WASHINGTON, July 6, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Academy of Social Insurance announced that William J. Arnone has been selected as Chief Executive Officer, beginning July 1, 2016.

As one of the nation's leading experts on retirement security and employee benefits law, Arnone brings over 35 years of experience in retirement income policy/planning and financial literacy, including assisting large organizations in the realignment of their defined benefit, defined contribution, and hybrid plans with their business imperatives and human resource objectives.

"Bill Arnone brings with him an outstanding array of skills and experiences, plus a vast network among private, public and non-profit entities," said Academy Board Chair and Professor of Public Policy at Rutgers University, William Rodgers III. "Bill takes the helm of the Academy at a crucial time in the organization's and our nation's history. Social insurance programs face major threats and how we respond to these threats will be a reflection of our national values. There is no one better equipped to lead an impactful, strategic response than Bill Arnone."

Arnone's professional career includes positions at: Ernst & Young, LLP; Buck Consultants; and the New York City Department for the Aging. He has published extensively on retirement, focusing particularly on Social Security and Medicare, and is the co-author of Ernst & Young's Retirement Planning Guide and an editor of the Columbia Retirement Handbook. Arnone was a member of the original organizing committee that established the Academy 30 years ago and is a founding Board member and former conference co-chair of the Academy. This institutional tenure, combined with his deep knowledge of, and passion for, social insurance issues makes him uniquely qualified to successfully lead the Academy into its next stage of growth.

"I am honored to serve as the Academy's CEO," said Arnone. "When Robert Ball launched the Academy 30 years ago, his founding vision was to establish both a network of experts in social insurance and a magnet to attract future generations of thought leaders in this field. Leading the Academy is a truly exciting opportunity to advance solutions to the challenges facing our nation by increasing public understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security through its core pillars - Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment Insurance, and Workers' Compensation. Under my leadership, the Academy will also be examining ways to apply the principles of social insurance to new areas of need in the face of growing inequality in income, wealth, and opportunity in our country."

Arnone is a graduate of Fordham College with a B.A. in political science. He has a J.D. from New York University Law School and was selected as one of the first Charles H. Revson Fellows on the Future of New York City by the Columbia University School of Business.

The National Academy of Social Insurance is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization made up of the nation's leading experts on social insurance. Its mission is to advance solutions to challenges facing the nation by increasing public understanding of how social insurance contributes to economic security.