Meet Our Experts
Jackson's Private Wealth & Trust group is a specialized team focused on complex planning, investment management, and tax management strategies for high net-worth and ultra-high net-worth families. This team works with Private Banks and Trust firms, as well as wealthier families' trusted tax and legal advisors, on long-term tax efficient planning and wealth transfer opportunities.
About the Private Wealth & Trust Group
Our group of seasoned experts is available to assist you in exploring advisory annuity structures that allow access to multigenerational tax and income control and are specifically designed for the private wealth & trust industry.
Private trustees and their tax and legal advisors have consistently expressed interest in Jackson's tax-deferred annuity products, particularly investment-only variable annuities. These trustees have a long history of using annuities in irrevocable trusts to manage taxes and control the recognition of income, potentially for multiple generations.
In contrast, due to their fee-only business model, private wealth & trust firms have historically avoided investment options—such as annuities—that would pay a commission. This situation is changing. As Jackson increases its focus on advisory products, the company is creating opportunities for trust companies and their clients to leverage the same advantages private trustees have long ascribed to annuities.
Kurt Kauffman, JD, LLM (Tax)
Managing Director, Private Wealth & Trust
Kurt has over 15 years of wealth management and legal experience. He first joined Jackson in May 2012 as Director of Retirement and Wealth Strategies.
Prior to working for Jackson, Kurt served as Vice President and wealth advisor for UHNW clients within The Private Client Reserve of US Bank. He also has experience in the public sector where he reformed and converted a $3.6 billion public trust to private industry operation standards for the Department of the Interior.
Kurt earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Montana and his Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Taxation from the University of Washington. He also has a bachelor's degree in Public Administration from Montana State University.
Mark Chayapruks, CFA, CAIA
Managing Director, Private Wealth & Trust
Prior to his current position at Jackson, Mark spent 12 years in the Intermediary Business Development Group at PineBridge Investments. As Senior Vice President, he was responsible for developing and growing strategic relationships with financial institutions in the US. He represented PineBridge's investment capabilities and has extensive knowledge in fixed income, listed equity, private equity and hedge fund of fund investments. Prior to that, Mark worked for AIG SunAmerica Asset Management where he held several management roles within Marketing and Communications and Fund Services.
Mark earned his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Bucknell University. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation. He is a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts, and CFA Institute and the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association.
Keith Van Name 
Managing Director, Private Wealth & Trust
With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, Keith previously served as a senior vice president at EnTrustPermal, where he focused on the development of the U.S. and offshore private wealth business. Prior to joining EnTrustPermal, he was the head of International Relationship Management and Business Development at QS Investors and served on the board of the QS Investors Global Alpha Fund. Earlier in his career, Keith held the positions of head of Distribution and Operations at IDB Bank and head of the Offshore Mutual Funds business at Deutsche Asset Management.
Keith is a former board member of Scudder Global Opportunities Funds and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Dowling College.
