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Experts in Personalized Retirement Plan Design & Administration

BPP Team


Patrick  M.  Shelton,  GBA | Managing  Member
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Fun Fact: As a youth, Patrick had two separate basketball coaches that were former NBA players and is currently learning how to fly fish.

Patrick is the Managing Member of Benefit Plans Plus and has over 30 years of retirement plan industry experience in banking/trust, insurance, and Third-Party Administrative (TPA) environments. He is responsible for the vision, innovation, growth strategy, and execution of the firm’s business plan. Additionally, Patrick specializes in financial advisor relations, including 401(k) sales/prospecting presentations, vendor searches, and fiduciary consulting. Patrick built his reputation as a nationally recognized thought leader in the industry, sharing his market acuity while authoring articles on various platforms in the media, speaking at industry events, panels and webinars. Currently, Patrick is an active board member and past president of the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA). In addition, he is a Founding Member and Executive Committee Officer of The Cerrado Group. Patrick currently serves as a retirement plan consultant on leadership Advisory Councils organized and hosted by the following organizations: American Funds, Empower Retirement, Fidelity Investments, John Hancock, Lincoln Financial Group, Principal Financial Group, Securian Financial, St. Louis Bank Resource Team, T. Rowe Price, The Cerrado Group, The Standard, Voya Financial.

The list below is in alphabetical order by last name:


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Judith  A.  Alberternst | Senior  Retirement  Plan  Specialist
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Fun Fact: She writes poetry and has had several poems published nationally.

Judy serves as Senior Retirement Plan Specialist and joined the firm during the Qualified Plan Services, Ltd. (QPS) merger in May 2009. Judy has more than 26 years of experience in the retirement plan and investment services industry. Her current responsibilities include trust accounting, non-discrimination testing, and government reporting for qualified plans. Judy is a graduate of Kaskaskia College and holds an associate degree in business management.


Cody Book, QKA, QKC | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact:  He was honored his own day in Henderson, KY due to helping children out of a tragic school bus wreck.

Cody Book is a Relationship Manager and has multiple years of experience as a TPA in the retirement plan industry. He joined the firm during the Tri-State 401(k) Administrators merger in February 2019. He is currently responsible for the non-discrimination and compliance testing, contribution calculations, trust accounting, government filing requirements, plan document review, and consulting clients on plan provisions and IRS/DOL regulations. He holds the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) and Qualified 401(k) Consultant (QKC) designation offered through the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). Cody is a graduate from the University of Southern Indiana and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.


Eddiemae Brown | Senior Business Analyst
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Fun Fact: She spent one week in kindergarten, then the higher authorities moved her up to the first grade

Eddiemae Brown is a Supervisor and Senior Business Analyst. She joined the firm in 2009 with experience as a consultant and business analyst. In her current role, Eddiemae is responsible for participating in and leading major projects. She works directly with the Team Captains of the Plan Administration department to assist with projects such as Extensions, 8955-SSA, Vesting Files, PensionPro maintenance, and reporting metrics. Eddiemae can also support our administration testing, 5500, plan balancing and calculation valuations, client contact, document restatements, distribution processing, loans and payrolls. She earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Southeast Missouri State University and holds a master’s degree in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management.


Kim Chavira, QKA | Principal
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Fun Fact:  Kim loves to travel and has lived in 5 states.

Kim is a Principal and has over 20 years of experience as a TPA in the retirement plan industry. She joined the firm during the Tri-State 401(k) Administrators merger in February of 2019.  She is currently responsible for developing advisor, CPA and client relationships, compliance testing, contribution calculations and government filing requirements.  Kim holds the Qualified 401k Plan Administrator (QKA) designation from American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA).  Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky and also a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Southern Indiana.


Alyssa Cuquet | Customer Service Specialist
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Fun Fact: She has competed in show choir and is frequently both the first person and last person on the dance floor at a wedding.

Alyssa serves as our Customer Service Specialist, bringing energy and attention to each of our clients. Alyssa has worked in customer service and event management and was recognized with the Spirit of The Garden Award while under employment of Hilton Garden Inn. She currently is the direct line of assistance for our customers, supporting their needs with their plan or transaction status. She also is a key component of our employee engagement and BPP events. She holds a degree in corporate event management from Westminster College and has spent several years working on associate engagement committees.


