Jim Lyday

Managing Director, Pensionmark

As Managing Director, Jim consults on and helps manage retirement plans for corporations, not for profit organizations, individuals and trusts. Jim has extensive experience with over 28 years in the financial services industry. He brings a unique perspective as he has spent a majority of his career working for many of the largest retirement plan providers and on many of the largest retirement plans. As a result, his breadth and depth of knowledge includes all aspects of Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit, ESOP and Non-qualified plans. More specifically, recordkeeping platforms, institutional investments, fiduciary oversight, stable value portfolios, liability driven investing of defined benefit plans, buy in/buy out strategies of defined benefit plans and comprehensive employee engagement and financial education strategies. Jim was a pioneer and was instrumental in the development of the Institutional Retirement Income market. He has a passion and expertise for helping plan sponsors address the participant’s pre and post retirement needs that is widely recognized. He has extensive experience in plan design optimization through the use of behavioral finance best practices as well as addressing and mitigating a plan sponsor’s fiduciary responsibility and liability. Jim is a popular and frequent speaker at many industry events and conferences. He’s been quoted and published in the Wall Street Journal, PlanSponsor Magazine, PlanAdviser Magazine and Pension & Investments Magazine. One of his clients was recognized as Plan Sponsor of the Year by PlanSponsor Magazine for their innovation in plan design and employee education, as well as their dedication to delivering optimal participant outcomes in retirement. Jim received the Behavioral Finance Innovator Award from the Behavioral Finance Institute for his demonstrated leadership in applying behavioral finance strategies to work toward improving retirement outcomes for clients and employees. He’s been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the Top 401 Retirement Advisors Nationally for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. He was also chosen as a finalist for 2019 Plan Adviser of the Year by PlanSponsor/PlanAdviser. Jim received his Bachelors of Science degree in Corporate Finance from Drake University. He also studied at the University of Delaware as part of the Honors Program. Jim holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation as well as the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor designation (CPFA). Additionally, Jim serves on several advisory boards for investment management firms and retirement plan service providers. While growing up in Wyoming, he considers Nashville home. He enjoys playing golf and spending time with his three children Asher, Flannery and Hensley.