Sentinel Summer 2026 Newsletter
Meet the Team • Service Updates • How to Reach Us
At Sentinel, our focus remains the same—clear communication, dependable service, and thoughtful support for every plan we serve. As our team continues to grow, we like to share updates so you can stay informed on who you’re working with and how best to reach us.
Team Updates
As we continue to grow, we’ve welcomed new team members and refined roles across our organization to better support our clients.
New Faces
Kasey Melancon has been admitted as a partner in Faulk & Winkler, Sentinel's parent company. As partner, Kasey leads the Sentinel's daily operations. He oversees strategic initiatives, strengthens advisor and client relationships, leads operational excellence and team development, and supports continued practice expansion. Kasey has been a vital member of Faulk & Winkler since joining Sentinel in 2017.
Sentinel continues to grow, Dan Burnett joined our team in June as a Compliance Specialist in Georgia. This brings Sentinel's headcount to 12 retirement professionals serving clients nationwide with a local touch.
We’re also excited to welcome Emily Williams, Intern, who is supporting the participant transactions team. They are working closely with our team members to ensure a seamless client experience and strong attention to detail.
Shifting Roles & Growth
As part of our continued development, team members have taken on expanded responsibilities:
· Melissa Terito continues to lead strategic alignment across the firm, focusing on consulting practices to ensure consistency and strong execution across the organization.
· Barbara LaBounty supports leadership initiatives across administration, client service, and internal process improvements to enhance overall efficiency.
· Kristie Hustmyre, Amy Reichel, and Hailey Bass continue to support client relationship management and plan administration coordination, helping ensure smooth day-to-day communication.
· Kayla Nissing and Elizabeth Dudon continue to help participant requests including distributions, loans, completing forms and general participant questions.
You may notice some adjustments in your day-to-day contacts as responsibilities evolve. These changes are intentional and designed to strengthen how we support you.
Why This Matters
These updates allow us to:
· Provide clearer ownership of requests
· Maintain consistent quality and review
· Improve turnaround times and responsiveness
Working Across Teams & Time Zones
Our team collaborates across locations to maintain strong responsiveness throughout the day.
· Team members such as Barbara, Amy, Dan, and Van are in different time zones, helping extend service coverage beyond a single region.
Service Updates
SECURE 2.0 Plan Amendment Update
The SECURE 2.0 Act(December 2022) introduced significant changes to retirement plans over the past several years. While many of these updates have already been implemented operationally, plan sponsors are required to formally update their written plan documents to reflect these changes.
For most 401(k) and 403(b) plans, the deadline to adopt these amendments is December 31, 2026. This is primarily a documentation requirement—ensuring your plan document matches how the plan is being administered. You can expect your Sentinel administrator to reach out to you late summer or early fall to confirm the changes, draft the amendment and prepare it for signature.
What Happens Next
If your plan is eligible, we may reach out to confirm or update payroll provider information. If your payroll provider is not currently supported, rest assured we’ll continue to administer your plan as usual and keep you informed as new integrations become available.
Thank you for trusting Sentinel as your plan administration partner. We’re excited to continue finding smarter ways to support you in 2026 and beyond.
How to Reach Us – Designed for Efficiency
To streamline communication and ensure your requests are handled quickly and accurately, we use dedicated shared inboxes: 401k@sp-tpa.com Best for participant-level requests, including:
· Distributions and withdrawals
· Loans and loan payoffs
· Completed participant forms
· General participant questions
This inbox is monitored by our participant transaction team, ensuring timely and accurate processing. TPA@sp-tpa.com Best for general support, including:
· When your administrator is out of the office
· When you’re unsure who to contact
· When you need assistance routing a request
This inbox is actively monitored to ensure requests are directed appropriately, and nothing is missed.
Our Values in Practice
We are:
· Responsive and reliable
· Solution-oriented and practical
· Detail-focused and proactive
· Personable and relationship-driven
These values guide how we support our clients, advisors, and partners every day.
Thank You for Trusting Sentinel
We truly value the relationships we’ve built with plan sponsors, advisors, CPAs, and ERISA professionals. Thank you for your continued trust in our team. We look forward to supporting you with clarity, care, and consistency.