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Empower has promoted Joe Smolen to President of its Workplace Solutions business unit, where he will oversee strategy, growth, relationship management, and product innovation for the company’s retirement services operations serving more than 61,000 employer-sponsored plans and 18.8 million participants with approximately $1.9 trillion in assets under administration as of September 30, 2025.
Empower announced the promotion of Joe Smolen to President of its Workplace Solutions business unit. In this role, Smolen will lead strategy, growth initiatives, client and partner relationships, and product development for America’s second-largest retirement services provider.
“Joe is a proven leader who consistently delivers results while keeping clients and partners at the center of everything he does,” said Rich Linton, President and Chief Operating Officer of Empower. “His deep understanding of the workplace retirement landscape, combined with his ability to lead high-performing teams, makes him exceptionally well suited to lead our Workplace Solutions business as we continue to innovate and grow.”
Smolen brings extensive experience and a consistent track record of leadership. A long-serving Empower executive, he joined the company in 1999 as a regional sales director and advanced through progressively senior roles. Since 2017, he led the Core Markets segment and expanded his oversight to include Mid-Market in 2024. A Colorado resident and Kansas State University graduate, Smolen has also been actively involved in industry leadership, recently completing a term as Board Chair for the Society of Professional Record Keepers and Asset Managers (SPARK). He serves on the board of the Children’s Diabetes Research Foundation—where he and his wife received lifetime achievement recognition in 2023—and volunteers with the Tim Tebow Foundation.
As part of the transition, Ken Munro has been appointed Executive Vice President and head of the Core & Mid-Market segments, succeeding Smolen. Munro, who joined Empower in 2006 and was named SVP, National Sales Director in 2021, will advance strategic priorities, support growth, and maintain service excellence for plans with assets up to $150 million, including start-up plans, pooled employer plans (PEPs), and multiple employer plans (MEPs).
“Ken’s experience, operational expertise, and commitment to our clients position him well to build on the strong foundation Joe established,” Linton added. “This transition reflects the strength of our leadership bench and our continued focus on developing talent from within the organization.”
The changes are effective immediately, with reporting relationships unchanged: Smolen continues to report to Linton, and Munro reports to Smolen.
About Empower
Recognized as a leader in retirement services and wealth management, Empower administers approximately $2 trillion in assets for more than 19 million individuals through the provision of workplace and individual retirement plans, advice, financial planning and investments. Connect with us on empower.com, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram.
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