DAVID WALLACH OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
David Wallach was one of the organized trade industry’s finest leaders and visionaries. David Wallach served as IRTA’s President from September 2007 until March of 2011 when the IRTA Global Board of Directors unanimously named him the first President Emeritus of IRTA. David’s contributions to the barter industry and IRTA spanned some thirty plus years.
David Wallach’s passion and love for the barter industry was unprecedented. He selflessly spent thousands of hours every year building the barter industry because he truly believed that the benefits of barter could improve the standard of living of everyone throughout the world.
Prior to Dave’s barter career he served eight years in the U.S. Air Force, and as a private investigator for Marin County, CA. He later jumped into entrepreneurship by launching a chain of vacuum cleaning stores. In 1979 he formed the American Trade Association and grew it to become one of the largest and most successful barter exchanges in the U.S. After Dave sold his trade exchange, rather kicking back and enjoying the fruits of his labors, Dave re-dedicated himself to the organized trade industry by getting heavily involved in IRTA, and he maintained that level of commitment to IRTA to his last day.
Dave also loved fishing in Montana, golf, collecting, travel and a good poker game and a great joke. David Wallach loved life to its fullest, he touched the lives of many people in a truly meaningful way and he was a treasure to all who knew him.
IRTA’s David Wallach Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes rare, unselfish and passionate commitment to the organized trade industry. The kind of selfless commitment that David Wallach exhibited everyday.
2025: Tanya Galdamez
Tanya Galdamez is the President of Crescent City Trade Exchange and a distinguished leader in the barter industry She brings over 40 years of expertise to the field. Her career in barter began in 1985. She also co-founded the Crescent City Trade Exchange (CCTE) with Jeffrey Chamblin and Rusty Turner, in July 1994 where she established a trusted hub for collaborative commerce.
In April 1995, Tanya earned the prestigious Certified Trade Broker (CTB) designation, further solidifying her reputation as an industry expert. Her dedication to the field is evident in her long-standing service on the Boards of Directors for both the International Reciprocal Trade Association (IRTA) and the National Association of Trade Exchanges (NATE). She has served with IRTA since 2019 and completed multiple terms with NATE, contributing to the advancement of the barter community.
Throughout her career, Tanya has received numerous achievement awards and has been a sought-after speaker at conventions, panels, and seminars, sharing her insights with industry professionals. Her commitment extends beyond barter, as she actively participates in local organizations, including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the French Quarter Festival.
Tanya’s passion for barter is driven by her deep-rooted belief in fostering meaningful connections, promoting economic resilience through trade, and championing the value of cooperative commerce.
A proud New Orleanian, Tanya embraces the city’s vibrant culture. She loves its festivals and celebrations, which are woven into daily life, and finds immense joy in cooking – a beloved tradition in a city where food reigns supreme. Here, conversations often begin not with “How’s the weather?” but with “Whatcha cooking?” A sentiment Tanya wholeheartedly embodies.
2022 Dale Mardak
Dale Mardak, President, and CFO of IMS has been in the barter business for twenty-nine years. He joined Continental Trade Exchange (now IMS Barter), as a trade broker in 1993. By 1997, he was appointed as a director on the board as well as Treasurer of both Continental Trade Exchange, Ltd and IMS. In 1999, Dale received the designation of CTB. Dale has negotiated and been involved with the integration of thirty-eight trade exchanges into the IMS Barter Network over the last twenty-nine years of his barter career.
With the expansion of IMS, Dale oversees the Northeast markets in New York, Connecticut, Virginia, and Massachusetts as well as Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee & Kentucky. He has been on the IRTA Board as Secretary since 2017. He has also served on the board of directors of NATE for multiple terms, holding the position of Secretary for several years.
Dale is also a Legend of Barter, has earned multiple outstanding achievement awards and served on numerous IRTA convention panels and seminars. He is a community driven individual who serves on various boards and is involved with several fundraising organizations in his local area.
Dale’s extreme patience at the office may have something to do with his love for golf. After you hit the ball, find the ball, and repeat enough times, you must learn humility and patience! Dale and his high school sweetheart Lisa have been married for 43 years. If you don’t find him on the links, the next best bet is enjoying the sunshine on one of his boats with Lisa!
