John Newton Russell Memorial Award

The John Newton Russell Memorial Award is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an individual in the life insurance and financial planning industry. The award recognizes a lifetime of professional excellence, service to the industry and a commitment to ethical conduct.

 

Nomination Process

Any NAIFA member may nominate an individual whose merits meet the distinguished legacy of the award.  Nominations were due by March 1, 2020. The award will open again in 2021.

Selection Committee

The recipient is chosen by a committee of industry representatives and past winners. The committee reviews bios and testimonies provided by the candidate’s peers to determine who best exemplifies and lives out the spirit of John Newton Russell

 

Honoring the Recipient

The recipient of the John Newton Russell Memorial Award will be announced during The Belong Event on November 17, 2020.

 

Past Recipients

The John Newton Russell Memorial Award was first conferred at NAIFA’s (then NALU) annual convention in 1947. Because of the war, the award was given to five outstanding members of the field. Each year since, the selection committee has strived to honor an exemplary agent or advisor who represents the best of the industry.

Solomon S. Huebner* - 1942
Julian S. Myrick* - 1943
J. Stanley Edwards* - 1944
Paul F. Clark, CLU* - 1945
M. Albert Linton* - 1946
Holgar J. Johnson* - 1947
Frederick H. Eckler* - 1948
J. Marshall Holcombe, Jr.* - 1949
O. Sam Cummings* - 1950
Charles Zimmerman, CLU* - 1951
Grant Taggart* - 1952
C.V. Anderson, CLU* - 1953
Vincent B. Coffin, CLU* - 1954
Charles E. Cleeton* - 1955
Griffin M. Lovelace* - 1956
Hugh S. Bell, CLU* - 1957
Lester O. Schriver* - 1958
Claris Adams* - 1959
Cecil J. North* - 1960
Davis W. Gregg, CLU* - 1961
William H. Andrews, Jr. * - 1962
Benjamin N. Woodson, CLU* - 1963
Roger Hull* - 1964
Isaac S. Kibrick* - 1965
Charles H. Schaaff, CLU* - 1966
R. L. Mcmillon* - 1967
Orville Beal, CLU* - 1968
John O. Todd* - 1969
C. Carney Smith, CLU* - 1970
Robert L. Woods, CLU* - 1971
Ron Stever, CLU* - 1972
Frank E. Sullivan, CLU* - 1973
Blake T. Newton, Jr.* - 1974
Lester A. Rosen, CLU* - 1975
Burkett A. Huey* - 1976
J. Henry Smith* - 1977
Ellen M. Putnam, CLU* - 1978
Bernard S. Rosen, CLU* - 1979
George G. Joseph, CLU* - 1980
James B. Irvine, CLU* - 1981
Thomas J. Wolff, CLU* - 1982
Robert A. Beck, CLU* - 1983
Ben Feldman, CLU* - 1984
Jack E. Bobo, CLU - 1985
Norman G. Levine, CLU* - 1986
Denis F. Mullane, CLU* - 1987
Stanley Liss, CLU* - 1988
Ernest E. Cragg, CLU* - 1989
William V. Regan II, CLU - 1990
Alan Press, CLU - 1991
Richard Schweiker* - 1992
Vincent Bowhers, CLU* - 1993
Robert W. Verhille, CLU - 1994
William B. Wallace, CLU - 1995
Millard J. Grauer, CLU* - 1996
David F. Woods, CLU - 1997
Bernard H.“Buddy” Zais, CLU* - 1998
Kenneth Black* - 1999
Jack B. Turner - 2000
H. Kirke Lewis* - 2001
O. Alfred Granum* - 2002
Robert B. Plybon - 2003
M. Jack Peckinpaugh - 2004
Charles A. Smith - 2005
James M. Benson - 2006
Phillip C. Richards - 2007
Allan G. Hancock - 2008
Larry Lambert - 2009
Michael C. Keenan, CLU, ChFC - 2010
Marvin H. Feldman, CLU, ChFC - 2011
Brian H. Ashe, CLU - 2012
Richard Koob, CLU, ChFC, AEP - 2013
Sy Sternberg - 2014
Peter C. Browne, LUTCF - 2015
D. Scott Brennan - 2016
Joseph M. Belth, CLU - 2017
Reginald N. Rabjohns, CLU, ChFC - 2018
Guy Baker, CLU, MSFS - 2019

*Deceased