Recently, Rachele Wolf, CPFA^™, was named to the 2025 Top Women of Excellence list by the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA). It's an honor reserved for professionals who demonstrate sustained excellence in retirement plan advising—and for Rachele, this marks the third time she has received the recognition.

In an industry that was once overwhelmingly male-dominated, Rachele's career stands out not just for longevity, but for impact. As a licensed relationship manager, her work is centered on what ultimately matters most: helping employers and employees better understand, value, and use one of their most important benefits.

Why This Recognition Matters to Business Leaders

This recognition isn't simply about individual achievement. It reflects a broader truth about retirement leadership today—and why business owners and leaders should pay closer attention to how their plans are designed, explained, and maintained.

We used this milestone as an opportunity to sit down with Rachele and ask a more important question:

What are the most important things companies need to understand about one of their employees' most meaningful benefits—the retirement plan?

Her answers point to three truths that are often overlooked, yet increasingly critical.

1. A Retirement Plan Is One of the Strongest Signals of Care—When Employees Understand It

A retirement plan isn't just a benefit. It's one of the clearest ways an organization shows employees it cares about their future.

Well-designed plans help attract top performers, retain key leaders, and create confidence across the workforce. But simply offering a plan isn't enough. If employees don't understand it, much of their value is lost.

Research supports this. According to the SHRM report, Future of Talent Retention: Understanding Why Employees Leave and Why They Stay, nearly 60% of employees cite retirement plans as one of the benefits that most influence their decision to stay with an employer. Meanwhile, the EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey shows that 71% of workers say they or their spouse has saved for retirement—highlighting how heavily employees rely on these plans for long-term security.

"What I love most about my work is meeting one-on-one with employees," Rachele explains. "You can see the difference when someone truly understands their plan—they're more confident, more invested, and more hopeful about their future. Education empowers people to balance today's needs with tomorrow's goals. When companies extend that opportunity to their teams, engagement and loyalty rise dramatically."

When education is prioritized, retirement plans become more than a checkbox. They become a foundation of trust.

2. For Business Owners and Leaders, a Retirement Plan Is a Strategic Tool

For business owners and leadership teams, a retirement plan is far more than an employee benefit—it's a strategic lever.

Plans can be thoughtfully designed to reflect a company's structure, ownership goals, and leadership dynamics. With the right expertise, they can support higher contribution strategies, integrate executive benefits, and align with broader talent and succession priorities.

"The strongest owners build wealth in two places—inside the business and outside it," Rachele notes. "That balance creates freedom when it's time to transition. At the same time, you can build a retirement plan that's uniquely designed around your business dynamics, which increases value as well."

When retirement plans are approached intentionally, they become a leadership asset—supporting growth today while creating clarity, confidence, and flexibility for the future.

3. Retirement Plans Are Living Strategies—and They Deserve Regular Attention

Businesses evolve. Regulations change. Workforces shift. Yet many retirement plans remain untouched for years.

Plans that made sense five years ago may no longer align with today's realities. Fees, fiduciary responsibilities, and plan design elements can quietly drift out of step with the business.

"We see it all the time—a plan that was fine five years ago is a liability today," Rachele says. "Your business and your lives change over time. These are living, breathing documents, yet business leaders haven't looked at them for years. You look at your financials monthly and quarterly. Retirement plans are also important, so you need review them annually."

The most effective leaders treat retirement plans like any other strategic business asset—reviewing them regularly to ensure they continue to serve both the organization and the people behind it.

What This Recognition Ultimately Represents

Rachele Wolf's third NAPA Top Women of Excellence award reflects more than professional excellence. It underscores a leadership philosophy grounded in relationships, education, and long-term thinking.

It also reflects the standard the HORAN Wealth Retirement Team brings to every client relationship—helping business leaders turn complexity into clarity and benefits into meaningful outcomes.

A Thoughtful Next Step for Business Leaders

If this conversation has prompted you to reconsider your company's retirement plan, the HORAN Wealth Retirement Team offers a complimentary review designed to provide clarity—not a sales pitch.

Through this review, the team will help identify:

• Key fiduciary and operational risks you may not be seeing
• Cost and fee opportunities to improve clarity and fairness
• Practical improvements that strengthen outcomes for employees and the business

You'll leave with:

• A clear view of what matters most
• A short list of priority opportunities
• A recommendation on whether a deeper review is worth it

Contact:

About Rachele Wolf, CPFA^™

Retirement Plan Advisor, Senior Vice President

Rachele brings over 24 years of experience helping employers design competitive retirement plans that attract and retain top talent. She focuses on financial wellness education and consulting to help employees make informed decisions and build more secure futures for themselves and their families.

About HORAN Wealth

HORAN Wealth is a leading wealth management firm headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a growing national footprint. As one of the largest independently owned advisory firms in Cincinnati, HORAN Wealth oversees $3.65 billion in assets under advisory and has served clients for over 75 years. The Private Wealth Practice delivers customized guidance in investment, retirement, insurance, estate, tax, and business planning—helping clients build productive and abundant lives across generations. HORAN Wealth has offices in Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.

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