It is my honor to announce that the 2026 recipient of the NPAworldwide Chair’s Award is Jim Lyons of LHI Executive Search, Norwalk, CT, USA. Jim will receive the award at the NPA PowerUp Americas conference in March 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
The Chairman’s Award was established in 1996 to recognize a substantial and lasting endowment of volunteerism to the network and is NPAworldwide’s highest honor. Click here for a history of the award and a list of NPA’s distinguished past recipients.
Since joining NPAworldwide in 2012, Jim has been a constant force of vision and service:
- As Treasurer, he introduced gold as part of our investment strategy, helping safeguard our financial future.
- He helped us evolve from Trading Groups to Practice Groups, shifting how we collaborate.
- As Chair, he became a welcoming voice to nearly every new member.
- He founded the Legal Search Practice Group and co-founded the New York City annual Regional Holiday Meeting, both of which continue to energize members.
- And along the way, he achieved Double Platinum and Hall of Fame recruiter achievement status, all while continuing to serve and mentor others.
In addition to his leadership and financial achievements, Jim is highly regarded for his generosity of spirit. He consistently demonstrates a willingness to step forward, share insights, support others, and promote member success, driven by a deep commitment to partnership. Notably, during his tenure as Chair, he coined the phrase “The Essence of NPA,” a concept that embodies these very principles.
On behalf of a grateful network, congratulations, Jim. You have truly earned this.