actually you don’t get an award either.

Like I stated last year, it’s a win for the underdog because I was the associate who had a managing attorney who didn’t believe in me and I was the ERISA attorney that the head of a third party administrator (TPA) laughed at when I suggested I could help sell (actually there was more than one head of a TPA to do that, boss and prospective bosses).

The only reason I’m on the list because of you, the reader. No matter how good a read my articles and blog posts maybe or how many references to Caddyshack and Airplane! I could provide, I am only successful because I made a connection to you, the audience and for that, I am forever grateful.

I only wish my friend Richard Laurita was here to see this. Many of you know of Rich or know my stories of Rich, but he was the TPA salesman that I worked with at two TPA firms and he was the only person who saw something in me when no one else did and I would not have had the confidence to start my own law practice if he didn’t make under his wing so long ago. He’s gone almost 8 years and as long as I’m in the retirement plan business, he will not be forgotten. Wherever you are Rich, I hope you are enjoying the golf.

Again, thank you for the recognition and continued readership.