Meet The TPA Experts Leadership

Joe has been President of Downeast Pension Services (DPS) and Third Party Administrators, Inc. (TPA, Inc.) since 2019. In 2022 he became the President of the newly formed The TPA Experts.

Before working with The TPA Experts (DPS, TPA, Inc. and now PACO, Inc.), Joe was the Regional Sales Director for the Mid-Atlantic Region for Pentegra Retirement Services. Joe has also held various management and sales positions during his 25+ years in the retirement plan industry.

Joe received his BA from St. Lawrence University. He holds the Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC^®) designation through the Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA), and also his Accredited Investment Fiduciary Analyst (AIFA^®)designation through the Center for Fiduciary Studies.

Denise is the Vice-President and Director of Operations for The TPA Experts. Denise joined Downeast Pension Services (now The TPA Experts) in 1998.

Denise is a graduate of the University of Southern Maine with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

In Denise's years working in the retirement industry, she has earned her Retirement Plans Associates' designation through the Certified Employee Benefits Program. Denise also currently serves on the Board of the Maine Employee Benefits Council.

Erik has worked in the qualified plan administration industry since 1992. He began his career as a pension administrator at PACO, Inc., located in West Des Moines, IA, a TPA firm he later purchased and operated for 20 years, growing it to serve over 500 clients. In 2024, Erik sold PACO, Inc. to The TPA Experts and now manages the Iowa location.

Erik is a graduate of Miami University in Ohio, where he majored in Accountancy, and he passed the CPA exam in 1993. His favorite part of the job is meeting new clients and helping them design tailored retirement plans.

Rich joined The TPA Experts in October 2025 as Manager of Retirement Plan Services. He holds a bachelor's degree from St. John Fisher University and has earned the QKA® (Qualified 401(k) Administrator) designation from ASPPA, along with his Series 6 and 63 licenses through FINRA.

With more than 20 years of experience in the retirement industry, Rich brings deep expertise in service operations and leadership. During his previous tenure with a payroll organization, he spent over five years leading service and project teams, focusing on delivering exceptional client experiences. Rich is passionate about customer-centric service and team development, mentoring emerging leaders and fostering growth through cross-training and professional development initiatives.

Mark joined Downeast Pension Services, (now known as The TPA Experts) in 2002. He has extensive experience in the retirement plan administration industry and manages The TPA Experts' Compliance Team.

Mark received his MBA at the University of Southern Maine and earned the Retirement Plans Associate designation through the Certified Employee Benefits Program. Mark is also, a member of the Maine Employee Benefits Council.

Mindy joined Downeast Pension Services (now The TPA Experts) in October 2022. Prior to starting with The TPA Experts, Mindy had over 17 years of experience in the financial services industry specializing in 401(k) plan management, data governance, and operational efficiency. In her various roles, her efforts were instrumental in optimizing client communication processes and mitigating risks while ensuring a seamless experience for clients and stakeholders alike.

In her manager role at The TPA Experts, Mindy brings together both her financial service background and her team mentoring skills, to be a powerful leader of process improvement. Her ability to work closely with CPAs, financial advisors, auditors, and other external partners allows her to be an effective, trusted, and knowledgeable professional in the industry.

Carrie joined The TPA Experts in June 2025 as Manager of Retirement Plan Support Services. She leads a team of specialists dedicated to providing accurate, timely transactions for retirement plans. With more than 20 years of experience in the retirement industry, Carrie brings a deep understanding and proven expertise to her role.

Carrie received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh. Carrie holds the Qualified 401(k) Administrator (QKA^®) designation through ASPPA and has also completed the Series 7 license (now expired) from FINRA.