Celebrating Excellence in Restructuring: AIRA Inducts 2025 Distinguished Fellows

AIRA Inducts New Class of Distinguished Fellows

At the annual conference held on June 5th in Newport Beach, California, the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA) welcomed its 2025 class of Distinguished Fellows. This honor is designed to acknowledge the remarkable contributions made by senior members of AIRA to the fields of corporate restructuring and the association itself.
The Distinguished Fellows designation is not just an accolade; it represents a significant professional and academic recognition for those who have exhibited outstanding excellence in their practices and have left a lasting legacy in the profession and for AIRA.

Who Are the 2025 Distinguished Fellows?

The latest inductees include an impressive lineup of experts who have made noteworthy strides within the industry:

- Andrew R. Barg, CIRA (Barg Henson CPAs, PLLC, Fort Worth, TX)
- David R. Payne, CIRA, CDBV (D.R. Payne Associates, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK)
- Ira L. Herman, Esq. (Blank Rome LLP, New York, NY)
- Karl Knechtel, CIRA (RK Consultants LLC, New York, NY)
- Kimberly J. Lam, CIRA (Bachecki Crom Company LLP, San Francisco, CA)
- Jennifer Meyerowitz, Esq. (SAK Healthcare, Riverwoods, IL)
- Keith J. Shapiro, Esq. (Karlov Street Capital, Doral, FL)

These individuals have dedicated their careers to enhancing the landscape of restructuring through various roles. They have imparted knowledge as educators, shown exemplary leadership within AIRA and other organizations such as the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), and contributed significantly to AIRA’s certification programs like CIRA and CDBV.
Beyond their roles in education and leadership, many of these new fellows have also organized and presented at numerous professional conferences, crafting a vibrant community of knowledge-sharing and collaboration. They've authored articles and books that have not only served as resources within the industry but have also shaped the practice itself.

AIRA’s Mission

Founded to serve a broad spectrum of professionals involved in the restructuring and insolvency space, AIRA functions as a nonprofit entity dedicated to the support and development of best practices among financial advisors, accountants, crisis managers, lenders, attorneys, and others participating in business turnaround and bankruptcy services. The mission of AIRA is to unite these professionals, facilitate the exchange of insights, and cultivate professional standards, particularly through acknowledged certification programs such as CIRA and CDBV.
As AIRA continues to grow and evolve, the induction of the Distinguished Fellows highlights the organization's commitment to excellence and innovation in the areas of corporate restructuring. The contributions from these exceptional individuals not only benefit the association but also advance the fields of finance and business turnaround as a whole.
For more information about the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors and the annual conference, interested individuals can visit www.aira.org.