The Illinois Pawnbrokers Association has been honored with the prestigious State Association of the Year Award by the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) at its annual Expo event held in Atlanta, Georgia. The State Association of the Year Award, presented by the NPA, serves as a testament to the Illinois Pawnbrokers Association’s outstanding commitment to advancing the pawn industry.

Advocacy and Action

Under President Kelly Swisher’s direction, Illinois Pawnbrokers Association members have worked tirelessly to connect with lawmakers and legislators to promote awareness and understanding of the pawn industry avoiding rate caps that would have shut down pawn stores in Illinois and shut out millions of Illinois consumers.

A Legacy of Community Involvement

The Illinois Pawnbrokers Association (IPA) has also launched the Frank Ingram Memorial Scholarship program, named in honor of one of the founding members of IPA and modeled after the Neighborhood Scholarship program he launched twenty years ago. Those scholarship recipients will be celebrated at a ceremony on Sunday, July 23rd in Arlington Heights, Illinois. 

 Looking Ahead

As the Illinois Pawnbrokers Association accepts this esteemed award, they also remain steadfast in their commitment to advocating on behalf of pawnbrokers across the country and promoting the highest standards of professionalism. “A pawnshop offers a transaction that is entirely unique from anything else,” Swisher says, “for that reason, we must work to educate legislators, consumers, and others about our industry.