IIAA Names New Executive V.P. and General Counsel

Independent Insurance Agents of America President William F. Hofmann III announced Debra L. Perkins as the new executive vice president and general counsel of IIAA.

Perkins, former IIAA senior vice president and a general counselperson, will retain her general counsel position, which she has held since 1998, in addition to the newly added role of executive vice president.

Hofmann stated that Perkins provides IIAA with a tremendous breadth of knowledge and an impressive sum of business experience from over 20 years of practicing law. In her new role, Perkins will oversee the departments responsible for company relations, communications, education and research, information technology, agent development, multicultural initiatives, and meetings and special events. By remaining part of the general counsel, she continues to manage all legal affairs of IIAA.

Perkins succeeds Robert A. Rusbuldt who was recently promoted to IIAA CEO. Perkins was appointed to serve on the Legal Section Council of the American Society of Association Executives, and is a member of the California, Virginia and District of Columbia bar associations. Perkins has authored numerous articles on a wide variety of issues for legal and business publications.

Prior to joining the staff of IIAA in 1996, Perkins served as vice president and general counsel of the Jon Douglas Company, a large California real estate firm. She also worked for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the California Association of Realtors, and in the New York and Los Angeles offices of Proskauer Rose, a 125-year-old international law firm.