IRTA thanks Dale for his twenty-nine years of service to improve the barter industry and congratulates him for being this year’s 2022 David Wallach Outstanding Achievement Award recipient!
2020: Kim Strabley
Kim is an integral part of IMS via her role as Vice President of International Monetary Systems. She has been employed with IMS since 1993. She has focused on several areas of the company including the broker department, the travel division, increasing interoffice velocity and the reciprocal division.
Kim has been the heart and soul of the Certified Trade Broker (CTB) program for over two decades. Kim currently is our CTB Committee Chairperson – she coordinates the CTB coursework and administers the exam for IRTA every year at our conventions. She has dedicated hundreds of hours towards educating the barter industry and has been a standout member of the IRTA & UC team. In 1997 Kim received the designation of Certified Trade Broker(CTB), in 2003 she has been voted “Broker of the Year.” Kim’s teaching background prior to IMS has carried over to the barter industry being a moderator or panelist at over 20 trade convention seminars. Additionally, she is a vital member IRTA’s UC Committee and has been largely responsible for IMS’s tremendous success in UC.
Kim is a huge asset to the barter industry, a wonderful human and a most worthy recipient of the 2020 David Wallach Outstanding Achievement Award.
2018: Mary Ellen Rosinski
A 31-year veteran of the barter industry, Mary Ellen Rosinski has unselfishly devoted every one of those years to helping IRTA and the industry grow. She has done so with the utmost dignity, professionalism, class, and good humor. Mary Ellen is a tremendous asset to our industry and is a well-deserving recipient of this year’s prestigious David Wallach Outstanding Achievement Award.
Mary Ellen co-founded Tradesource, Inc. in 1987 and immediately became a member of IRTA. She has served on the IRTA Global Board of Directors for more than 25 years, was IRTA Treasurer for most of those years and also served as President and Vice President of the North American Board. She has served on numerous IRTA committees including the CTB, Marketing, Membership and Executive Committee. Her expert contributions to the Money Transmitter and Regulations Committee have been invaluable in helping produce a much needed industry clarification regarding trade dollars vs. crypto currencies.
In addition, Mary Ellen has been honored with the IRTA Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Award, the IRTA Outstanding Achievement and Barter Ambassador Award. She has led numerous seminars and discussion groups during industry conventions on marketing, accounting, 1099 reporting, PCI Compliance, and IRS Regulations. Mary Ellen is an advocate for free market currency and IRTA inclusiveness of qualifying industry members.
A Certified Public Account, Mary Ellen graduated with honors from Arizona State University and started her career at the accounting firm Ernst and Young. Always willing to share her time and expertise with others in the industry, Mary Ellen has designed barter account systems and has helped several barter exchanges successfully abate non-matching TIN penalties.
2017: John Strabley
John E. Strabley is the Chief Executive Officer of International Monetary Systems and has been with IMS since 1991. Over the last 27 years John has served in all facets of the barter industry, anging from retail and corporate trade to taking IMS through a registered IPO and 34 acquisitions. IMS is a publicly traded company and is a premier North American barter company, having 18 years of udited statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission, serving 16,000 businesses, 23,000 cardholders, 125 employees and 5 franchisees. Over $220,000,000 in barter transactions will be processed in 2017 throughout North America in IMS offices and franchise locations.
John has been on the Global Board for IRTA the past six years and is currently the Chairman of the Board. He also has received the Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Award, several Outstanding Achievement Awards as well as the Legend of Barter. He has been a lead contributor on many IRTA convention panels/seminars and played in instrumental role in drafting many of IRTA’s important advisory memos of the last five years.
IRTA congratulates John for his much-deserved award and thanks him for his selfless
contributions to IRTA, UC and the barter industry at large.
2016: Scott Whitmer
Scott has been a member of IRTA since 1982. He served on the IRTA Global Board of Directors for more than 20 years, was IRTA President for two terms and held all other Board officer positions for a least one term.
Scott has been honored on three occasions with the highest award IRTA offers; the Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Award. He has also received several IRTA Outstanding Achievement and Ambassador Awards as well as numerous awards from NATE. Always willing to share his expertise with others in the industry, Scott has led numerous Seminars and Discussion Groups during industry Conventions.
He presently serves as the Chairperson of the Universal Currency Committee and in September of 2016 Scott was elected Co-Vice Chairman of the IRTA Global Board.
