PSCA names three CPSPs as 2026 award winners

According to the Plan Sponsor Council of America, David Clark, Stephanie Reece Griffin, and Brittany Wieringa are the recipients of its 2026 CPSP Member of the Year Award. The award, established in 2024, recognizes certified plan sponsor professionals for exceptional leadership and for applying CPSP principles to governance, participant engagement, and plan improvements, the council said.

Clark is the senior manager of HR operations at Arcus Biosciences, PSCA said, overseeing retirement plan administration and serving as primary retirement contact. After earning his CPSP last year, Clark added an employer match, automatic escalation, Roth savings, deferral flexibility, an onsite benefits fair, and more education programming. Griffin, director of employee benefits at The Coca-Cola Bottlers' Association, oversees a multiple employer plan covering more than 30 bottlers, 14,000 participants, and $1 billion in assets, according to the council; participation climbed 3% after she used CPSP principles across governance, investment oversight, plan design, and risk management. Wieringa, a retirement benefits specialist at Upper Peninsula Power Company, worked with advisors and recordkeepers, streamlined processes, and extended financial wellness offerings; her webinars and targeted communications drove higher engagement, PSCA said.

"These three professionals exemplify what it means to be a CPSP," said Will Hanen, PSCA's executive director. "Their achievements reflect the value of the credential and the critical role plan sponsors play in helping workers prepare for retirement."

The three winners hold operational benefits roles — senior manager of HR operations, director of employee benefits, and retirement benefits specialist. Their work shows the credential's practical payoff: plan design changes, governance improvements, and measurable participation gains.