I still remember when, in 2018, BlackRock announced they were developing an in-plan retirement income solution. For our small team at Micruity, it felt like validation—proof that the problem we were tackling wasn’t just important, it was urgent enough for the world’s largest asset manager to tackle head-on.

That announcement also marked a turning point for us. We’d been focused on building a direct-to-consumer retirement income product, but seeing BlackRock move into this space helped us see that the real opportunity was working with plan sponsors and recordkeepers to deliver these solutions at scale. We pivoted to B2B, and I knew I needed to learn from the people who were already thinking deeply about this problem.

That’s how I first connected with Anne Ackerley.

Anne was the Head of BlackRock’s Retirement Group for nine years; in that role, she’d been instrumental in reinvigorating the target-date fund market. One important accolade is her work on BlackRock LifePath Paycheck, a solution that fundamentally reimagined what retirement funds should do. The idea seems obvious now: retirement funds shouldn’t just help people accumulate wealth, they should help them turn that wealth into reliable income. But obvious doesn’t mean easy, and Anne had to pave the way through regulatory complexity, industry skepticism, and operational challenges to make it happen.

When I got the chance to meet Anne, I expected expertise. What I didn’t expect was just how genuine her passion is for solving this problem. She truly cares about building retirement income solutions that work for everyday Americans. She cares about getting these products into plans where they can actually make a difference in people’s lives. That conviction—that plans should provide not just savings vehicles but real financial security through steady income—runs deep with her.

As we built toward our Series A, I kept thinking about what Micruity needed most. We had talented engineers, a compelling product vision, and growing traction with recordkeepers. But what we were missing was someone who’s been in the room where these decisions get made—someone who understood the operational realities of building and scaling retirement income solutions, who knew the pain points plan sponsors face, and who could bring that client perspective to our strategy.

Anne brings all of that and more. Our current board was enthusiastic when I shared the opportunity to bring her on as an independent board member. She’s not just joining because she knows the market—she helped shape it. Her experience navigating the path from idea to implementation, from regulatory hurdles to industry adoption, is exactly what we need as we scale from powering thousands of retirement paychecks to millions.

I’m thrilled to welcome Anne to Micruity’s Board of Directors, and I thought the best way to introduce her to our community would be to let her share her perspective directly.

– Trevor Gary, founder & CEO

---

Q&A with Anne Ackerley

You spent years building BlackRock’s retirement business and championed solutions like LifePath Paycheck. What drew you to retirement income specifically, and why does it matter so much?

The number one financial fear in the U.S. is the fear of running out of money before dying. I saw this firsthand with older friends and relatives who struggled in retirement. It seems to me that people who work hard their whole lives should be able to retire with dignity and security. I feel a big responsibility to make our retirement system work better for everyone. That’s what drove my work on LifePath Paycheck, and why I joined Micruity’s board.

The retirement income landscape has evolved significantly over the past decade. What do you see as the biggest remaining gaps or challenges that still need to be solved?

There are income solutions that can help people have more financial security in retirement. The solutions exist—what’s missing is the infrastructure to make them simple and accessible through 401(k)s. I remember a Nobel laureate once telling me how complicated he found some solutions, and I thought, “If he finds them complicated, what hope is there for the rest of us?” That’s exactly the gap Micruity is solving.

You’ve seen the regulatory environment around retirement evolve, including the passage of SECURE. How do you think about the relationship between innovation and regulation in this space?

So many surveys indicated that more than 90% of plan sponsors wanted to provide income solutions to employees, and over 90% of employees wanted them. Yet many plan sponsors were cautious. SECURE provided some regulatory clarity that helped unlock action. That’s often how it works in retirement—innovation and regulation need to move together. The best solutions can sit on the shelf if plan sponsors don’t have clarity, and regulation alone can’t create solutions that actually work for people.

What made you decide to join Micruity’s board? What do you see in the company and the team that excites you?

I’m excited by the work Micruity is doing to bring income solutions to the 401(k) market at scale. Micruity is making it easier for plan sponsors and recordkeepers to make these solutions available to millions of workers. When I met Trevor, I knew he shared my passion for solving these issues. I have a tremendous amount of respect for how he leads his business with integrity, commitment and drive. He has the clarity of purpose and deep technical vision needed to provide the necessary infrastructure to make retirement income a reality. Micruity already integrates with four of the top five recordkeepers—that’s the kind of traction that shows the industry is ready for this.

From your experience working with plan sponsors and recordkeepers, what does it take for a retirement income solution to actually succeed in the market—not just exist, but get adopted at scale?

I do believe income products will get adopted at scale and Micruity will play a critical role in helping make them available. My experience with LifePath Paycheck taught me that adoption requires three things: education for plan sponsors and their advisors about the options available; strong participant experiences so employees understand the benefits of lifetime income; and reduced friction so recordkeepers and plan sponsors can actually implement these solutions. Micruity addresses that last piece directly.

What advice would you give to plan sponsors who are thinking about adding guaranteed income options but aren’t sure where to start?

Start by understanding your employee population: their demographics, their needs, their understanding of income required in retirement. You don’t have to solve everything at once. And honestly? Call me!

Looking ahead, what gives you the most optimism about the future of retirement security in America?

I’m optimistic because helping everyone retire with dignity is an achievable goal. We know how to help people accumulate wealth and turn it into reliable income in retirement. The tools exist, the regulatory path is clearer, and companies like Micruity are building the infrastructure that finally makes implementation practical at scale. We can do this by working together!