We recently caught up with Michelle Liang, CalcAir’s new General Manager, to learn more about her background, her first impressions of the team and business, and what she sees ahead for CalcAir.

In this Q&A, Michelle shares what drew her to the pension technology space, how she thinks about customer trust, and her commitment to supporting CalcAir Employee Benefit Systems customers as the company continues to evolve.  

 

Tell us a bit about your career thus far, and how it makes you a good fit for CalcAir.

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of operations, technology, and customer experience. I started off as an accountant, then became Director of Transaction, Strategy and Execution focusing on M&A consulting as well as value creation at Ernst and Young, and most recently as Chief of Staff at Gemini, where I worked closely with leadership across multiple software businesses. That role gave me a deep appreciation for what it takes to scale mission-critical products while staying close to customers. 

With CalcAir specifically, I’ve been involved since before the acquisition, across integration, product roadmap, and key business decisions, plus MyCalcAir — so I bring both a fresh leadership perspective and a strong understanding of the business, our clients, and the complexity of what we do.  

 

What drew you to the pension and retirement technology space? 

What drew me to this space is that it touches something very real for people. We’re all trying to save for retirement, often directly from every paycheck, so the work our CalcAir customers do has a direct impact on people’s long-term financial well-being.  

That makes our work on the technology behind the scenes feel especially meaningful. 

 

What message would you like to convey to our customers about your commitment to them? 

My commitment is to continue building on CalcAir’s strong foundation by driving the next phase of growth. That means continuing to deliver quality support, while also investing in our products and finding ways to make them even stronger for our customers. 

I also want to let our customers know that I’m available if they have questions or concerns. We pride ourselves on our customers support, and we’re here to make sure they get the help they need.  

 

What stood out to you about the company when you first got to know the team and the business? 

What stood out to me first was the depth of expertise behind CalcAir. The business has been around for more than 50 years, previously as DATAIR, and many of our customers have been with us for 10, 20, or more years. That kind of longevity indicates to me that customers trust our product and the people behind it. 

The CalcAir team also made a strong impression on me. There’s a lot of experience here, and a real commitment to serving our customers well. 

 

What is your vision for the future of the company? How do you see CalcAir evolving over the next few years? 

My vision is to continue providing reliable and trusted pension software that allows our customers to operate with confidence. Over the next few years, that means continuing to invest in the product, including delivering a native web application and strengthening how CalcAir fits within the broader pension administration ecosystem.  

I also see training as an important part of our evolution. We want customers to feel supported and confident, and to get as much value as possible from the software they rely on every day.  

 

What do plan administrators and pension professionals need most from their software partners today? 

Plan administrators and other pension professionals need software they can rely on to work accurately, efficiently, and consistently. Modernization is important to them, whether that’s an improved user experience, or tools that are easier to access and use.  

Then, strong support is just as important. Customers need to know that when they have a question or issue, their software partner will be responsive and ready to help, and their questions will be answered by experts. 

 

One of the most important things in this industry is trust. How do you think software companies earn and maintain that trust over time? 

I think that trust is earned over time by being transparent, communicating regularly, and following through on commitments.  In this industry, customers rely on their software to support important and complex work, so consistency matters.  

For CalcAir, that means continuing to be a dependable partner while also investing in the future of the product to keep pace with an evolving industry. I’m excited to continue meeting our customers, learning from their experience, and building on the trust that CalcAir has earned over many years.