The Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) on Monday named Sean Walters as the group's new executive director.

Walters replaces Edythe "Dede" Pahl, who announced her retirement plans last summer. Walters, IMCA's current deputy executive director, assumes his new post on March 1.

The announcement was made at an IMCA conference being held this week in New York City.

Denver-based IMCA is a membership organization of investment consultants across the gamut of advisory channels, including those at RIAs, broker-dealers and wirehouses. It also oversees the certification process for the Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) designations.

Walters' 19-year career in association management includes stints as managing director of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He was also director of member services for its predecessor organization, the International Association for Financial Planning (IAFP), and was involved in the merger of the IAFP and the Institute of Certified Financial Planners to form the FPA.