Senior Advisor

Mr. Sotell joined Axial Benefits Group by way of the 2018 acquisition of The Kraematon Group, Inc., a firm he founded and served as President of since its inception in 1982.

Rich began his career in the financial industry in 1975 after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colgate University. He is involved in client acquisition, marketing, plan implementation and participant education. With Kraematon being one of the first retirement benefits firms to specialize in 401(k) plans, Rich has been meeting the retirement plan needs of clients since 1982.

Considered an expert in the field, Rich has lectured on these subjects to insurance company executives, radio listeners, and at several professional education programs. He is an expert concerning distributions from qualified retirement plans and IRAs, and has developed marketing plans for banks and mutual fund companies in both areas. He was named by the Financial Times as a 2015 and 2016 “Top 401 Retirement Advisor,” a list of 401 elite professionals specializing in U.S. defined contribution plans.

Rich is a contributing member to several high-level 401(k) advisory boards in the mutual fund and payroll industries. In March 2011, he was one of twenty business delegates from the Commonwealth to travel with Governor Deval Patrick on a trade mission to the U.K.

He serves on the Finance Committee of St. Patrick’s Parish in Natick, the Board of Directors of the Mu Delta Kappa Epsilon Foundation, and is Chairman of the British American Business Council of New England.

A former Wellesley Youth Hockey coach, Rich is an avid sports fan. He lives in Wellesley with his wife Kathleen and has two sons, Erik and Spencer.