Judy Daulton | Retirement Plan Specialist
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Fun Fact: She is always starting a new home or craft project and is known to close friends as the Pinterest Mom.

Judy serves as a Retirement Plan Specialist with multiple years of experience in the retirement plan industry as a Client Manager. She has previously worked in the financial services industry as a client operations specialist pricing foreign mutual funds. She is currently responsible for reviewing and analyzing plan documents, non-discrimination and compliance testing, government filing requirements, contribution calculations, and trust accounting. She also supports the other teams at BPP and works on various special projects. Judy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Babson College.


Laura Deitsch | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact: Laura has been to every home-opening day for the Cincinnati Reds for 25 consecutive years.

Laura is a Relationship Manager at Benefit Plans Plus with 20+ years of experience in the retirement plan industry. She joined the firm in May 2021 during the merger with PACSI (Pension Administration & Consulting Services, Inc). Laura provides annual plan administration services in her role and performs non-discrimination and compliance testing, contribution calculations, trust accounting, government filing requirements, plan document review, and consulting clients on plan provisions and IRS/DOL regulations. Laura earned her degree in Accounting from Cincinnati State in Ohio.


Karen Fish | Supervisor
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Fun Fact: She is an identical twin.

Karen Fish serves as a Supervisor over the Daily Administration Team and has more than 28 years of experience in the retirement plan industry as a Consultant and Pension Analyst.  As a Supervisor, Karen and her team are responsible for processing distributions, loans, enrollments, payrolls, and vesting uploads as well as variety of other daily transactions. They also work on special projects and assistant other teams when needed.


Chris Gillespie | Pension Analyst
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Fun Fact: Chris loves to snorkel and wants to take scuba lessons. Also, she had three dogs and two cats, all of which are rescues.

Chris serves on the BPP Daily Admin Team. She brings with her more than 29 years of experience working previously with financial, retirement and life insurance companies. She is currently responsible for 401(k) termination, loan and withdrawal processing. She also supports BPP Retirement Plan Specialists and works on various special projects.


Haven Hague | Executive Administrative Assistant
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Fun Fact: Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny was my favorite movie as a child.
I, embarrassingly, still know every song by heart…

Haven Hague joined the BPP team as an Executive Administrative Assistant to Managing Member, Patrick Shelton. Haven has experience in office management, recruitment and human resources administration. She is currently responsible for answering and transferring phone calls, welcoming and directing visitors and clients, maintaining electronic filing systems, coordinating and scheduling travel, meetings and appointments for the Managing Member, and maintaining systems for recording expenses.


Randy Hartline | Senior Pension Analyst
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Fun Fact: He enjoys running marathons.

Randy serves as Pension Analyst. Prior to joining Benefit Plans Plus, Randy held various positions across multiple industries, specifically in the manufacturing industry as a support coordinator and advanced material handler. Randy is currently responsible for processing daily transactions; such as, payrolls, loans, and distributions. He also supports the retirement plan specialists and works on various special projects.


Clare Householder, QKA, TGPC | Relationship Manager
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Fun fact: I enjoy family, reading, and going antiquing, and I have a vintage Coca-Cola collection.

Clare brings 27 years of retirement plan industry experience through a variety of plan administration and consulting roles. Having spent much of her career with national defined contribution recordkeepers, she brings a unique perspective to our team. She is currently responsible for managing a large client caseload, developing client relationships, preparing & analyzing plan documents, performing compliance testing & contribution calculations, and completing government filing requirements. She holds the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA) and Tax-Exempt & Governmental Plan Consultant (TGPC) designation from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. She received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Purdue University.

Faith Irmen, ERPA, QPA, QKA | Relationship Manager, Principal
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Fun fact: Faith shoots re-curve bows with her spouse and plays the organ.

Faith serves as a Relationship Manager and has worked in the Retirement Plan Industry for over 33 years. Her experience includes extensive experience in designing and administering qualified retirement plans.  Her expertise lies in qualified plan design, compliance, and administration of a variety of retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b), Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage, Cross-Tested Profit Sharing, and Defined Cash Balance Plans. Faith’s responsibilities include developing a relationship with the Plan Sponsor, contribution calculations, compliance testing, government tax filings and plan document preparation. Faith holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Psychology from the College of the Ozarks located near Branson, Missouri.


