Celebration of Excellence Awards

GAMA International recognizes two types of leaders every year during the Celebration of Excellence, the recognition banquet held during LAMP. Recipients of the First in Class Award and the Frontline Excellence Award are each personally honored during the gala and are also profiled in a digital gallery.

The recipients are nominated by their respective companies, which must file a notice of intent to apply by Dec. 1, 2009, and submit the complete application by Jan. 20, 2010. For more information about the Celebration of Excellence Awards, please contact Stacey Williams, 1-800-345-2687, x8172, or swilliams@gamaweb.com.

James H. Kreuger First in Class Award

Each year, individual field leaders throughout the financial services industry finds a way to excel in leading their agencies or firms to the No. 1 position in their companies. To properly recognize these leaders, GAMA International created the First in Class Award in 2000. Now in its tenth year, the First in Class Awards are a recognized standard of achievement in the industry.

In 2005, GAMA’s Board of Directors named the First in Class Award to honor its 55th president, James H. Kreuger, and his many years of service to an industry he loved.

Brian H. Early Frontline Excellence Award

GAMA’s Board of Directors created the Frontline Excellence Award to recognize leaders who have shown exemplary performance in their current frontline position and are considered an emerging leader in their companies.

In July 2009, GAMA named the Frontline Excellence Award after Brian H. Early, who was instrumental in creating GAMA’s Leaders of Today and Tomorrow (LoTT) program.