Rendering financial advisory services in the business turnaround, restructuring and bankruptcy practice areas requires both special knowledge and extensive relevant experience. In 1992, the AIRA established the Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA) program to recognize by public awareness and certification those individuals who possess a high degree of knowledge and proficiency across a spectrum of functions related to serving clients in situations involving distressed and/or insolvent entities. Each year AIRA recognizes the highest scoring professionals who complete the CIRA program through awards sponsored by AlixPartners, LLP. At its virtual annual conference in June, AIRA recognized the following AlixPartners CIRA Award winners for 2020:

1st Place – Nate Simon, AlixPartners, LLP, New York, NY
2nd Place - Bryan Fleming, Alvarez & Marsal, Atlanta, GA
3rd Place - Hrvoje Cizmic, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Los Angeles, CA

Also recognized with a Certificate of Distinguished Performance for the 2020 year are David Barmish, SB360 Capital Partners, Needham, MA and Patrik Kast, Alvarez & Marsal, New York, NY.

The Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors (AIRA) is a nonprofit professional association serving financial advisors, accountants, crisis managers, business turnaround consultants, lenders, investment bankers, attorneys, trustees, and other individuals involved in the fields of business turnaround, restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency. AIRA's mission is to (i) Unite and support professionals providing business turnaround, restructuring and bankruptcy services, and (ii) Develop, promote and maintain professional standards of practice, including a professional certification through its CIRA and CDBV programs.