FAQ

Who We Are

Who are the members of IWIRC?

IWIRC members include over 2,400 of the world's professionals in insolvency, restructuring and all related fields.  Check out of member directory, searchable by name, city, state, country and profession.  You can also search our members' individually customized profiles to find the expertise, experience and service you need.

What is the organization about?

The International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, (pronounced "I work"), is the first international professional association dedicated to enhancing the professional status of women in all disciplines of insolvency and restructuring.  We pursue this goal through a simple but effective principle: to create an international networking organization that promotes communication, common interest and community among insolvency practitioners.

We have over 2,400 members globally who represent every discipline of restructuring: law, crisis management, financial advisory, banking, private equity, claims management, communications...and more.

What makes IWIRC unique?

Our focus on networking and building relationships with other professionals across disciplines differentiates us from other associations.  Our members want to expand their reach - some locally, others nationally or globally- for a variety reasons: business development, professional development, education and mentoring.

What new members are generally surprised to discover is that these goals are not only met, but also that the environment is welcoming, positive and full of opportunities to be involved.  New members are immediately asked to get involved at whatever level they feel comfortable and that meets their needs - whether that is at the local network level or at the international umbrella organization level.  IWIRC provides not only the opportunity for instantaneous involvement, but also a short path to leadership.

What is the structure of IWIRC and who are its leaders?

Our governance structure and bylaws were updated in 2010 to provide more leadership opportunities, to include more non-North America members in the leadership ranks, and to increase the number of people available to create, develop and execute the programs and benefits our members want.  It's a lot of hard work, but it is a great way to get to know others and to get known.

IWIRC has four standing committees that manage the association's major functions.  The committees welcome volunteers and new ideas.

How was IWIRC founded?

IWIRC was founded in December 1993 by Selinda Melnik, Laureen Ryan and Martha Fetner, an attorney,  financial advisor and expert, and commercial banker, respectively.  It is a not-for-profit professional association incorporated in May 1994 under the laws of the State of New York, USA.  IWIRC held its first meeting in London, England in June 1994.  Its first Network, Central Ohio, was chartered in June 1995.

To honor our founders for recognizing the need for a professional organization dedicated to goals of women practitioners, IWIRC has established the Founders' Awards - one in each name - as a way to pay tribute to members whose achievements have an equally significant impact.  It's an award worth aspiring to!

How is IWIRC funded?

Members pay annual dues that entitle them to all rights and benefits on a global basis.  Those benefits include reduced rates at IWIRC events and sometimes at the events of our partner organizations, a customized professional profile in our publicly searchable member directory, opportunities to develop leadership skills, speak, write and otherwise contribute to the combined knowledge and grwoth of the organization.  But, our members say it best... see members' comments to see why this is the best investment you can make in YOU.

IWIRC also enjoys the support of a host of sponsors, who provide financial support at an event, network and/or international level.  Our sponsors recognize our organization as providing a unique and valuable package of benefits to its members, who also happen to represent key constituents of their own firms.

Locations

Where is IWIRC located?

Everywhere we can be!  IWIRC is a global organization, with regional connections and local networks.  We have over 55 networks in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia.  Each network (and sometimes regional groups of networks) holds a variety of events throughout the year which all IWIRC members are welcome to attend.  Most events are open to non-members as well, so bring a friend!

The international board organizes three meetings every year: the annual Spring Meeting, held in Washington D.C. just prior to the Annual Spring Meeting of the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Leadership Summit, usually held in July in a different network city, and the Fall Conference, held immediately prior to and in the same venue as the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.

We have found that hosting meetings just prior to those of other related organizations makes travel easier and facilitates greater networking opportunities.  Our local networks also hold events in conjunction with the regional events of other organizations, making local networking, mentoring and substantive educational  programs more effective from both a cost and exposure standpoint.  It is far easier to experience the vibrancy and warmth of an IWIRC event than to describe it in words, so please see our calendar of global events and join us... we'd love to meet you.

Membership

Why should I join IWIRC?

The benefits of IWIRC membership are many:

  • IWIRC provides its members with leadership opportunities, at both the global and local level, on a relatively fast track;
  • IWIRC develops and presents programs that foster national and cross-border relationships and education;
  • Because IWIRC has members and networks all over the world, IWIRC provides an easy way to meld business travel with business development - you can attend any IWIRC event taking place at your next destination;
  • IWIRC helps its members promote their expertise through its speaker's bureau;
  • IWIRC's local networks develop and present both substantive and social programs that foster business development and professional networking within the community;
  • IWIRC creates opportunities for young professionals to polish their networking skills, meet and learn from senior professionals, and develop a strong foundation for business development

How do I join IWIRC?

Establishing a membership is easy. Click the Join Online icon, complete the registration form with credit card information and click submit.  You can elect to enter your full profile when you join or at a later date, but we do suggest that you complete the information at your earliest convenience to get the full benefit of IWIRC's referral and networking opportunities.

What can I put in my profile in the member directory?

This is an opportunity to put your best foot forward! In addition to providing your demographics, title and type of practice, you can include short descriptions of clients successes, specific credentials that set you apart, or other information that your target market will be searching for. You are free to update your profile as often as you like. The IWIRC directory can be a powerful tool in your practice development strategy.

To update your profile, follow these steps (remember to “save” at the bottom of each page!)

