Karen Hardy from Acme Insurance Brokers in Queensland has won this year’s Valerie Baker Memorial Award.

Her victory was announced last Thursday at a function hosted by Lloyd’s in Sydney.

Ms Hardy wins an educational trip to London, which will include meeting Lloyd’s senior managers and key underwriters.

She is the first entrant from regional Queensland to take the award, which recognises excellence in the general insurance intermediary sector.

“[Ms Hardy] represents what is best about our business,” former Austbrokers & IBNA Member Services (AIMS) GM Martin McAvenna, who sat on the judging panel, said.

“She is thinking about the future in not only her community, but Australia in general as a risk exposure.”

The beaten finalists were Karyll Dean of PSC Connect, John Farrell of Steadfast Taswide and Maria Parry of Austcover.

The annual award is sponsored by GoldSeal, the Steadfast Group and AIMS, and presented in conjunction with Lloyd’s Australia.