For their service and contributions to Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), Patricia L. Vannoy, Melinda Steuer, and Joseph R. Wojciechowski were named recipients of the 2019 PIABA Outstanding Service Award at the 2019 PIABA Annual Meeting.

A member of PIABA since 2012, Patricia Vannoy is a member of the Amicus Committee where she is serving her second year as co-Chair. In addition to serving on the Amicus Committee, Ms. Vannoy has served on the Annual Meeting Committee since 2013. She has served on the Fiduciary Standard, Legislation and PIABA Bar Journal Board of Editors, as well.

Ms. Vannoy is a partner with Mattson Ricketts, where she focuses her practice on investors’ rights and insurance issues.  She has represented more than 400 clients with claims involving private placements, real estate investment trusts, variable annuities, life insurance, and all manner of securities, including cases against broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, insurers, and clearing firms.

Melinda Steuer has been a member of PIABA since 2010 where she served as the Amicus Committee co-Chair in 2018 and 2019. In addition to her work on the Amicus Committee, Ms. Steuer has served on the Fiduciary Standard and Legislation Committees.

Ms. Steuer has spent her legal career working on behalf of savers, investors and retirees from all backgrounds and financial situations.  Since 2001, she has successfully litigated and resolved disputes between investors and their financial advisors. Ms. Steuer has handled all aspects of securities litigation and arbitration on a wide range of issues including fraud/misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, unsuitable investment advice, excessive trading/churning, and failure to supervise. Ms. Steuer has litigated cases involving early retirement pension cash-outs, variable annuities, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, real estate limited partnerships, and variable life insurance. Ms. Steuer was co-counsel in multiple cases yielding seven-figure awards/settlements to represented investors.

Joseph R. Wojciechowski has been a member of PIABA since 2010 where he currently serves on the PIABA Bar Journal Board of Editors as Editor-in-Chief. Previously, Mr. Wojciechowski served as Managing and Cases and Materials Editor. He currently serves on the Registered Investment Advisers (RIA) Committee, and previously served on the Annual Meeting, SRO and Legislation Committees.  

Mr. Wojciechowski is the managing partner at Stoltmann Law Offices where he is responsible for the day to day operations of the firm, including document and case management. He handles all aspects of case management from potential client/case intake to trying the case, and has successfully briefed, argued, and defeated numerous motions to dismiss before dozens of FINRA arbitration panels and courts of law.

Awarded to one or more PIABA Members annually, the PIABA Outstanding Service Award honors the very best in the PIABA Membership," said Robin Ringo, PIABA Executive Director. "An incredible amount of personal time is dedicated by members to serving PIABA through its committees and investor protection initiatives. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that we thank Patricia L. Vannoy, Melinda Steuer, and Joseph R. Wojciechowski for their dedication to PIABA and advancing the rights of public investors."   

Questions regarding this notice may be directed to 
Robin S. Ringo, Executive Director
1.888.621.7484
rsringo@piaba.org