Who We Are

Leadership Team 

Alec BerkmanCEO
Donald CurristanPrincipal
Kevin MahanPrincipal
Tara McCallPrincipal, Client Services
Jane UptonPrincipal

Alec Berkman 

CEO
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Alec Berkman is the founder, Chairman, and CEO of Executive Compensation Solutions (ECS). He has consulted nationally on executive benefit planning and specializes in executive compensation, retention and retirement programs for credit unions. Over his forty years with ECS, he has been involved with the design, implementation and administration of employee and executive benefit plans for over six hundred organizations.

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Alec has twice served on the board of directors of MFH Holdings, Inc. and was a member of the M Financial Advisory Board. He also served three terms as Chairman of the ING / Security Life Advisory Board. Alec is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), has served on the AALU Non-Qualified Plans Committee and is a member of the AALU Legislative Circle.

Alec graduated from the University of Southern California and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance and Marketing. He holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation, a life insurance license, and FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.

Alec chaired the Citrus Valley Health Foundation from 1997 through 1999 and has served as a Trustee of Citrus Valley Health Partners, Intercommunity Hospital, Queen of the Valley Hospital, Foothill Presbyterian Hospital and the Citrus Valley Hospice. Those facilities serve a population of approximately 500,000 people. In 2001, he was awarded the Laband Award for outstanding service to the community.


Donald Curristan 

Principal
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Don Curristan joined Executive Compensation Solutions in 1998 and is a Principal, owner, and member of the ECS Board of Directors. Don specializes in matching appropriate funding to emerging corporate benefit liabilities, and works directly with credit unions on succession planning and transition issues.

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Don also has many years of experience working with ‘for profit’ businesses that have designed and installed tax advantaged benefit plans. His focus has been consultation with key decision makers on benefit systems that attract, retain and motivate select corporate executives. His experience includes evaluation, administration and implementation of corporate benefit plans.)

Don is a regularly featured speaker at local professional associations as well as regional and national meetings. Don has also authored articles in the Credit Union Times, Credit Union Journal, Western Independent Banker's Magazine and the Foundation for Enterprise Development Ask the Expert publication.

Don received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Arizona State University. He holds Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designations, is a member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), and holds life and disability insurance licenses as well as FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.

Don serves on the Board of Trustees for the Social Advocates for Youth in San Diego.


Kevin Mahan 

Principal
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Kevin Mahan, EA, MSPA, is a nationally recognized Consulting Actuary and is the Consulting Actuary for the firm. In 1976, Kevin joined Mahan Actuaries, founded by his father. Kevin associated Mahan Actuaries with Executive Compensation Solutions (ECS) in 1993.

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Kevin's unique combination of experience in both the qualified and non-qualified benefit arenas allows ECS an uncommon ability to coordinate all of a client's benefit plans in the context of changing regulations and technical interpretations. He is a co-developer of the unique Performance Associated Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan concept, and has developed proprietary solutions to a variety of pension plan and benefit delivery systems for credit unions.

Kevin has consulted with companies across the country on both qualified and non-qualified plan arrangements. He has been engaged as an expert speaker on both subjects by nationally recognized leaders, including M Financial Group and KPMG International. Additionally, he has extensive experience in valuing liabilities for all types of qualified and non-qualified benefit plans. He often testifies as an expert witness in valuation cases, consults with clients on qualified and non-qualified plans and directs ECS's development of new concepts for funding of non-qualified plan liabilities.

Kevin earned his degree in Mathematics from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is an Enrolled Actuary and a Member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. He holds life and disability insurance licenses and FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.

Kevin is involved in youth sports and related charitable endeavors in his community.


Tara McCall 

Principal, Client Services
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Tara McCall joined Executive Compensation Solutions (ECS) in October 1994 and is the Director of Client Services. She is responsible for the underwriting and administrative functions we provide to our corporate and individual clients.

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Tara has over 20 years of experience in corporate benefit plans. Prior to coming to ECS, Tara worked for M Financial Group firms as the Manager of Client Services, providing both administrative and underwriting functions to the firm's estate planning and wealth transfer clients, and as a Database Administrator providing client and database administration support.

Tara received her Associates Degree from Scottsdale Community College and holds her life insurance license, FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses and is a candidate for the LOMA Fellow designation of the Financial Services Institute (FFSI).

Tara spearheads many of the ECS “In Pursuit of Purpose” efforts to give back to the community and is involved in many of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events.


Jane Upton  

Principal
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Jane Upton joined Executive Compensation Solutions (ECS) in 2003 and is the Director of Case Design. Jane specializes in plan design and funding analysis. She works with credit unions through the entire process of plan design, concept modeling, and the ultimate implementation of a customized executive retention and retirement program. She manages several client relationships and is a resource to all of ECS’s credit union clients.

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Jane has more than 20 years experience with life insurance based executive benefit design and funding. Her varied areas of expertise include case design, product analysis, marketing support, as well as systems and training on insurance software applications. Jane previously served as Director of Case Design for a M Financial Group firm specializing in wealth transfer planning. Prior to joining ECS, she was a self-employed life insurance consultant specializing in marketing plan design and agency systems projects. Jane's other work experience includes case design work, executive benefit analysis, programming and user support for a software development company, and systems user training and business analysis for a major life insurance company.

Jane received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Information Systems) from Colorado State University. Jane holds the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation, an insurance license, and FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.

Jane has been active in youth and high school sports as a volunteer and coach.