Award Winners

In 2019, we are introducing two new awards and retiring the TaDa! Award and the Torchbearer Award. Check out the new awards here!

To view a complete list of Showcase Award winners, click here!

The SAMMY Award

The coveted SAMMY Award is all about peer recognition and is given to the entry voted to be the best overall work among all of the IMCA Showcase Award of Excellence and Best of Show winners.  All registered attendees for the Annual Conference vote for the SAMMY Award winner via an online gallery, and the winner is announced at the conclusion of the IMCA Showcase Awards Gala. Only one vote per attendee is counted, so be sure to register for the Annual Conference to cast your vote!

TaDa! Award - Tabletop At-conference Display Award (Retired)

In the past, SAMMY Award candidates created a display that was shown at the Annual Conference.

Innovation Torchbearer Award (Retired)

The IMCA Innovation Torchbearer Award honored individuals, institutions, or companies that, over time, made significant contributions under the open category of "innovation."  The award recognized the efforts on the part of individuals or organizations that demonstrated innovative ideas or initiatives impacting our industry.

Past SAMMY Award Recipients

• 2019 - Gallagher
• 2018 - Norcal Mutual Insurance Company
• 2017 - Kansas City Life
• 2016 - California Earthquake Authority
• 2015 - CAMICO
• 2014 - The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
• 2013 - CAMICO
• 2012 - Liberty Mutual
• 2011 - American Modern Insurance Group and CNA
• 2010 - PEMCO
• 2009 - State Farm
• 2008 - Liberty Mutual
• 2007 - Farmers
• 2006 - Nationwide
• 2005 - Farmers
• 2004 - Allstate

Inaugural IMCA Icon Award Recipient

• 2019 - Michael Z. Stahl (HealthMarkets)

Inaugural IMCA Rising Star Recipients

• 2019 - Megan Bell (Falvey Insurance Group); Ashley Heline (Argo Group); Hailey Wllett (Frankenmuth Insurance)

Past TaDa! Award Recipients

• 2018 - Nautilus Insurance Group
• 2017 - American Equity Underwriters

Innovation Torchbearer Award Winners

• 2018 - USI Insurance Services
• 2017 - Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (IFPA)
• 2016 - Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
• 2015 - Insurance Information Institute (III)
• 2014 - Swiss Re
• 2013 - esurance, an Allstate company
• 2012 - USAA

The Innovation Torchbearer Award was previously known as the Golden Torch Award.  Past winners include:

• 2011 - Nanci Evarts, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Aon Services Group and IMCA Past President
• 2006 - John Bogardus, Jr., former Chairman/CEO, Alexander & Alexander
• 2005 - Donald Hurzeler, Senior Vice President, Zurich North America Commercial and Past President,  Society of CPCU
• 2004 - Mark Wells, Jr., Publisher, Insurance Journal
• 2003 - Gay Silberg, Principal, Graham Silberg Sugarman, Inc.
• 2002 - Kathryn J. McIntyre, former publisher, Business Insurance
• 2001 - Walter J. Gdowski, President, Rough Notes Company
• 2000 - Edward F. Bolton, Canadian insurance executive and author, The Business of Insurance
• 1999 - Jan Lowther, Group Publisher, Canadian Underwriter
• 1998 - William E. Bailey, Founder and President,  National Consumer Education Foundation
• 1997 - Edwin S. Overman, President Emeritus of the American Institute for CPCU and Insurance Institute of America
• 1996 - George Nordhaus, Founder/CEO of Insurance Marketing and Management Services
• 1995 - Alfred Malecki, Founder and Publisher, Business Insurance
• 1994 - John N. Cosgrove, Retired Editor, National Underwriter
• 1993 - Nicholas J. Matthews, former Senior Vice President, National Association of Independent Insurance Agents
• 1992 - James Osborne, retired CEO,  Oregon Mutual Insurance Co.
• 1991 - Lowell Beck, former President,  National Association of Independent Insurers