During this morning's General Session Breakfast, Charles Symington, Big “I" president & CEO, presented U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) with the 2023 Gerald Solomon Big “I" Legislator of the Year Award.

The Big “I" presents the Legislator of the Year Award annually to a member of Congress who provides outstanding leadership on insurance issues. This year, the award took on unique significance. McHenry will not be seeking reelection in 2024 and the Big “I" presented the award in gratitude for his decades of public service and his work on important insurance issues.

Rep. McHenry recently announced that he will be retiring at the end of the year after faithfully serving since 2005 and firmly establishing himself as one of the most respected members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.

"The Big 'I' is proud to bestow Rep. McHenry with the 2023 Gerald Solomon Big 'I' Legislator of the Year Award," Symington said. “His dedication and leadership on insurance issues have made a significant impact and his decades of service are truly commendable. Few others are more deserving of this award than him and I am proud to be able to call him a friend."

Before serving as Financial Services Committee chairman, Rep. McHenry served in House leadership as chief deputy whip. He briefly returned to House leadership when he served as House speaker pro tempore, guiding the chamber for three contentious weeks in October 2023.

The name of the award honors the late Rep. Gerald Solomon (R-New York), former House Rules Committee chairman and Big “I" member who championed independent agent and broker legislative concerns during his 20 years in Congress.

The presentation followed a candid and casual conversation between Rep. McHenry and Symington where the pair discussed life and politics in Washington, D.C. Look out for a Q&A interview with Rep. McHenry in the May edition of Independent Agent magazine.

Will Jones is IA editor-in-chief.