Ameritas President and Chief Executive, Officer Bill Lester, announced the following officer elections, effective June 1:

Scott Holechek, FLMI, CEBS, was elected second vice president – business development in retirement plans.  

Holechek earned a B.A. degree with an emphasis in finance, accounting and management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also holds the FINRA Series 6 securities license.

Laura Fender was elected senior vice president and controller – accounting and finance. She recently joined Ameritas with senior-level experience in the financial services industry.

Fender earned a B.S.B.A degree in accounting from Creighton University. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants.

John McCarthy was elected vice president – customer service in retirement plans. His previous position was second vice president – client services.

McCarthy earned a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He holds the FINRA Series 7, 63, 24 and 51 securities licenses.

Christy Neighbors, J.D., was elected senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Ameritas Mutual Holding Company, Ameritas Holding Company and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Neighbors will continue to hold the title for Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of

New York. Her previous title was senior vice president, assistant corporate secretary.

Neighbors earned a B.A. degree in psychology and a minor in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She has practiced law in Nebraska for over two decades. In 2015, she received the NAIC Dineen Award for her outstanding service and contribution to state regulation of insurance.

Robert Sharp was elected head of the independent distribution channel. His previous position was vice president – shared distribution sales development.

Sharp earned a B.S. degree in economics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He also studied at West Virginia University, Morgantown, where he earned a B.S. degree in finance and a Juris Doctor.