SAN FRANCISCO, May 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Heffernan Financial is proud to announce that Blake Thibault, John Clark, and Sean Kelly were selected for the 2026 Top Retirement Plan Adviser list by PLANADVISER. The list was announced in March, 2026. Their achievement will be recognized at the PLANADVISER Industry Leader Awards celebration/dinner in New York City on Thursday, May 14.

The 2026 PLANADVISER Top Retirement Plan Adviser list is based on a mixture of qualitative and quantitative measures, including tenure in the business, focus on retirement plan business as a percentage of practice revenue, willingness to serve in a fiduciary role to client plans, and a review of essay answers. These criteria are utilized for each of the seven categories: Plan Sponsor Service; Plan Participant Service; 403(b) Plan Service; Mentorship; Efforts in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Closing the Coverage Gap -MEPs/PEPs and Closing the Coverage Gap -Micro/Startup Plans.

Blake Thibault, John Clark and Sean Kelly received the 2026 PLANADVISER Top Retirement Plan Adviser recognition. The adviser did not pay a fee to be considered. PLANADVISER selected honorees using its published methodology, which includes category-specific quantitative and/or qualitative criteria. Honorees may use a complimentary low-resolution logo; optional purchases of high-resolution logos or plaques do not influence the selection process. This third-party recognition is not indicative of future investment performance and does not constitute an endorsement. Additional information and methodology: https://www.planadviser.com/awards/2026-top-retirement-plan-advisers/

“I am honored that John Clark, Sean Kelly, and I were named ‘Top Retirement Plan Advisor’ by PLANADVISER, a prestigious recognition of excellence in the retirement plan consulting space,” said Blake Thibault, President of Heffernan Financial. “This achievement reflects our team’s dedication to delivering exceptional fiduciary guidance and support to our clients, and the meaningful impact that our work has across the industry. This award is a testament to the hard work, expertise, and commitment to excellence shared across our team.”

About Heffernan Financial 
Heffernan Financial is a full-service financial services firm, offering strategies and solutions for corporations, foundations, and individuals. With a dedicated team focused solely on retirement plans, the group has over 100 years of experience in consulting and advisory services.

Heffernan Financial believes that all employees deserve the ability to retire on their terms as a reward for a lifetime of hard work. They champion this cause by working with clients to create a comprehensive retirement plan. Being both vendor and investment neutral, Heffernan Financial acts as your true independent consultant.

For more information, visit heffgroupfs.com.

This designation recognizes the top retirement plan advisers in the industry based on quantitative measures. To be listed, advisers were required to have either a minimum of 50 retirement plan clients or retirement plan assets under advisement of at least $400 million.  The 2026 Top Retirement Plan Advisers list contains 316 advisers who stand out for their service in all types of retirement plans. After meeting the minimum plan or asset count, advisers were highlighted if they have what is designated as a special focus in any particular plan type. This means advisers for whom at least 91% of their clients are 401(k) plan sponsors or more than 10% of their clients are 403(b), 457, nonqualified, DB, cash balance, SEP, SIMPLE or MEP/PEP plan clients.  Also highlighted this year are female advisers and those who are younger than 40.  1,531 advisers were invited to apply for the awards. Of those 352 applied and 316 made the final list. The award is not indicative of the Advisor’s future performance. No fee is charged to participate.

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Global Retirement Partners, LLC dba Heffernan Financial, a registered investment advisor and separate entity from LPL Financial.

Heffernan Financial employs (or contracts with) individuals who may be (1) registered representatives of LPL Financial and investment adviser representatives of Heffernan Financial; or (2) solely investment adviser representatives of Heffernan Financial. Although all personnel operate their businesses under the name of Heffernan Financial, they are each possibly subject to differing obligations and limitations and may be able to provide differing products or services.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/heffernan-financial-blake-thibault-john-clark-and-sean-kelly-selected-for-the-2026-top-retirement-plan-advisers-by-planadviser-302769280.html

SOURCE Heffernan Financial