Lance Kesterson has over 22 years of experience in retirement plans with Nationwide, including roles in finance, operations, strategic projects, and product management. He discusses the need to understand today's trends and assumptions, identify and validate specific opportunities, and then execute the highest priority options. This involves understanding the current strategy and any issues, developing and validating hypotheses about opportunities, and using a gated five-step process to prioritize opportunities before executing the highest ones through clear programs, accountability, goal alignment, commitment, and communication.

1. Linking Strategy and Execution For Future SuccessLance KestersonBroadlight

2. Experience and Perspective22 Years with Nationwide’s Retirement Plans Business (Public and Private Sector)31,000 plans, 2.5 million participants*$600 million net op rev, $200 million ptoe* Finance - CFO, Retirement PlansOperations VPStrategic Projects – Y2K, NFS, DistributionSubsidiary General ManagerProject Management DirectorProduct Management Officer* - Approx. Full Year 2009 measures

3. TodayImproved ExecutionStrategic Future

4. Understand & QuestionToday’s Trends , Assumptions & ImplicationsIdentify & ValidateSpecific Opportunities & CommitmentsExecuteHighest Priority Options

5. …The reason no one can agree on anything is that one group is looking at one set of “facts” and another group is looking at another set of “facts.” The reason we can’t get anything done is there are no FACT FACTS!!!! - Lewis Blackphilosopher and smartalec

6. Understand & QuestionToday’s Trends , Assumptions & ImplicationsCurrent StrategyAssumptions about the firm’s Mission, Environment and Competencies and Fit Among ThemMeasures - Financials, KPMs, Client Satisfaction, Associate EngagementKnown Issues / External FeedbackInsights, Implications and Opportunities

7. Develop and Validate HypothesisSpecific Opportunities & CommitmentsExecution First (Why put a great strategy into an organization that can’t execute?)G.D. Ritzy’sBuilding MuscleBuilding DisciplineIdentify, Evaluate & Prioritize5 Step / Gated ProcessFinal List of Opportunities

8. The Five Gates

9. ExecuteHighest Priority OptionsProgram / Process ResponsibilitySpecific Executive Level Accountability Alignment of Goals and RewardsClarityCommitmentCommunication

10. Linking Strategy and Execution For Future Success