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Digital EditionAon Broker Richard Mercado Recognized as a 2026 Fine Arts Power Broker
Richard Mercado, Senior Vice President, Aon
Richard Mercado
Senior Vice President
Aon, Washington, D.C.
Having worked with nonprofits and museums for more than two decades, Richard Mercado has seen their exposures evolve along with changing social conditions, budget constraints, and the advent of social media.
To provide the very best service to his clients, he has learned to be flexible and responsive in the face of a constantly evolving marketplace.
Take, for example, the case of a museum holding an out-of-the-box event that included tattoo artists offering free ink to guests.
“Richard led us through what we needed to do in terms of advertising on our website to make sure no one under 18 was coming in,” said the client. “He helped us devise the waiver that anyone who wanted a tattoo would sign. He knows we’re a creative group and on the cutting edge, so he makes it happen from his side.”
The same client has a very robust multi-pronged education department, and this year, the local public school district required anyone working with its students to have sexual abuse molestation (SAM) coverage.
Mercado helped his client complete the needed paperwork.
“Richard is that rare broker who combines technical rigor with client advocacy and crisp execution,” said Freddy Taveras, executive vice president and general counsel, The New York Historical Society. “He helped us lower costs and raise our risk posture with D&O/EPL and Cyber policies this year.”
2026 Fine Arts Power Broker Winners and Finalists
What is a Power Broker?
A Risk & Insurance Power Broker® is an individual who stands out among their peers for the exceptional client work they have delivered over the past year. While brokers play many key roles in the insurance industry and risk profession, a Power Broker® award recognizes problem solving, customer service and industry knowledge.
Our goal is to broadly recognize and promote outstanding risk management and customer service among the brokerage community.
Who selects the winners?
Power Brokers are selected by risk managers based on the strength of the testimonials they provide to a team of 15 Risk & Insurance editors and writers.
