2025 IRF Service Award Winners Announced

The 2025 IRF Service Awards were announced during the opening general session of the 2025 Invitational. From serving on Boards and Committees to participating in research studies to amplifying our messages on social media, volunteers are critical to the impact the IRF is making on the incentives industry. The IRF Service Awards help us recognize and celebrate the innovative work of our volunteers.

Melissa Van Dyke received the Outstanding Service to IRF Award. This award honors a member of the incentives community who has made a significant impact on the trajectory of the IRF over a long period of time. Recipients of this award have demonstrated stewardship, strategic guidance, and selfless dedication to the organization. Melissa served as IRF President from 2010 to 2019 and currently serves as Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Innovation at Creative Group.

The award was presented by IRF 2025 Chair Morgan Crain. During the presentation of her award, Mel was joined onstage by former IRF board chairs who served during her tenure, Sandy Daniel, Matt Harris, and Janet Traphagen.

Stephanie Harris, IRF President said, “In her decade with the IRF, Melissa was instrumental in shifting the Invitational from a golf event to a true education and networking event. She helped transition the organization to one that lived into the mission of providing research and insight, going from delivering one study a year, to delivering at a dozen studies a year. Importantly, she, along with the board during her tenure established a reserve fund that was instrumental in the IRF’s ability to navigate the pandemic. Her passion for the industry and this organization continues today.”

Volunteer of the Year Award

This year, the IRF recognized two Volunteers of the Year: Kelly Kunz, Director of Incentives, Brightspot Incentives & Events and Jordan Sanford, Vice President, Sales Strategy, Prestige Global Meeting Source. This award recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in their volunteer capacity to support and advance the mission of the IRF over the past year.

Kelly’s Volunteer of the Year Award was presented by 2024 IRF Content & Communications Committee Chair Lynn Randall and Co-Chair Jen O’Mara. Stephanie commented, “Kelly has been a key member of the Content & Communications committee for three years now. She is always the first person to raise her hand for any subcommittees or working groups and provides valuable feedback throughout monthly meetings. A key contribution of Kelly’s in 2024 was her role in helping to define the goals and outline to scope of another sub-committee, the Non-Travel Task Force. Kelly also speaks frequently at events using IRF research and is a champion for IRF in the industry.”

Jordan’s Volunteer of the Year Award was presented by 2024 Research Committee Chair Rudy Garza and Co-Chair David Gould. Stephanie said, “As a member of the Research committee, Jordan is a dedicated volunteer serving since 2021. Jordan consistently volunteers to work on multiple research projects annually and has already raised his hand to work three projects in 2025. His input is both insightful and helps elevate the research. Jordan brings ideas and opinions to our monthly calls and clearly is passionate about the industry. He is always a willing participant in IRF webinars and panel discussions.”