The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has selected four large projects for a pilot program of public-private partnership projects. The four projects, two of which are in Texas, one in California and one in Michigan, would be used to test the viability of new delivery methods to cut costs and time.

North Carolina has delayed certifying voting machine vendors because of concerns over cybersecurity. The state is considering returning to machines that produce paper ballots and requiring vendors to post a $17 million surety bond.

An Alabama woman who was forced to take over her husband's construction company four years ago after he died in a plane crash has excelled. Gaining knowledge through her local construction trade association and working with a mentor were key to her success; the business is now thriving and just signed its largest contract to date.

Automatically enrolling a small portion of retirees' 401(k) assets in a deferred lifetime-income annuity can greatly improve retirement security, according to a report from the Brookings Institution.

A bill amendment from Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, would essentially block the Securities and Exchange Commission's Regulation Best Interest. Paul Richman, IRI's chief government and political affairs officer, says he hopes the bill does not pass because it would "delay and deny a level of enhanced protection for consumers."

American Financial Group plans to revise performance reporting for Great American Life Insurance annuity operations. The change is meant to account for new reporting rules regarding net income, the company says.

TIAA has introduced an advertising campaign, "Never Run Out," that emphasizes the importance of lifetime-income products for retirement.

Technology is not something for advisors to fear; rather, it can enable long-term success by reducing costs and increasing efficiency, writes Ian Jeffrey, CEO of Breathe Life. He highlights four areas where technology can help: targeting, building trust, closing and upselling.

Focusing on a niche can help advisors increase profits and stand apart from their competition, while also providing more value to clients, writes Benjamin Yin of Generational Financial Partners. Niche advisors have high branding potential, explains Yin, who notes that once a niche is established, firms may have more room to grow.

The co-founders of Morton Brown Family Wealth in Allentown, Pa., started from scratch and in 12 months had grown their assets under management to more than $100 million. Drawing on their experience, they offer four tips for establishing a successful practice from the ground up.