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DeAngelo Award

Paul L. DeAngelo Memorial Teaching Award

The Paul L. DeAngelo Memorial Teaching Award recognizes Excellence in Insurance Education. The award annually honors an insurance regulator, or former regulator, who has continually committed himself/herself to insurance regulatory education through his/her commitment to increasing and improving insurance regulatory knowledge.  Through excellence in educating regulators, the industry and the public benefit. The Award was conceived in 2000 and was first awarded in 2001 to The Family of Paul L. DeAngelo, in his memory.

Paul L. DeAngelo worked for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and died in April 2000 while returning home from attending and teaching at the IRES Foundation Market Conduct School in San Diego. Paul began his insurance regulatory career with the New Jersey Department as an actuary in the mid-1970s and worked his way up to Assistant Commissioner for Enforcement and Consumer Protection at the time of his death. 

Award Qualifications

  1. Nominee must be a current or former state insurance department employee (Contract insurance department employees and regulators from other state departments responsible for oversight of the insurance marketplace are also eligible for nomination. Example: Department of Health oversight of health insurance plans).

  2. Nominee must be or have been a speaker, instructor, moderator or panelist at the IRES CDS, IRES Foundation Market Conduct School, and/or at a program or seminar of the NAIC.

  3. Current IRES Foundation Term Directors are not eligible for nomination. 

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Be a skilled presenter and/or communicator in the delivery of insurance knowledge.

  2. Serve as a role model who inspires and motivates others by exemplifying leadership in insurance education.

  3. Be respected as a subject matter expert in insurance education.

  4. Exhibit a strong commitment to insurance regulation, the field of insurance and/or insurance education. 

Nomination and Award Process

The Paul L. DeAngelo Memorial Award Selection Committee coordinates the submission of all nominations which are made by members of the Foundation Board of Directors each year. The Foundation Board Members then vote to select the winner, whose name remains confidential until announced at the next National School on Market Regulation.

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The winner of the Paul L. DeAngelo Memorial Teaching award will receive a personal plaque as well as have their name inscribed on a permanent plaque that recognizes all recipients.  

Past Recipients

2002 - Angela Ford (NC)     
2003 - Michael Bownes (AL)     
2004 - Michael Hessler (IL)     
2005 - Dennis Shoop (PA)     
2006 - Dudley Ewen (MD)     
2007 - Bruce Ramge (NE)     
2008 - Anne Marie Narcini (NJ)     
2009 - Tim Mullen (MO)     
2010 - Lynette Baker (OH)     
2011 - Leslie Krier (WA)      
2012 - Jo LeDuc (WI)     
2013 - Eric Nordman (NAIC)    
2014 - Mark Hooker (WV)     
2015 - Jim Mealer (MO)   
2016 - Pam O'Connell (CA)    

2017 - Sam Binnun (FL)    

2018 - Angela Nelson (MO)    

2019 - Ignatius Wheeler (TX)     

2021 - Joy Morton (VA)    

2022 - Paul Hanson (MN) 

2023 - Kurt Swan (CT) 

2024 - Maria Ailor (AZ)

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A special honorary Paul L. DeAngelo Award was presented in 2011 to John Mancini, formerly with the NJ DOBI, a close friend and colleague of Paul DeAngelo, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the award. John has dedicated much time and effort to the IRES Foundation and its commitment to insurance education. 

Hernandez Award

Gary A. Hernandez Memorial
Insurance Education Leadership Award

The Gary A. Hernandez Memorial Insurance Education Leadership Award recognizes those industry volunteers who give their time and efforts to further Excellence in Insurance Compliance Education.  The award annually honors an insurance industry volunteer who is not currently an insurance regulator and who has voluntarily provided tireless efforts in support of IRES and the IRES Foundation and is recognized a leader in the field of insurance compliance education. The award was conceived in 2011 and was first awarded in 2012 to past IRES Foundation Board Chairperson, Dave Kenepp.

