Thank you to our sponsors who made IRMA’s 69th Annual Meeting & 2026 Retailer of the Year Luncheon possible!

Since 1978, IRMA has recognized an Illinois Retailer of the Year. The recipients have been small and large and have represented every sector of retail – from grocery stores to restaurants, hardware stores to florists, bookstores to pharmacies, and more.

The Retailer of the Year recipient is recognized for a variety of factors including longevity, ingenuity, perseverance, and dedication to the industry to name a few.
This year’s recipient has displayed all these factors and many more.

Amanda Kezios’ story is a quintessential retail story—one shaped at the intersection of upbringing, passion, talent, and opportunity. Her success is not simply measured by what she has accomplished, but by the many people she has helped along the way.

For these reasons and so many more, IRMA is proud to recognize Mojo Spa and Amanda Kezios as the 2026 Retailer of the Year.

Mojo Spa was one of the first retailers to be featured in IRMA’s We Are Retail campaign. You can view her story by clicking here.

In 2020, IRMA created the IRMA Leadership Award to recognize members who have gone above-and-beyond in their service to the organization.

Throughout his tenure as Hy-Vee’s representative to IRMA, including his service on IRMA’s Board of Directors, Tyler Power has been an invaluable champion for IRMA and the Illinois retail industry. He has selflessly helped elevate IRMA’s visibility, strengthen its relationships, and advance the association’s many efforts on behalf of retailers across the state.

While Tyler is an exceptional and energetic advocate for Hy-Vee, his impact extends far beyond his own company. Time and again, he has demonstrated a genuine commitment to strengthening, empowering, and growing Illinois’ entire retail community. His leadership, collaboration, and willingness to advocate for the industry as a whole have made him a tremendous asset to IRMA and to retailers throughout Illinois.

Please join us in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the IRMA Leadership Award, Director of Government Relations for Hy-Vee and IRMA Board member, Tyler Power.

The US Senate is sometimes called the most exclusive club in the world. It is a storied institution that has produced storied leaders. Indeed, many Illinoisans have left their mark on that institution and our nation, including high profile names like Stephen Douglas, Lyman Trumbull, Charles Percy, Paul Simon, and Alan Dixon. The man we take a moment to honor today will join those titans of history, leaving his own indelible mark on that body, our state and our country.

When the gavel comes down on the 199th United States Congress in January of next year, US Senator Dick Durbin will have served in the US Senate for 30 years. Combined with his 14 years in the US House of Representatives, he will have served our nation and our state for just over half his life. He has stood witness to momentous times in the life of this nation, leading through times of turmoil and strife, hope and optimism – prioritizing consensus building and constituent service. He leaves a powerful legacy of public service, including his support for Illinois retailers and the customers we serve.

Sen. Durbin has been his tireless in his efforts to bring accountability, transparency, and competition to the electronic payments system – recognizing that Main Street businesses, working families and employers shouldn’t have to suffer to pad the bottom line of big banks. He’s worked to combat organized retail theft, understanding that it isn’t a victimless crime but something that funds coordinated criminal rings that threaten the safety and wellbeing of our communities. Infrastructure funding to keep goods moving, immigration reform to stabilize the workforce. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Today, IRMA is proud to present Senator Durbin with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition and appreciation for his outstanding and lengthy career representing Illinoisans and, in particular, his tremendous partnership with the retailers of Illinois.