TIAA

Founded in 1918 by Andrew Carnegie to help educators secure retirement income, TIAA is a New York-based retirement and insurance organization. Its core business serves people and institutions in academic, healthcare, government and nonprofit sectors, offering retirement plans, annuities, investment products, advice and financial education.

TIAA's distinctive strength is retirement-income expertise, particularly guaranteed-income products such as TIAA Traditional. Its investment-management business operates through Nuveen, which TIAA acquired in 2014 and subsequently combined with TIAA's asset-management activities.

For students, the firm is relevant beyond retail financial services: TIAA combines insurance, retirement-plan administration, advice, asset management and institutional investing. Nuveen gives the group broad exposure to public markets, real estate, infrastructure, natural capital and private capital.