(Washington, D.C., Apr. 23, 2015) — Richard Poppa, CAE, AAI, president and chief executive officer of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York (IIABNY), today received the Jeff Yates Lifetime Achievement Award from the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA.) Poppa was honored during at ceremony at the IIABA's Big "I" Legislative Conference at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The Jeff Yates Award is the highest honor that the IIABA bestows on an individual who is not an insurance agent. It is presented for a lifetime of work in the independent agency system. Poppa (pronounced "Poppy") was recognized for a body of work spanning 36 years. Presenting the award, conference chair Dave Walker noted that Poppa "is known for his ability to build consensus ... In fact, many view him as the guru of association planning. It is a role he takes seriously because he cares so deeply about the future well-being of the (IIABA) and our members."
A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Poppa has served as IIABNY's chief staff executive officer since 1996. Prior to that, he served as senior vice-president and chief operating officer for the IIABA; executive vice-president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana; administrative vice-president of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California; staff member at the Insurance Institute of Indiana; and press aide to the lieutenant governor of Indiana.
Poppa holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives, and the Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI) designation from the Insurance Institute of America. In addition to his work with IIABNY, he held a temporary leadership position with TrustedChoice.com, a Web site that helps independent insurance agencies compete in the digital age. He is active in a number of service organizations, including the Rotary Club and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.
Dick and his wife of nearly 41 years, Kim, reside in a suburb of Syracuse, New York.
A high-resolution photo of Dick Poppa is available at https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/29441363/Dick%20Poppa.tif. A photo of him receiving the award is available upon request.
The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. has represented the common business interests of independent insurance professionals since 1882. More than 1,750 agencies and their 13,000 plus employees currently rely on the DeWitt, New York-based not-for-profit trade association for legislative advocacy, continuing education and other means of industry support. In addition, most IIABNY members proudly identify themselves as Trusted Choice® agents and brokers, a national consumer brand uniting more than 21,000 independent agencies across the United States. For more information, go to www.trustedchoice.com or www.iiabny.org.