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Jeff Jackson | Team Lead, Installation
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Fun Fact: He enjoys rebuilding and remodeling houses.

Jeff Jackson is a Senior Installation Specialist with over 20 years of experience in the accounting and financial services industries. Before joining Benefit Plans Plus, Jackson was a staff accountant with BSW Small Business Services LLC. As an Installation Specialist, Jeff assists the installation team by bringing new clients in-house and assisting existing clients with vendor changes. He also works with recordkeeping for the non-qualified deferred compensation line of business and leads special projects.


Alex Lauko,  MBA | Billing Specialist
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Fun Fact: Alex played for Missouri Baptist University in the first-ever NAIA Lacrosse National Invitational in 2016, which took place in Greenville, South Carolina.

Alex serves as a Billing Specialist on the Internal Accounting Team. He is currently responsible for all billing calculations, analyzing client profitability, and various other financial projects. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science as well as his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Missouri Baptist University.


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Glynda Lavelle, CEBS | Senior Pension Analyst
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Fun Fact: She loves visiting the ocean, scrapbooking, photography, and volunteering in her community.

Glynda serves as Pension Analyst and has over 15 years of experience in the retirement plan industry as a Contractor, Actuarial Analyst, and Pension Administrator.  She is currently responsible for processing daily transactions; such as, payrolls, loans, and distributions. Additionally, she serves as Secretary for the Faith Coalition in Edwardsville, IL, a community outreach organization that partners with Habitat for Humanity, assists in regional disaster relief, and provides meals for local students in need.


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Julie  Martin | Senior Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact: She grew up in Dixon, IL, the hometown of President Ronald Reagan.

Julie is a Senior Relationship Manager and Team Captain in Plan Administration. She joined Benefit Plans Plus in May 2003 and has over 20 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. Julie is currently responsible for developing advisor and client relationships, preparing and analyzing plan documents, compliance testing, government filing requirements, and contribution calculations. Additionally, she possesses staff development responsibilities while continuing to manage her large existing caseload.


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Katie McKeon, APA, APR | Supervisor
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Fun Fact: She’s an avid fan of country music and cowboy boots.

Katie McKeon serves as Business Development Specialist and Pension Analyst. She has multiple years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining BPP, she served as a personal banker for U.S. Bank and a paraplanner for Ameriprise Financial. She is currently responsible for managing our client/prospect database, following up on sales calls, preparing prospect research packets, and managing other business development activities. Additionally, Katie holds the Accredited Pension Administrator (APA) and Accredited Penion Representative (APR) designations from the National Institute of Pension Administrators (NIPA).    


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Michelle Meyer | Principal, Operations
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Fun Fact: She enjoys solitude as much as socializing, and maybe more.

Michelle is the Principal over Operations and serves on the BPP executive team. She has over 30 years of retirement plan industry experience, with a strong background in project management, administration, and staff development. Her primary focus is in automating and creating business efficiencies that positively impact workflow and the bottom line. Additionally, she is responsible for the development of BPP’s Missouri and Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas staff. Michelle serves on the Empower Operations Council to help TPA firms gather insightful feedback on the TPA/MassMutual interaction and experience. Michelle is also currently pursuing the Qualified 401K Plan Administrator (QKA) designation through the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA).


Laura Michael | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact: Laura finds enrichment and growth through study and play, especially through her spiritual community, her children, grandchildren, and many outdoor opportunities in the Ozarks (Springfield, MO).

Laura joined BPP as a Relationship Manager with over twenty-five years of experience in accounting, human resources, and business management. Her responsibilities include assisting clients with the day-to-day needs of their retirement plans, compliance, reporting, advanced plan administration, and review and consultation. Laura holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services and applies that though various community projects.


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Jason R. Oesterlei,  ERPA, QKA, QPA | Principal, Compliance
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Fun Fact: During the summer, you can find him with his son riding bikes at the local skate park.

Jason is Principal over all compliance, consulting, and plan design matters. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, working in a variety of segments, including brokerage, group insurance, and third-party administration. He holds the QKA and QPA designations from ASPPA. Most notably, he holds the Enrolled Retirement Plan Agent (ERPA) designation, which allows him to represent clients in front of the IRS on retirement plan matters. Additionally, he received a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.


