Diane Smola

Diane Smola is a Managing Director at Principal Real Estate, focused on the development, implementation, and advancement of real estate investment solutions for the defined contribution market, as well as ongoing client and consultant relationships. Diane joined the Principal in June 2021. Prior to her current role, Diane led consulting relationships with advisory and delegated corporate, public, and higher education defined contribution plans at Aon where she also served as subject matter expert for consultant/client discussions on custom multi-asset funds. Prior to Aon, she led consulting relationships for both corporate defined contribution plans and financial intermediary investment platforms at Segal Rogerscasey and served as editorial chair for the firm's thought leadership papers. Diane currently serves as Co-President of the Defined Contribution Real Estate Council (DCREC) and is a member of the II Defined Contribution Institute and the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA).

Diane is a FINRA Registered Representative (Series 7) and an insurance licensed agent. She earned a BS degree in business/accounting from the University of Hartford and a MA degree in economics from Trinity College.