2025-2026 NASBP President Robert Coon presented the Bruce T. Wallace Award and the John “Jack” J. Curtin, Jr. President’s Award at this year’s NASBP Annual Meeting. The NASBP & SFAA Surety Industry Awards were also announced.

NASBP Awards

The Bruce T. Wallace Award was established in 1990 in memory of the Association’s first executive vice president, who served for over 29 years, and is awarded by the Executive Committee to an individual who has distinguished himself or herself through years of exceptional service to NASBP and to the surety industry. The recipient is an individual who has performed throughout his or her career in accordance with the highest ethical standards and demonstrated a service characterized by commitment, consistency, intensity, and impact.

This year’s winners are Greg Davenport and Timothy Mikolajewski.

Greg Davenport, President of Digital Bond Advisory Services, LLC, and previously with NASBP Affiliate Liberty Mutual Surety, was recognized for his involvement in the Association and the surety industry during his career.

 

 

 

Timothy Mikolajewski, recently retired from NASBP Affiliate Liberty Mutual Surety, was also recognized for his impact on the surety industry and the Association throughout his career.

 

 

 

 

The John “Jack” J. Curtin, Jr. President’s Award honors an individual who is chosen by the NASBP President for his or her outstanding service contributions during the President’s term to the Association and to the surety industry. The award was first presented in 2007 to John “Jack” J. Curtin, Jr., for whom the award is named.

This year’s winner is The Professional Development Committee, for their diligent work to provide comprehensive educational programs. NASBP Director of Professional Development Kat Shamapande and then-Professional Development Chair Michael Baxter, of L A Surety Solutions, LLC, accepted the award on behalf of the Committee.

 

 

 

 

Surety Industry Awards

The NASBP & SFAA Surety Industry Awards recognize surety professionals and local surety associations for promoting the value and protections of contract surety bonds in construction to non-surety audiences and for advocating on behalf of the surety industry to obligees and legislators.

Winners of the Tiger Trust Award, Gold Award, Silver Award, and Advocacy Award were recognized at the 2026 NASBP Annual Meeting & Expo and the 2026 SFAA Annual Meeting.

 

The Tiger Trust Award

The Tiger Trust Award is given to an individual who persuades private owners or lenders to require contract surety bonds on their projects. This year the Tiger Trust was awarded to Tammy Wheeler of Liberty Mutual Surety. Wheeler succeeded in persuading a home owners association to require a performance bond for a road repair project. She shared with residents and the association board the importance of a performance bond to protect the HOAs funds and ensure project completion. Congratulations Tammy!

 

Local Surety Association Awards

 

The Gold Award is given to Local Surety Associations (LSAs) that conduct at least ten public relations and educational activities in a calendar year that promote the use of contract surety bonds in construction to non-surety, non-insurance, or non-lawyer audiences. Two LSAs were honored this year:

Florida Surety Association presented to contractors and public officials on the basics of bonding. They also presented to multiple contractor groups about the importance and benefits of performance and payment bonds. There were also presentations to CPAs and contractors on prequalification, bonding capacity, and more.

 

The Surety Association of Ohio made educational presentations about the value of surety bonding, current trends in surety, and about the contractor questionnaire, among other topics. See the Contractor Questionnaire in the Producer’s Tool Kit. 

 

 

The Silver Award is given to Local Surety Associations (LSAs) that conduct at least five public relations and educational activities in a calendar year that promote the use of contract surety bonds in construction to non-surety, non-insurance, or non-lawyer audiences. One LSA was honored this year:

The Surety Association of San Diego made “Surety Bonding 101” presentations to small construction-related business owners. They also presented about the importance of surety bonding to electrical contractors, project engineers, and others.

 

 

The Advocacy Award recognizes LSAs that conduct significant activities advocating for suretyship, other than public relations or educational activities, such as fighting legislative efforts to waive bonds or increase bond thresholds or advocating for reasonable bond forms. One LSA was honored this year:

Florida Surety Association met with multiple legislators on Legislative Day in February 2025. The Association wrote letters to governmental entities regarding member concerns and worked with public officials to address problematic contract, bond form, and warranty language.

 

 

 

Last year NASBP debuted this video featuring past winners of the Bruce T. Wallace Award and the John “Jack” J. Curtin President’s Award. They describe the reasons for these awards, share their experiences, and highlight the honor and importance of these awards in the surety industry. The winners discuss how meaningful their involvement with the Association is and relate the importance of volunteering for NASBP committees to make a difference for a career and the industry. 👉 Click on the video play button below.