Kathryn O’Reilly | Retirement Plan Specialist
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Fun Fact:  She hasn’t eaten/drank anything with added sugars or sweeteners since 2012.

Kathryn O’Reilly serves as a Retirement Plan Specialist and has over 15 years of experience in the retirement plan industry.  She joined the firm during the Schumacher Financial Services merger in February of 2020.  She is currently responsible for non-discrimination and compliance testing, contribution calculations, trust accounting, government filing requirements, plan document review, and consulting clients on plan provisions and IRS/DOL regulations.


Melinda Porter | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact:  She unintentionally completed a 15k walk through the countryside and farm fields in Germany along with 10 family members and friends.

Melinda Porter joined Benefit Plans Plus as a Relationship Manager in May 2021. Melinda has more than 25-years of retirement plan administration experience and specializes in balance forward administration. As Relationship Manager, Melinda is responsible for developing advisor and client relationships, preparing and analyzing plan documents, compliance testing, contribution calculations, and government filing requirements. Prior to joining BPP, she worked at FuturePlan/Ascensus as a Retirement Plan Consultant for more than ten years. Melinda also spent considerable time as a Senior Benefits Administrator at Buck Consultants International in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She is a graduate of Purdue University Fort Wayne, the largest University in Northeast Indiana, and holds an Associates Degree in Criminal Justice with further studies in Political Science.


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Wes Rommerskirchen, MBA, ARPC, CRPS
Principal
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Fun Fact: He served in the United States Navy on a fast-attack nuclear submarine.

Wes is a Principal at Benefit Plans Plus and a dedicated member of our sales team. Wes joined Benefit Plans Plus as a result of a merger with Qualified Plan Services, Ltd. (QPS), which Benefit Plans Plus acquired in May 2009. With more than 20 years of experience in the retirement industry, Wes is responsible for new business development in the Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Arkansas territories through the sale and administration of qualified retirement plans. Wes holds the Accredited Retirement Plan Consultant (ARPC) and Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist (CRPS) designations. He also earned an MBA from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.


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Debbie Sammons | Staff Accountant
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Fun Fact:  I do a wicked imitation of Tina Turner performing “Proud Mary”

Debbie serves as the firm’s internal accountant and brings more than 25 years of experience working in public accounting firms to the table.  She plays an integral role in the preparation of information for BPP’s financial reports. She handles all financial transactions for BPP and QPS, including all accounts receivable, accounts payable, record keeping, and write-up work for both companies, plus assisting with all billing transactions.


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Tamara D. Schoch | Senior Retirement Plan Specialist
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Fun Fact: As a freshman in high school, she was a participant in the Miss Teen Missouri Pageant.

Tami serves as Retirement Plan Specialist and has over 26 years of experience in the retirement plan industry as an internal support staff and plan administrator.  She is currently responsible for non-discrimination and compliance testing, eligibility calculations, trust accounting, government filings, plan document review, and consulting clients on plan provisions and IRS/DOL regulations. Tami earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Webster University.


Molly Smethers | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact:  Molly was a ballerina before heading off to college. She is still passionate about the performing arts and loves ballet, philharmonic, and theater. 

Molly Smethers joined Benefit Plans Plus as a Relationship Manager in February 2021. Molly brings a wide array of experience with a diverse background in retirement planning and other industries where her skills and experience complement and enhance her role as a Relationship Manager. She is currently responsible for preparing and analyzing plan documents, performing compliance testing and contribution calculations, completing government filing requirements, and developing and nurturing relationships with advisors and plan sponsors. Molly received her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.


Jennifer Sullivan | Senior Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact:  As a member of a 120+ voice choir, she has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Busch Stadium, and even the Vatican! 

Jennifer is a Senior Relationship Manager and Team Captain in our Plan Administration department. She joined the firm in April 2017 and has decades of retirement plan experience. She has worked with defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, Canadian retirement plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans, multiemployer plans, acquisitions and divestitures, actuarial valuations, and compliance issues. Jennifer is responsible for developing advisor and client relationships, preparing and analyzing plan documents, compliance testing, contribution calculations, and government filing requirements. Having spent much of her career with companies sponsoring large pension plans, she brings a unique perspective through her plan sponsor experience.  Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from McKendree University and is currently pursuing an industry designation.


