The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big I) announced that President and CEO Bob Rusbuldt will retire next year. The longest-tenured top executive at the Big I will remain in his current position until Aug. 31, 2023.

The Big I Executive Committee named Charles Symington, senior vice president for external, industry and government affairs, as Rusbuldt’s successor starting on Sept. 1 of next year.

Rusbuldt joined the association in 1986 and was named CEO in 2001 after leading the government affairs department at the Big I for many years. He has overseen many major Big I initiatives including the inception of Big I Markets, a market access program for agent members; the formation of BIRC, a reinsurance company, and InsurBanc, a bank catering to independent insurance agencies’ needs; the implementation of a marketing brand for members, Trusted Choice, and the consumer-facing agent locator and company, TrustedChoice.com; the creation of Big I Hires, a national hiring resource for the independent agency channel; and the establishment of the Trusted Choice Disaster Relief Fund and COVID-19 Relief Fund for member agencies in need, among other innovations.

Rusbuldt’s tenure in Washington includes time as a congressional staffer, including work with the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and with the American Insurance Association (now APCIA). He was also a program analyst at the U.S. Department of Labor and spent a year with the Federation of Tax Administrators.

In addition to leading the Big I, Rusbuldt serves on a number of boards, including as chairman of the TrustedChoice.com board. He is a member of the ACORD board, the Connecticut Community Bank/InsurBanc board, the Big I Advantage board, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society board, the Ripon Society board, and several other boards, including having spent 12 years on the MS National Capital board.

“I am truly humbled and honored to have had the privilege of leading the Big I for the past 23 years and for being a part of this organization for 37 years,” said Rusbuldt in a statement. “With our incredible team of agent leaders and Big I staff, we have accomplished great feats for our members. I can think of few things more satisfying than helping people in their greatest time of need, and that’s what our members do. It has been a privilege to work alongside them, supporting and contributing to that mission. The Big I and the IA system have a rich history that I am proud to be a part of, but the evolution continues, and the best is yet to come.”

Rusbuldt’s successor also has a long history with the Big I. Symington has been with the association since 2004 and oversees federal and state government affairs, political affairs, grassroots, industry relations, and communications and media affairs.

Prior to the Big I, Symington served as a senior counsel with the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services for three years, focusing on insurance issues. He also worked as a majority counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce specializing in health care policy and oversight. Before that, he was an attorney with the law firm Matricardi & Moylan in Springfield, Va., and prior to that was with the firm Drew, Eckl & Farnham in Atlanta where he specialized in insurance defense litigation.