DRESHER, PA — Ascensus has appointed two retirement-industry executives to senior leadership roles as the company prepares to expand its retirement-plan capabilities through its pending acquisition of AmericanTCS.
The company said Ryan Franken has joined as Head of Core Retirement and Tim Lastivka as Vice President and National Sales Leader, strengthening a retirement business that serves financial institutions, advisors, third-party administrators, employers, and retirement savers.
The appointments follow Ascensus’ announcement last week that it had reached a definitive agreement to acquire AmericanTCS, a transaction expected to broaden the company’s presence in pooled employer plans, fiduciary services, and trust and custody operations. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, subject to customary conditions.
Franken will oversee Ascensus’ defined contribution retirement business and report to Dan Morrison, president of retirement. He previously served as national sales manager for institutional markets at Transamerica Retirement Solutions, where he led teams focused on institutional sales, consultant relations, pooled plans, and defined benefit distribution.
Lastivka will report to Franken and lead national sales efforts. He most recently served as head of sales and distribution for what Ascensus described as the nation’s largest independent third-party administrator firm.
“As we advance our purpose of helping more savers save more, we are focused on aligning the right leadership, capabilities, and investments to meet and anticipate the evolving needs of our clients and partners,” Morrison said.
Ascensus said its retirement business is organized into four segments: Core Retirement, Small Business, Retirement Products & Solutions, and Partner Solutions.
The company said the leadership additions are intended to support continued growth across its retirement platform as it expands services for advisors, employers, financial institutions, and retirement-plan participants.
Franken holds an MBA from Cornell University’s S.C. Johnson School of Management and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. Lastivka earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Otterbein University.
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