Newell C. Day

Iowa's Lifetime Achievement/Agent of the Year Award

The Newell C. Day “Agent of the Year” Award, given annually, is presented to the individual found to be the most outstanding member in the state of Iowa. This is the single most prestigious recognition a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors-Iowa can receive. This recognition is bestowed by his or her professional peers. The award is named after one of NAIFA-Iowa’s most outstanding state association presidents, the late Newell C. Day, who served as president from 1947-1948.

View Past Recipients

Past Recipients

Charles Stratton, CLU | 1958 | Dubuque
William H. Zaiser | 1959| Central
Harry Livingston | 1960 | Central
Charles Kuttler | 1961 | Cedar Rapids
A. N. Caines, CLU | 1962 | Cedar Valley
Lisle Payne, CLU | 1963 | Central
Roy L. Swarzman, CLU | 1964 | Central
Ed Brock | 1965 | Central
Cleo F. Edwards, CLU, ChFC | 1966 | Cedar Rapids
Leola Zavodsky | 1967 | Cedar Rapids
Gerald E. Malone | 1968 | Central
R. Claire Bevard, CLU | 1969 | Cedar Rapids
Donald D. Kelsey, CLU | 1970 | Siouxland
Homer L. Moore | 1971 | Quad Cities
Richard G. Bowers, CLU | 1972 | Southeast
Mat J. Kallestad | 1973 | Central
Robert W. Verhille, CLU, LUTCF | 1974 | Cedar Rapids
Richard B. Ryden, CLU | 1975 | Central
James E. Luhrs, CLU | 1976 | Cedar Rapids
Richard L. Bailey, CLU, LUTCF | 1977 | North
Robert L. Danielsen, CLU | 1978 | Quad Cities
Virgil H. Folkers, CLU | 1979 | Cedar Valley
Donald E. Ossian, CLU | 1980 | Siouxland
John E. Nolan, CLU, ChFC | 1981 | Quad Cities
E. Harland Soper, CLU | 1982 | Siouxland
Thomas R. Clark, CLU, ChFC | 1983 | Central
D. Eichelberger, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 1984 | Cedar Valley
James D. Maltby, CLU | 1985 | Central
William Hanson, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 1986| North Central
John F. Schroeder | 1987 | Dubuque
Luther E. Burket, CLU | 1988 | Cedar Valley

William E. Watson, CLU | 1989 | Central
R. Jorgensen, CLU, CFP, RHU, CAM | 1990 | Central
John R. Kneeland, LUTCF | 1991 | Cedar Valley
Steven G. Mulder, LUTCF | 1992 | Cedar Valley
David Tigges, CLU, ChFC | 1994 | Iowa City
William U. Patton, CLU, ChFC | 1995 | Iowa Lakes
Thomas D. Kristensen, CLU, ChFC | 1996 | Western
Dwain K. Betten, LUTCF, CFP | 1997 | Central
John R. Battin | 1998 | Cedar Rapids
David R. Pflanz | 1999 | Central
Michael J. Gaeta, LUTCF | 2000 | Quad Cities
Roger S. McCullough, CLU | 2001 | North Central
Richard R. Harbaugh, CLU, LUTCF | 2002 | Quad Cities
Steven M. Springer, CIC, LUTCF | 2003 | North Central
Paul D. Hauser, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 2004 | North
Jerry R. Hopperstad, LUTCF | 2005 | North
Steven L. Powell, CLU, ChFC, MSFS | 2006 | Quad Cities
Patrick L. Knueven, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 2007 | Central
Philip F. Hauser, CLU, LUTCF | 2008 | North
Vern A. Sodawasser, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 2009 | Central
Paul R. Zietlow, CLU, ChFC, RHU | 2010 | Central
Louis E. Bassler, CLU, LUTCF | 2011 | Dubuque
Jill H. Clark, LUTCF, CFCI | 2012 | Central
Michael G. Nash, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 2013 | Siouxland
Martin T. Berger, CLU | 2014 | Dubuque
David A. Beaty, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF | 2015 | Cedar Valley
Mary H. Potter, CLU, LUTCF | 2016 | Cedar Valley
H. Richard Dobson, Sr., CFP® | 2017 | Cedar Valley
Richard J. Cordaro, DIF, DIA, LUTCF | 2018 | Des Moines

Barry C. Johnson, FIC, IAR, LACP | 2019 | Eastern Iowa
Steve Dewey, CLU, ChFC | 2021

MEET 2019 NEWELL C. DAY AWARD RECIPIENT BARRY C. JOHNSON, FIC, IAR, LACP

Barry C. Johnson, FIC, IAR, LACP

Barry (BJ) Johnson started his career in the insurance and financial services industry 33 years ago. He is now the President of BJFS, LLC in Wellman, where he specializes in Farm Estate Planning and Advisor Managed Portfolios.

BJ joined NAIFA in 1995 and has been involved on the local, state and national level. He served NAIFA-Iowa City as their President, was the State PAC Chair, was NAIFA-Iowa’s President in 2013-2014 and was the IFAPAC Regional Vice Chair for the North Central Region. BJ is now the IFAPAC Regional Vice Chair for the Northeast Region. BJ also graduated from LILI in 2007.

Outside of the industry, BJ has also been very involved in his local community. He is a member of the Iowa City Knights of Columbus, is a Rotarian in Wellman and is involved with Opus Dei. He has served as Washington County’s 4H Livestock Judging Coach and has been involved with the Special Olympics Mid-Winter Games in Iowa City. He is also an active member of St. Wenceslaus Church in Iowa City where he is a lector, rosary leader and cantor.

BJ and his wife, Donna, have two children, Emily and Luke and two grandchildren with another one arriving in June!