Hall of Fame

The Barter Hall of Fame is the highest honor the Modern Trade and Barter Industry can bestow. The honor recognizes individuals of the highest professional character and ethical conduct who are regarded as indisputable leaders of the Modern Trade and Barter Industry. An inductee must have a minimum of ten years of continuous Industry service and have made recognizable and specific contributions to the Industry as a whole.
NOTE: The Barter Hall of Fame award is not necessarily given-out every year – the timing is purely based-on merit, ie., it is awarded if and when candidates have sufficiently distinguished themselves in the industry to warrant nomination.

John Strabley, CEO, International Monetary Systems

John Strabley has been the Chief Executive Officer and Principal Executive Officer of International Monetary Systems since 2011. He came on board in 1990 as the first trade broker hired by the company and became the Executive Vice President and Director of ITNM in 1992.
Over the last 33 years, John has served in all facets of the barter industry, ranging from retail and corporate trade and developing IMS’s own intellectual software to taking IMS through a registered IPO in 2001. Through 37 strategic acquisitions and aggressive enrollment practices, IMS is the largest single exchange network in the U.S.
John served on the IRTA Global Board for 2 terms and served as the Chairman of the Board and Vice President during his tenure. He has been honored with the highest awards IRTA offers; the Paul St. Martin Distinguished Service Award, the David Wallach Outstanding Achievement Award, the Legend of Barter Award, numerous IRTA Outstanding Contribution awards as well as awards from NATE.
He has been a lead contributor on many IRTA convention panels and seminars and played an instrumental role in drafting many of IRTA’s important advisory memos and bylaws over the last decade.
IMS has over 20 years of audited statements with the Securities and Exchange
Commission and recently John navigated the company into a private entity. Today, IMS has more than 15,000 clients and 22,000 cardholders functioning in 52 metro markets throughout North America. With a nationwide broker network and national sales team employing 95 individuals and an annual trading volume in excess of $130M, IMS is an undisputed and respected leader in the industry.
John resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and he is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys fly-fishing, gardening, and cruising on the lake with his wife of 32 years, Kim Strabley. He also serves as a board member on numerous other associations and over the course of his tenure, John and Team IMS have raised millions of dollars in trade for charities across the nation.
IRTA congratulates John for his much-deserved award and thanks him for his selfless contributions to IRTA, UC and the barter industry at large.

Congatulations John!