Principals
Daniel McWhirter
Daniel is the President and Partner at Tennessee Pension Administrators, bringing over 25 years of expertise in retirement plan administration. He specializes in plan design, consulting, and ensuring compliance for his clients. Daniel also collaborates closely with retirement plan advisors, offering support in client retention and business development. As a leader within the company, he guides the TPA team toward achieving annual goals and fostering growth. A University of Tennessee graduate, Daniel also spent a year teaching high school. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing golf, fly-fishing, traveling, and is a passionate sports fan. Daniel lives in Farragut, TN.
Sheila Young, QKA
Sheila is a Plan Consultant and former Partner with 30+ years experience in the industry. She acts as a Technical resource for Plan Sponsors, Staff, Advisors, and Auditors. She assists the firm with obtaining goals and the implementation of processes and procedures necessary for success. Her main focus is administration processes, documentation, compliance testing, contribution calculations and annual filing preparation. She is responsible for managing the entire plan-level process to ensure plan design and operations meets regulatory compliance standards and deadlines. Sheila also contributes to the implementing of strategic goals to ensure effectiveness that provides administrative support to clients. She is an active member of ASPPA and is a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. Sheila spends her time enjoying her family, especially her granddaughters, her friends, and an assortment of outdoor activities.
Tyler Smith
Tyler joined Tennessee Pension Administrators in 2011 after graduating with Summa Cum Laude honors and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Strayer University. He has transitioned over the years into many different roles and responsibilities at Tennessee Pension Administrators. In 2023, Tyler endorsed his commitment to TPA and became a Partner within the firm. Tyler and his wife Miriam, who is a Registered Nurse, reside in Karns with their daughter and son. The entire family enjoys camping, rooting on the Vols and the Atlanta Braves.
Staff
David King, QKA
David grew up in West Knoxville with outdoors and sports being important parts of his life. He attended Farragut High School and played baseball for the Admirals. He received his bachelor's degree in mathematics, with a minor in engineering and economics from Tennessee Tech University. David obtained a part-time job with a Knoxville based TPA firm that quickly turned into a full-time job. He enjoyed the workings of retirement plans so much that he wanted to deepen his understanding of plan design, testing, and operations so he became of member of ASPPA, ultimately obtaining his QKA certification. David lives in South Knoxville close to IJAMS and Bakers Creek, which he utilizes as much as possible with his wife Shauna, and son Nathaniel. The couple has a German Shepard dog named Oliver and a cat named Storm.
Cody Grabeel
Cody is Client Service Representative at TPA and handles all distribution related inquiries. He attended Christian Academy of Knoxville and has his Associate's Degree in Marketing from Pellissippi State Community College. Although new to TPA, he is steadily learning all aspects of retirement plans and client relations. He spends most of his available time with his wife, Kelsey, who works as a Consumer Health Librarian at the University of Tennessee Knoxville Medical Center. Both he and his wife "bleed" orange: and have been season-ticket holders at Neyland Stadium for five years.
Kristi Cupp
Kristi is a Client Service Coordinator and has been working in the retirement plan business for 25 years. She provides support to the administrators, helps with plan documents, handles billing, and daily office administration. She graduated from Pellissippi State Community College with an Associate's Degree in Office Systems Technology and Management. Kristi enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and attending her three sons sporting events.
Ethan Marks
Ethan joined Tennessee Pension Administrators in the Fall of 2020 after graduating from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He enjoys providing Plan Document, and Compliance services to our clients. Ethan and his wife Sydney, who works in dermatology, reside in Oak Ridge with their German shepherd named “Luna”, and cat named, “Cat”. Outside of work, you can find Ethan renovating his house, working out, reading fantasy and history books and playing games with friends.
Jessica Parks
Jessica has 20 years of service in the military. She has been involved in projects that required attention to detail during that time. The military taught her the importance of being adaptable to a variety of environments. She loves to help others and has learned valuable skills along the way. She is a mother of two girls, a dog mom as well as a dog Memere’. She moved to Tennessee in 2006 from Vermont.
Kyle Meuser, QKA
Kyle is a Compliance Consultant and has 10 years of experience in the retirement plan industry. He graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in Accounting and is an active member of ASPPA, maintaining a QKA designation. Kyle resides in Rock Island, IL with his partner and enjoys spending time with friends and doing any and all things outdoors with their dog, Tony.
Chad carleton, QPA, QKC, QKA
Chad is a Plan Consultant at TPA with 10+ years of experience in the retirement industry. He specializes in all areas of retirement plan administration, with a concentration in the annual nondiscrimination testing, government form filings, and contribution calculations. He currently has his QPA, QKC, and QKA credentials from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries (ASPPA) and is working on obtaining his credentials to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Chad is a recipient of the Penchecks Trust ASPPA Scholarship in 2021 and 2016.
Chad moved to Knoxville in 2020 from Rock Island, Illinois, part of the Quad City metro area in the Northwestern part of the state. Chad attended Western Illinois University and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree in accountancy. In his spare time, you can find Chad reading a book, trying a new recipe, or walking the Greenways with his dog, Cooper.
Parker Cupp
Parker joined Tennessee Pension Administrators in July of 2024. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from King University with a bachelor’s degree in business management. During his time in school, he previously worked as an insurance agent. He married his wife, Jenna, in May 2024 and she works for The Daily Times as the sports editor. Outside of work, Parker enjoys playing golf, working out, or doing anything to keep an active lifestyle.
Courtney slay
Courtney Slay is thrilled to join the team at Tennessee Pension Administrators as a Client Services Representative. With several years of experience in the health insurance industry, she brings a wealth of knowledge in client relations and benefits management. Having moved from Florida to Tennessee nearly seven years ago, Courtney has embraced her new home and community. When she’s not working, she enjoys reading and spending time with her two beloved cats. Courtney is enthusiastic about learning new skills and providing support to her team at Tennessee Pension Administrators.
Greg Mcmurry
Greg is the Chief Operating Officer of Tennessee Pension Administrators . He began working with the company in 2017 and is responsible for marketing, financials, and operations. Greg is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a BS in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. He has over thirty-five years experience in operations, marketing, and brand management.
Greg has been involved in a variety of recreation programs throughout the community and has been an active part of the development of girls basketball in the East Tennessee area. Greg was co-founder and served on the board of the Tennessee Fury AAU basketball program. Greg serves on the board of the Willayne Towe Foundation, which supports small local charities that serve children.