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Sheri  D.  Sussenbach | Principal, IL
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Fun Fact: Her favorite show is The Voice.

Sheri is Senior Relationship Manager and joined the firm during the Qualified Plan Services, Ltd. (QPS) merger in May 2009.  With more than 27 years of experience, Sheri plays an integral role in project and risk management, as well as the day-to-day operations of BPP. Currently, she services a very limited number of high-profile client relationships, with a focus on retirement plans that require annual employee benefit audits


Jessica Tinnin | Pension Analyst
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Fun Fact: She enjoys camping, visiting with family and friends, and looking forward to one day living closer to the beach!

Jessica is a Pension Analyst on the Daily Administration team at Benefit Plans Plus. She joined the firm in 2021. Her responsibilities include processing contribution uploads and distributions/loans, and many other daily transactions. In addition, Jessica contributes to special projects that require her to implement and enhance performance standards and service objectives as assigned by management. Before joining the firm, Jessica worked in a corporate office at a large grocery store chain that operates more than 100 grocery stores in 8 states, where she was responsible for employee payroll and sales tax-related reporting for 15 years. Her prior work experience also includes human resources, educating employees on their benefits, new hire orientations and training.


Tina Wiegert | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact: She has 50+ cousins.

Tina serves as Retirement Plan Specialist and has over 29 years of experience in the retirement plan industry as a senior pension analyst and defined contribution administration analyst. She is currently responsible for non-discrimination and compliance testing, eligibility calculations, trust accounting, government filings, plan document review, and consulting clients on IRS/DOL regulations.


Eric Wilder | Team Lead, Daily Team
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Fun Fact: He has an abnormally strong memory.

Eric Wilder serves as Team Lead for the Daily Administration team and has multiple years of experience in the financial services industry serving as a participant recordkeeper at Boatmen’s Trust Company and Ruben Brown Gornstein. Prior to joining the BPP team full-time, Eric worked as a part-time contractor for the firm. He is currently responsible for processing a variety of daily transactions; such as, payrolls, loans, and distributions.


Matthew Wiley, CRPS | Principal, OH
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Fun Fact: He grew up in Nashville, TN & interned on Music Row prior to beginning his career in financial services.

Matt leads the business development efforts as Principal for Ohio and Northern Kentucky. He focuses on assisting financial advisors, accountants, and retirement plan professionals with building & retaining their retirement plan book-of-business. Prior to joining BPP, Matt worked with Creative Retirement Systems for 5 years & Voya Retirement Plans for over 6 years in both sales and service roles. Matthew received his B.A. in Public Relations from Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. He relocated to Cincinnati in December of 2009, and now lives in Madeira with his wife and 5-year-old daughter.


Joe Williams | Retirement Plan Specialist
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Fun Fact: Joe is an avid fan of Cincinnati sports teams and he played four years of collegiate baseball.

Joe Williams joined the team at BPP as an executive assistant to Managing Member, Patrick Shelton, in December of 2020 after graduating from Asbury University where he earned a degree in Business Administration. Joe completed his MBA through Asbury University in April of 2021 and has transitioned into a new role as a Retirement Plan Specialist. This includes work on trust accounting, government filing requirements, reviewing and analyzing plan documents, non-discrimination and compliance testing, and contribution calculations.

Zach Wendt | Relationship Manager
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Fun Fact: He enjoys playing guitar and piano in his spare time.

Zach serves as a Relationship Manager and has multiple years of experience in retirement plan administration. His responsibilities include performing compliance testing and contribution calculations, as well as preparing annual government filings. He is currently pursuing actuarial accreditation through the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA). Zach is a graduate of Indiana University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.


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Susan Woods | Retirement Plan Specialist
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Fun Fact: She won the Illinois high school state golf championship in 1984 and 1985.

Susan serves as a Retirement Plan Specialist with multiple years of experience in the retirement plan industry as a Pension Analyst. She has previously worked in the insurance industry, as well as the accounting and finance industry, as a senior claims analyst and lead negotiator. She is currently responsible for reviewing and analyzing plan documents, non-discrimination and compliance testing, government filing requirements, contribution calculations, and trust accounting. She also supports the other teams at BPP and works on various special projects. Susan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Illinois.



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