IRI is an award-winning and influential trade association recognized by leading association organizations, insurance industry standard-setting bodies, and notable Washington, D.C. publications.
ACORD
IRI won five ACORD awards for our leadership and efforts to transform the annuity experience for financial professionals and consumers and for advancing women in the insurance industry.
ACORD is the global standards-setting body for the insurance and related financial services industries. IRI won a Vanguard Award and a Standards Achievement Award, and three IRI staff members won individual recognition:
Community Leadership Award
Katherine Dease, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer
Community Leadership Award
Bryan Harmelink, Director, Operations and Technology
Women’s Insurance Advancement Award
Anna Hildreth, Director, Membership & Business Development
American Society for Association Executives (ASAE)
IRI is a three-time recipient of ASAE’s “Power of Association” (Power of A) Award for Advocacy. Two awards were Gold Awards for IRI efforts to enact the Secure Act of 2019 and the Secure 2.0 Act of 2022. Both laws expanded access to workplace retirement plans and facilitated access to lifetime income solutions.
IRI won a Power of A Silver Award for its innovative Five-Point Plan for Retirement Security to help workers and retirees save for retirement during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. ASAE is the association for trade association professionals and a premier source of learning for the association profession.
Washingtonian Magazine
President and CEO Wayne Chopus and Chief Government and Political Affairs Officer Paul Richman made Washingtonian Magazine’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024. For the second year, Chopus was recognized for his leadership in enhancing IRI’s reputation and credibility as a national leader. Richman made the list for the third time for his federal advocacy efforts to keep retirement security at the forefront of Congress’ agenda.
The Hill
One of Capitol Hill’s most widely read publications named Wayne Chopus and Paul Richman as “Top Lobbyists.” The list honors lobbyists, association leaders, and grassroots activists who leveraged their expertise and connections to make a difference in the nation’s capital.
Association Trends
Paul Richman, IRI's Chief Government and Political Affairs Officer, and John Jennings, Director of Government and Political Affairs, were awarded the Association Trends’ 2022 Leading Lobbyist Award. Association Trends is a community dedicated to providing association executives and industry partners with the training, data, and insights to help associations better understand and serve their organization.