In 1938, Elsie B. Mayer, C. Bertha Rachofsky, and nine other Denver insurance women made a bold, maybe even quietly rebellious move. They came together to create something unheard of at the time: a professional group dedicated to education and skills training for women in the insurance industry. It was a radical idea in an era when women were valued mainly for repetitive clerical work — copying policies, typing, stenography — all while earning half the salaries of their male counterparts. Even as canvassers, women could scout potential customers, but they weren’t allowed to bind coverage or close the sale.
Enter Elsie, Bertha, and their nine fellow visionaries — women who believed that they were capable of more and deserved the opportunity to prove it. Their first challenge wasn’t just building an association; it was convincing other women to join them while reassuring employers that they weren’t forming a union.
By June 1940, when they held their organizational meeting in Denver, Elsie, Bertha, and their fellow founders had started an association that reached far beyond Colorado. That June, 187 women — representing more than two thousand members from Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington, and of course Colorado — traveled to Denver to formalize what had begun as that bold visionary idea.
In that meeting, the National Association of Insurance Women (International) — now the International Association of Insurance Professionals — was born. Elsie B. Mayer became the first International President, leading an organization built on the values that became the NAIW Creed: Fellowship, Loyalty, and Education. During the 1940s and World War II, more women entered the workforce and stepped into roles with greater responsibility. NAIW rose to meet that moment. The organization focused on giving women the education, training, and professionalism needed to succeed in positions they now occupied. The benefit of belonging was real — and measurable. U.S. Census records for C. Bertha Rachofsky show that in 1930 she was listed as a stenographer at an insurance company. By 1940, her occupation was recorded as manager, proving what the founders believed from the beginning: women were capable of more, and with opportunity and training, they would succeed.
The benefits of NAIW extended far beyond the founding members. By 1942, NAIW’s Employment Committees were successfully helping insurance companies find qualified employees and helping members secure positions in the industry. Membership grew as women recognized the value of belonging to a professional organization that provided the education and skills for their advancement.
And during the war years, another defining element of NAIW — now IAIP — was born- service to the community. In the 1940s, local associations rallied to support the war effort, by selling war bonds. That tradition of giving back remains a core commitment of IAIP members today. Throughout our 80+ years that commitment has continued to be a high priority. Our Reach Out and Read community initiative raised $20,000 for the program. And we continue to show our support each year as part of a tribute to the International President and our host city; from books for Dolly’s Imagination Library or Reach Out And Read, to supporting children’s hospitals or cancer ranches, to a new pair of shoes for kids, to a hot meal with Lasagna Love, NAIW and IAIP ‘s legacy of giving back continues.
1942 marked the launch of The Bulletin, a quarterly publication created to share information with members, employers, and the broader insurance community. Much like the publications that followed — Today’s Insurance Woman and our current electronic Today’s Insurance Professional blog — The Bulletin highlighted local association activities, member achievements, and timely topics in safety and the insurance industry.
And once again, NAIW proved it was ahead of its time. By the 1950s, the organization was publishing articles on issues like equal pay and balancing work and home.
On May 10, 1957, we celebrated our accomplishments with the establishment of NAIW Day. That celebration in 1988 expanded to NAIW week and now IAIP week.
As the association grew, because of the education it provided, so did its commitment to offering even more. In the 1950s, NAIW established the National Educational Advisory Committee, which began editing and publishing insurance and professional‑skills courses for members.
That dedication to education didn’t stop with members and the industry. It expanded into the community as well. The 1950s marked the beginning of NAIW’s safety education efforts, a tradition that would continue for decades, with the 1990s, campaigns like Learn Not to Burn.
In the 1960s, that commitment to education expanded even further. Local associations began giving presentations on the value of insurance, helping communities understand their policies and coverage. And members began educating insurance professionals on the value of belonging to NAIW/ IAIP.
The 1960’s was a time of change and transformation. In 1965, the association added “International” to its name in recognition of its Canadian members. In 1968, NAIW created its first designation — CPIW (Certified Professional Insurance Woman. The communication and public‑speaking program, LACE (Let’s All Communicate Effectively) was introduced in 1969. LACE became the foundation of what we now know as Confidence While Communicating (CWC). The International Speak‑Off made its debut at the 1973 International Convention, though the format was different from what we know today. The impromptu question was added in 1976. This year the CWC Speak-Off marks a remarkable milestone: 50 years of the CWC Speak‑Off format. Fifty years of speakers stepping onto that stage.
Just as our original pyramid logo evolved over the decades, so did our taglines, our membership, and even our name. Each change reflected who we were becoming to address our evolving industry. In 2011, NAIW officially became the International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP), a name that recognizes not only our changing membership, but also the changing world and the modern insurance landscape.
One thing has never changed: our commitment to education and to keeping our members connected and informed. When NAIW went computerized in 1982, no one could have imagined the digital footprint we have today — our website, our Facebook community, our LinkedIn presence, our YouTube channel. Well… maybe Elsie and Bertha could. They were always thinking ahead.
In honoring their legacy, we’ve continued expanding the educational opportunities that build our members’ careers, not just for today, but for the future. Beyond Confidence While Communicating, we now offer the Certified Leadership Program, the Advanced Certified Leadership Program, and the Associate in Client Relations courses. These programs deliver the soft skills employers value most, while also expanding our roster of professional designations that show IAIP’s commitment to education and professionalism. From CPIW in 1968, to CPIM in the 1980s, to DAE in 2001, to CIIP in 2011, and now CLP, CLP‑A, and ACR, our list of designations continues to grow.
So, as we prepare to celebrate Insurance Professionals (IAIP) Week beginning May 17, 2026, and three weeks later, gather in Norfolk for our 85th International Convention, let’s honor the remarkable women who made all this possible. Let’s remember the founders who were ahead of their time, Elsie, Bertha, and the nine Denver rebels who believed women deserved education, opportunity, and a professional community. Let’s recognize the past International Presidents, our current Board and Executive Committee, and the countless members whose individual contributions have shaped this association for 88 years.
And let’s commit to carrying their vision forward for the next generation of insurance professionals who are just entering the industry, and the ones who come after. They are looking for the same things Elsie and Bertha knew were essential in 1938: education, skills, confidence, connection, and a place to belong. A legacy that is now ours to protect and pass on for 80+ more years and beyond.
About the author
Brenda McDermott, CPCU, SCLA, CIIP, SCLA, ARM, AIDA, CLP is a workers’ compensation claims specialist in The Hartford’s Major Case Unit. She is a past International Rookie and Claims Professional of the Year and past International CWC Speak-Off winner. She was the 2022 Region V Insurance Professional of the Year and the 2023 International Risk Management Professional of the year. She has been a long-term member of IAIP and served in multiple offices at the local, state, and regional levels. A Past Region 5 RVP, Past Region 5 Marketing Director and Past Assistant to the Region 5 RVP. She is currently serving as Chair of the International Marketing and Today’s Insurance Professional Task Force and administrator for the IAIP Facebook and LinkedIn pages. She is an MAL in Region 5 from Missouri, and the International President Elect.