For more than three decades, John “Kat” Katalinich, known as Kat to colleagues and customers, has been a driving force behind the success of LRS Retirement Solutions.

Kat started at LRS on February 22, 1993. He interviewed on a Friday and began the following Monday, and he’s been building relationships, responding to RFPs, traveling to conferences, and positioning PensionGold ever since.

Let’s take a closer look at the experience, mindset, and perseverance that defines Kat’s impact.

A Day in the Life: Proposals, Prospecting & Persistence

There’s no such thing as a “typical” day for Kat.

Some weeks are filled with writing and coordinating responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs). Other days involve reviewing Board meeting minutes, researching prospective customers, making outreach calls, or preparing for conferences and trade shows. Travel is often part of the mix that includes meeting with customers, making presentations to boards, and strengthening relationships.

At its core, Kat’s role is about connection. Some prospects are years in the making. He often builds relationships long before an organization is ready to consider new pension administration software with the goal of ensuring LRS is top of mind when the time comes.

The Most Rewarding Part

For Kat, the most fulfilling moments come when customers succeed.

When a retirement system is able to provide exceptional service to its membership, especially public sector employees who rely on accurate, timely benefits, that’s the win.

“We’re part of their strategy,” Kat explains. “When they can serve their members well, we know we’ve done our job.”

Internally, he values the teamwork behind every proposal. When departments come together to craft a winning proposal and LRS celebrates the victory as one team, it never gets old.

Dependability Builds Trust

One of the qualities customers appreciate most about working with Kat is his dependability.

“I may not always have the answer right away, but I know how to get it.”

After 33 years, Kat understands not only the ins and outs of the product, but the spirit of how LRS operates. It’s about doing what’s right for the customer and what’s right for the company. We build relationships grounded in honesty and mutual success.

In many cases  relationships are  cultivated over time and when a prospective customer  is ready to move forward, they often invite Kat to present to their Board and they may even structure their RFP using LRS’s template. That level of trust doesn’t happen overnight.

Making Customers’ Jobs Easier

At the end of the day, retirement systems have a simple but critical mission: ensure members are paid the right amount, on the right day.

PensionGold helps make that happen.

From handling complex calculations to improving operational efficiency and supporting timely benefit processing, much of the work happens behind the scenes. When it runs seamlessly, it makes a measurable difference.

Kat has also seen the industry evolve. Member self-service portals and cloud deployment are now expected. LRS was ahead of the curve in offering those capabilities before many Boards were even requesting them.

Industry Insight: What’s Changing

Kat sees clear trends shaping the retirement technology space:

• Growing demand for member portals and self-service tools
• Increased comfort with cloud-based systems
• Interest in end-to-end retirement processing

At the same time, he notes there are misconceptions, particularly around AI. While AI is widely discussed, successfully implementing retirement administration software requires experience, thoughtful development, and realistic timelines.

He’s also noticed communication shifts. Years ago, most outreach emails were acknowledged. Today, building connections requires even more persistence and relationship-building matters more than ever.

Advice to a New Account Rep

Kat’s advice can be summed up in one word:

Perseverance.

“You need to know when someone needs pension software, sometimes before they know they need it.”

That means making connections early, being strategic at conferences, clearly communicating your message, and becoming and remaining visible long before a purchasing decision is made.

And the best professional advice he has ever received?

“Calls plus demonstrations = sales.”

Simple. Effective. Timeless.

What Organizations Should Look for in a Technology Partner

When evaluating a retirement technology partner, Kat emphasizes:

• Honesty in timelines and expectations
• Proven experience
• Full ownership of design, development, implementation, and support
• Commitment to long-term success and not just finishing a project

LRS designs, develops, implements, and supports its software with 100% LRS employees. That accountability and expertise matter, especially in such a highly specialized, niche market.

“Faster isn’t always better,” Kat says. “You want a partner who’s committed to doing it right.”

Why Retirement Solutions Is Unique

Pension administration software is a highly specialized field. There aren’t many companies doing this work and even fewer with decades of experience.

When asked to describe the team in one word, Kat doesn’t hesitate:

Dedicated.

Dedicated to building quality software. Dedicated to supporting customers. Dedicated to doing things the right way.