Charles Symington

Senior Vice President of External, Industry & Government Affairs

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America

Charles E. Symington, Jr. is Senior Vice President of External, Industry & Government Affairs with the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, also known as the Big “I”, which is the largest property-casualty insurance trade association in the country.  Symington has been with the Big “I” since 2004 and oversees federal and state government affairs, political affairs, grassroots, industry relations, and media affairs for the association.  He has been regularly recognized by The Hill newspaper as one of the top lobbyists in Washington, D.C.

Symington manages the association’s Capitol Hill office and directs the day-to-day activities of the association’s legislative, political, communications and company relations staff.  He also serves on the Big “I” Management Operating Committee which advises the President & CEO on general oversight and administration of the association.

Previously, Symington served as a Senior Counsel with the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services from 2000 to 2003 where he focused on insurance issues. During that time he was actively involved in drafting the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002, the SMART Act to modernize state insurance regulation, and other pieces of legislation.

Symington also worked as a Majority Counsel for the House Committee on Energy & Commerce where he concentrated on health care policy and oversight. 

Prior to working on Capitol Hill, Symington was an attorney with the law firm of Matricardi & Moylan in Springfield, VA and previous to that was an associate attorney with the firm of Drew, Eckl & Farnham in Atlanta, GA where he specialized in insurance defense litigation. 

Symington graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and graduated with a Juris Doctorate from Emory University, School of Law in Atlanta, GA. Symington also currently serves as the vice chairman of the National Down Syndrome Society and has served on the NDSS board since 2014. He and his wife Cathy reside in Alexandria, VA with their three children.