Mike Rhyner, recently retired executive director of the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA), has been named the 2026 recipient of AGRiP’s Award for Excellence in Leadership, recognizing a career marked by sustained impact, innovation and a commitment to professional development within the industry.
The Award for Excellence in Leadership recognizes individual contributions to pooling by those who have demonstrated transformative leadership, exceptional support for the professional development and mentorship of others, and a pivotal role in addressing significant industry challenges. Mike’s career reflects each of these qualities through lasting financial outcomes, steadfast leadership and the creation of enduring programs.
Mike retired in January 2026 after nearly 25 years at the helm of MMRMA, concluding a tenure marked by visionary leadership and long-term organizational strength. Throughout his leadership, he guided the pool through significant market volatility and capacity challenges, strengthening coverage predictability, sustaining long-term financial stability and delivering exceptional value to members.
Under Mike’s direction, MMRMA established a captive insurance company to broaden coverage options and reduce reliance on the commercial insurance market while maintaining strong reserves and consistent growth. He also implemented a net asset policy that has returned more than $486 million to members, balancing meaningful financial returns with disciplined financial stewardship.
Mike has been a steady champion of mentorship and professional development, embedding continuous learning into MMRMA’s programs and daily practices. Mike expanded MMRMA’s Risk Avoidance Program (RAP), which offers grants to members for projects and equipment to address risk, and led the development and launch of MMRMA’s Certification & Accreditation Program (CAP) grants to help fund member training and certification achievements.
Before joining MMRMA, Mike led two other pools. His influence also extended across the pooling community through service on the AGRiP Board of Directors, the boards of Government Entities Mutual and NLC Mutual, and collaboration with the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) to help develop widely used education and governance tools.
Mike will receive the Award for Excellence in Leadership on Monday, March 2, at Governance Conference 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.