  1. In the upper right hand corner, if you are already logged in, you will see an option for “member profile”, click on that
  2. Your information will be shown.
  3. On the lefthand side, if you click on “payments”, you can view your membership history
  4. On the lefthand side, if you click on “ update”, you can change your personal information
  5. You can also upload your photo by clicking on the “photo” tab
  6. Your work address, job title, practice area and industries can all be updated from the “occupation” tab
  7. You can upload a fully searchable bio in the “biography” section. Please note, to be fully searchable by other IWIRC members or the general public, you need to input your information in a word format. If you prefer, you can provide a link to your firm website for your bio, but it will not be searchable and your bio will not show up when someone selects your name, only the link will show up.

I don’t see my name listed under a search and I don’t show up under my networks page, what should I do?

Your membership has probably expired.  members must be current to be included in the public portion of the site.  Log in using your userid and password and you will see a notification in the upper right hand side that will tell you if your membership is up to date or not.  If not, renew today, so that you can fully utilize this major benefit of membership of a worldwide refferal and networking base.

What is INSOL?

INSOL is the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Professionals.  INSOL's mission is to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, encourage greater international co-operation and communication amongst the insolvency profession, credit community and related constitutencies.  By joining IWIRC, you have the opportunity to join INSOL at a reduced rate.  This is strictly an option, it is not required that you join INSOL when you join IWIRC.

Can I belong to more than one network?

Our members join the international organization and select one network as their "primary" affiliation (for recordkeeping, voting, etc.).  However, members are free to select additional "atlernate" networks for secondary affiliations so that they can be on their mailing lists and otherwise be connected to those additional networks.

Can men join IWIRC?

Yes, we have male members.

Payment Information

What is the cost of membership?

Membership dues are on a 12 month rolling basis depending on when you join.  ie/ if you join March 31, 2023, your membership expiration would be March 30, 2024.

Standard annual membership $250
New practitioner annual membership (< 3 years in practice) $125
Government and Academic annual membership $100
Student annual membership (limited to four years) $35

 

Because of the economic structure in Africa, Asia, Mexico, Central and South America, the rates for those networks are as below.

Standard annual membership $100
New practitioner annual membership (< 3 years in practice) $50
Government and Academic annual membership $40
Student annual membership (limited to four years) $20

How do I renew my membership?

To renew, just follow these easy steps:

  1. In the upper right hand corner, click on the “login/register” button
  2. Your userid is your email address. If you do not remember your password, you can have it sent to your email address.
  3. Select your level of membership.
  4. Select if you want to pay by credit card or will mail in a check.
  5. Your membership is now current!

What if I want to pay my membership fee by check?

For returning members, please renew online by selecting your membership level and updating your profile, if needed. New members can follow the same instructions by clicking on "join".  Please indicate on your check who the IWIRC member is and if the payment is for a new or renewal membership. Then mail a check to:

IWIRC
P.O. Box 249
Standardsville, VA 22973

Can I pay any dues or event fees with foreign currency?

Due to the cost of bank fees for foreign currency checks, we require that all payments be made in U.S. Dollars drawn on a U.S. bank by either check or credit card.

What credit cards do you accept for payments?

IWIRC accepts American Express, VISA, MasterCard and Discover.

Does IWIRC have a Corporate Rate?

Yes, we do!  The reduced rates are listed below.  Please contact IWIRC at info@iwirc.com or 434-939-6002 to be able to set up the corporate rate for IWIRC members in your firm.

Firms with 10-19 IWIRC members $225 per member, which is $25 off the regular rate.
Firms with 20-34 IWIRC members $200 per member, which is $50 off of the regular rate.
Firms with 35+ or more IWIRC members $175 per member, which is $75 off of the regular rate.

Events

What’s new at IWIRC?

The incredible breadth of our organization and the diversity of our membership means there is something new going on every day!  Browse our website for the latest, and be sure to get our latest newsletter for interesting stories on members, networks and articles on the latest developments in the practices.

How many IWIRC International Conferences are there each year?

We hold two meetings per year that "piggyback" with major meetings of other professional organizations. Our Spring Conference is held in April of each year in conjunction with the ABI Spring Meeting, typically held in the Washington, D.C. area. Our Annual Conference is held in October of each year in conjunction with the NCBJ Annual Conference in different locations around the U.S.

How do I find networking events in my area to attend?

Click on the network you are interested in and upcoming events will be listed.  Also, the events tab lists ALL upcoming events that have been submitted by the networks or headquarters.  Also, the homepage lists the next 5 events around the world for your easy viewing.

Can I attend network events not in my area?

Yes! All members are welcome to attend any event they choose.

Becoming Involved

How do I become involved in leadership?

There are leadership opportunities on many levels of IWIRC. While there is no formal path, most members who have held leadership positions have started out by leading or playing a key role in a Network or by serving on and leading a committee of the International board.

How do I volunteer for a Committee?

Contact headquarters at info@iwirc.com or click here to let us know what committee you are interested in. Your name will then be forwarded to the Membership Services Committee and someone will contact you.

How do I start a network?

We are glad you asked!  New networks are easy to form and our international board provides support.  From the network application process to financial grants for recruiting events, a new network can be up and running quickly.  Our experience shows that being able to congregate is a real advantage to forming and growing a network, so think carefully about the geographic area you cover.  Feel free to contact the Networks Director for your regions or any of our Network Chairs... all of whom can give you good counsel to get started.

Still have questions?

If you can’t find an answer here or elsewhere on our website, you should feel free to call or email our Administrative Director, Shari Bedker, Membership Services Director, Heather Montgomery at hmontgomery@iwirc.com, or Administrative Specialist, Brandi Gehman, at bgehman@iwirc.com, 434-939-6002 and we will be happy to help you.

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