Gary A. Hernandez was a partner with the SNR Denton law firm who headed up their Insurance practice. Gary was a long time Member of the IRES Foundation Board of Directors whose generosity and support helped the IRES Foundation hold its annual National School on Market Regulation. Gary passed away on May 27, 2011. He leaves behind his wife Teri and the entire insurance regulatory community. A fixture in the industry with SNR Denton and its predecessor, Sonnenschein, Rosenthal, Nath and Young, for over 15 years, he previously served with the California Department of Insurance. Gary was a regular speaker and presenter at the IRES Foundation National School on Market Regulation, the IRES Career Development Seminar (CDS) and numerous other industry educational functions for organizations such as AICP, NAIC, and others. Gary will forever be remembered as an important part of the insurance 

regulatory community whose vision and tireless efforts benefited excellence in insurance industry educational and compliance efforts.

Award Qualifications

  1. Nominee must be a current or former insurance industry employee, vendor, consultant, or attorney who has worked or is working in a market regulation and/or insurance compliance capacity.

  2. Nominee must have been a speaker, presenter, instructor, moderator or panelist at one or more insurance regulatory compliance events including but not limited to the IRES CDS, IRES Foundation National School on Market Regulation and/or other industry educational events in association with IRES or the IRES Foundation.

  3. Current members of the IRES Foundation Board of Directors are not eligible.

  4. Current Insurance Department regulatory personnel, Federal regulators, and NAIC employees are not eligible.

  5. Previous recipients of the Paul L. DeAngelo Memorial Teaching Award are not eligible.

Evaluation Criteria

  1. Be a skilled presenter and/or communicator in the delivery of insurance knowledge, or

  2. Be involved in helping insurance education through work with IRES, the IRES Foundation, the NAIC, or other industry educational initiatives, or

  3. Be active in fundraising efforts for IRES and/or the IRES Foundation to help further insurance compliance educational efforts.

  4. Serve as a role model who inspires and motivates others through their efforts in insurance education.

  5. Be a respected subject matter expert in insurance regulation.

  6. Exhibit strong commitment to insurance regulation, insurance compliance and/or insurance education.

Nomination and Award Process

The Award is governed by the IRES Foundation Awards Subcommittee, appointed by and serving under the Administrative Committee, and will solicit nominations from all members of the IRES Foundation Board of Directors in advance of the National School on Market Regulation.  The Foundation Board members then vote to select the winner, based on the nominee that receives the most votes.  The name of the recipient will be kept confidential until announced at the National School on Market Regulation.

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The submission of all nominations for the Gary A. Hernandez Memorial Insurance Education Leadership Award is made by members of the IRES Foundation Board of Directors each year. The Foundation Board Members then vote from among the nominees to select the winner, whose name remains confidential until announced at the next IRES Foundation National School on Market Regulation.

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The Award will consist of a personal plaque, inscription on a permanent plaque maintained by the IRES Foundation, free registration to the school for the recipient in the year it is awarded and at the discretion of the IRES Foundation Board of Directors, reimbursement for costs to travel to the school to receive the award.

Past Recipients

2012 - Dave Kenepp (Formerly with Liberty Mutual Insurance, Past IRES Foundation Board Chairman)
2013 - Brian Atchinson (Physicians Insurance Association of America)
2014 - Kathy Donovan (Senior Compliance Counsel, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services)
2015 - Carol Newman (General Counsel, State Compensation Insurance Fund)
2016 - Art Chartrand (President, Chartrand Legal Management, Inc.)

2017 - Bennett Katz (Formerly with Zenith Insurance Company)

2018 - Lewis Melahn (Attorney, Lewis E. Melahn, Attorney at Law)

2019 - David Abel (Abel & Lantis, P.C.)

2021 - Bruce Foudree (Skarzynski Marick)

2022 - Cindy Davison (ExamFX)

2023 - John Mancini (Retired)

2024 - Cheryl Brunette (Maiden Re)

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