Scott graduated from Georgia Tech in 1977 where he attended on a football scholarship and received his BA in Industrial Management.
2015: Carl Steinbrenner, Esq.
Carl Steinbrenner has been legal counsel to IRTA for 15+ years. He has advised IRTA and UC on the most complex issues facing the barter industry with unwavering dedication and professionalism.
Carl has over 30 years of corporate and business legal experience and has represented business owners and executives in almost every industry and ranging in size from local start-up companies to international Fortune 100 corporations.
Carl has been admitted to practice law in New York, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. He is admitted to federal district court and federal bankruptcy court.
Prior to founding Steinbrenner Law Offices in 2001, Carl was an attorney with one of the largest Western New York law firms focusing on business and corporate matters and transactions.
Before being a private practice attorney, Carl was corporate counsel in the law departments of Bausch & Lomb Incorporated and Owens-Illinois, Inc., both global corporations operating throughout the United States and the world.
His earlier experience includes being President of Seagate Alliance LLC, a regional healthcare purchasing organization, as well as directing the contracting activities at the University of Rochester.
Carl received his Juris Doctor legal degree from the University of Notre Dame and his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois. He also is a graduate of Salzburg College in Austria and the Goethe Institut in Germany.
Carl is appointed by the Rochester City Council to its Ethics Board and serves as its chair. He is also active with the Rochester Cycling Alliance, the Rochester German community and German school of Rochester, the Corn Hill Neighbors Association, and the Steuben German Scholarship Fund.
About Carl A. Steinbrenner
- J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School
- B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Goethe Institut, Germany
- Salzburg College, Austria
- Admitted to practice law in New York, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois
Admitted to:
- US District Court, Western District of New York
- US District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- US Bankruptcy Court, Western District of New York
2013: Terry Brandfassl
Terry has been in the barter industry for over 30 years. She has received two IRTA Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Awards and an IRTA Outstanding Achievement Award. Terry served 12 years on the IRTA Global Board and several years on the IRTA North American Board. She has also served on numerous IRTA committees and the UC Board of Governors, when UC was formed in the late 1990’s. Terry played a key role in producing the IRTA Sales Training and Trade Brokering Manual.
2012: Ron Whitney
Ron has been in the barter industry since January of 1993, when he founded Delaware Barter Corp in Wilmington, Delaware, (DBC). Ron sold his interest in DBC in late 2007 and was immediately elected as Executive Director of IRTA, having served on the IRTA Global Board for two years. Ron is responsible for growing IRTA from a 33-member organization a thriving global association of over 100 members. Ron has elevated IRTA presence and impact by moving IRTA to take meaningful advocacy positions on numerous critical issues related to the barter industry. Under Ron’s leadership trade volume in UC has more than doubled since 2007. Ron has received numerous IRTA awards, including the Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Award and a Special Recognition Award from the IRTA Board in 2010 for implementing innovative and visionary programs into IRTA. Ron was appointed to IRS IRPAC Advisory Committee 2006 to 2009 and has positively impacted IRS policy regarding non-matching TIN penalties and 1099-B reporting. Ron has successfully orchestrated non-matching TIN penalty abatements for IRTA members in excess of half a million dollars.
The IRTA Global Board modernized the IRTA bylaws in 2016 and appointed Ron IRTA’s President and CEO in September of 2016.
Ron received a BA from George Washington University and a JD from the Delaware Law School of Widener University.
2011: Annette Riggs
Annette has over 25 years experience in the commercial barter sector. She transitioned into the community currency sector; she now operates a commercial barter exchange in Denver, CO., Community Connect Trade. Annette has received multiple IRTA Awards and is considered a worldwide expert in the Community Currency field. Annette served as President of IRTA from 2012 to 2016. She is an educator and valued speaker who has contributing her unique vision and commitment to all barter industry sectors; Retail Barter, Complementary Currencies, Corporate Barter and Counter-Trade. Annette traveled to Saudi Arabia twice in 2015 to further IRTA’s relationship with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corp. (ITFC) and was wrote the majority of IRTA’s December 22, 2015 Research Report for the Development of an OIC Multi-Dimensional Credit Clearing/Counter Trade System. Annette was elected as Co-Vice-Chairperson of the IRTA Global Board in September of 2016.