WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 2, 2016—The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) mourns the passing of longtime friend and Congressman Mike Oxley (R-Ohio).

 

Robert A. Rusbuldt, Big “I” president & CEO, who worked with Rep. Oxley on numerous important pieces of legislation over the years, hailed him as a “giant” for independent insurance agents and the financial services industry.

 

“Mike Oxley was a great man of compassion, honor and service; he was one of the most beloved and respected members of Congress in our generation,” Rusbuldt says. “He was admired as a leader because he possessed the rare combination of policy, legislative and political acumen to move legislation. He made history with the important legislation he passed, but his legacy is more than laws as it resides with his family, friends and colleagues.  I mourn the loss of a very close-friend and dedicated patriot, and our prayers are with the Oxley family.”

 

Charles E. Symington Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for external and government affairs, worked for Rep. Oxley during the congressman’s tenure as House Financial Services Committee chairman, and then on numerous insurance issues after joining the Big “I”.

 

“I was honored to work for Chairman Oxley during his first three years as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee,” says Symington. “He was a great Chairman and an even better man who was well-respected and liked on both sides of the aisle.  He will be sorely missed but his service to the country, first as an FBI agent and then as a member of Congress, will be remembered.”

 

Oxley, who served more than 12 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, was at the forefront of many critical pieces of insurance and financial services legislation over the years, including Sarbanes-Oxley, Gramm-Leach-Bliley and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). His tireless work on vital insurance industry issues earned him the Big “I” Gerald Solomon Legislator of the Year Award in 2001.

 

Rusbuldt and Symington say Oxley crafted effective legislation because he was able to translate abstract policy ideas into concrete solutions for real people.

 

“While he was an expert on policy, Mike Oxley understood that policies are ultimately about people,” says Rusbuldt. “At the end of the day, he did what was in the best interest of average citizens who rely on their leaders to make the right decisions. Mike was grounded in reality, and was an ardent advocate for Main Street America’s families and businesses.”

 

 

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