PLANADVISER -May/June 2022 - 16

Industry Leaders
Awards2022
Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year
Mentorship
Sentinel Pension Advisors
Wakefield, Massachusetts
PLANADVISER: How is Sentinel's process or structure
unique?
Ryan Campagna: Sentinel Pension Advisors is a CEFEX
[Centre for Fiduciary Excellence]-certified, federally registered
investment advisory firm. Our team structure is unique
in that we not only understand the ins and outs of fiduciary
responsibility, investment processes, recordkeeping, administration,
legalities, and employee education and support, but
also deliver on each of these daily. Under the Sentinel Benefits
& Financial Group umbrella, we're also a single firm that
can solve complex benefit challenges. Simply put, we know
all benefits-both wealth [retirement] and health [insurance
and reimbursement]-which allows us to take a holistic,
consultative approach to plan design and employee benefits.
PA: As a plan adviser firm, what does Sentinel take the
most pride in?
Campagna: Our vision has been and will continue to be to
help all individuals, especially those lacking the highest
wealth but just as deserving of expert guidance and quality
outcomes. White-glove financial services have always been
reserved for the 1%, leaving most Americans underserved.
We proudly focus on serving the 99%.
PA: What's an important experience you've personally
had as either a mentor or mentee.
Campagna: I've been fortunate to have worked for Sentinel
Benefits & Financial Group my entire professional career,
except for six long months after I graduated from college. That
was my first exposure to financial services, and I absolutely
hated it. The work environment was toxic and cutthroat,
with no role models to emulate and certainly no mentors.
About three weeks after meeting with John and Jim
Carnevale at Sentinel Benefits Group, I joined the sales
team and never looked back. John and Jim took the time
to encourage me to learn as much as I could, get my CFP
Mentorship Finalists
* Janine Moore, Hub Retirement and Wealth
Management, Houston, Texas
* Lisa Buffington, Marsh McLennan Agency - New
England, Boston, Massachusetts
* Raffa Financial Services, a division of Hub
International, Rockville, Maryland
[Certified Financial Planner certification] and become a
subject matter expert.
Besides the specialization required, it can be extremely
challenging to build a book of business as a younger, less
experienced adviser. The failure rate is high, and, when you
factor in our niche, it's even more challenging to make it.
John and Jim encouraged me to focus on a positive attitude,
productive behaviors, and honing my techniques to ultimately
translate into a successful sales career. They spent
time to get to know me and emphasized how to make a
difference in our clients' lives. They showed me that culture
is king and you can make a career as an adviser while also
doing what's best for clients. Any success I've had as a
mentor I owe to John and Jim for being great role models.
PA: How might Sentinel advise industry peers on developing
successful experiences for both mentors and
mentees?
Campagna: Professionals with the desire to mentor need
to understand that it's very different from managing or
from coaching. The most critical element for becoming a
mentor is to get to know the mentee personally. You need
to know what makes them tick, to devote time and effort, to
become an influential person who enhances their personal
growth. Listen, understand their personal and professional
aspirations, and provide advice on a path forward. Genuine
compassion cannot be faked.
A hybrid work environment has reduced or even eliminated
the casual water cooler talk or the " windshield " time
you once had to chat with people driving to and from a
meeting. Mentors need to deliberately seek out the younger
folks and make time for them.
For Mentees: We strive to make things easy at Sentinel. I
encourage younger professionals to focus on three things: 1)
Attitude: Be positive-always stand behind your core beliefs
and principles; 2) Behaviors: Define and adhere to activities
that are quantifiable and measurable; 3) Techniques: Learn
and master the specific skills used to grow your business.
Mentees must be curious and willing to put themselves
out there. Young professionals have a lot to learn, and curiosity
is how to start developing the expertise needed to
succeed. It won't happen overnight. Younger employees need
to pick one thing, and become a go-to resource in your firm
for that subject. Become sought after. This not only builds
confidence, it creates a foundation of learning that benefits
the professional throughout that person's career.
16 | planadviser.com May-June 2022
http://www.planadviser.com
PLANADVISER -May/June 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PLANADVISER -May/June 2022
