It is with a heavy heart that we pass along the very sad news that our partner, Joe Rankin, has passed away.
Joe joined our firm in 1997 and became partner in 2002. As leader of our employee benefits consulting practice, he specialized in developing benefit plan solutions to help his clients attract, retain, and reward their staff, and he built a team of Plante Moraners to support these efforts. When asked what made him proud, he once said, “I’m proud of recruiting staff who are smarter than me and seeing them progress in their careers.”
He was a developer and champion of people. He was smart, passionate, caring, and dedicated—the guy who came in early and stayed late. He had a contagious smile, a laugh that echoed down the hallway, and a candor that clients and staff alike found refreshing. According to one PMer, “Joe was one of the first people who helped me understand the PM culture. Every conversation with him was insightful and instilled confidence. I will forever be grateful for his guidance and mentorship.”
Although he was a graduate of Ohio State University, Joe lived most of his life in the Detroit, Michigan, area. An expert in his field, industry and service groups regularly invited Joe to speak on healthcare reform, compliance matters, IRS compliance programs, and more. He was a member of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, the American Society of Pension Actuaries, and The ESOP Association.
Joe is survived by his wife, Jeanne, and their children, Jack and Abby. “He took such pride in his family,” says Managing Partner Jim Proppe. “He would often send me pictures of his kids and tell me all about their accomplishments. I’m going to miss that.”