Andrew Okun Receives the 2025 INAF Lifetime Achievement Award
Chris Garlock | Published on 7/14/2025
Former AGA president Andy Okun received the Iwamoto North America Foundation for Go’s 2025 Lifetime
Achievement Award on Monday night at the US Go Congress. “He has made important contributions to advancing Go in North America, through both conscientious organizational stewardship and innovative leadership,” said INAF.
Okun, who served as AGA president for a decade, played a key role in establishing the North American Go Federation, which provides a forum for cooperation between the AGA and the Canadian Go Association (CGA) professional systems, including the certification of North American Go professionals, and where he currently serves as Chair. He also led the AGA through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, noted former AGA board chair Dave Weimer, who presented the award.
Visibly moved, Okun thanked INAF and “all the dedicated Go players who have worked to promote the game.”
photo: Okun (left) receives INAF award from Dave Weimer; photo by Chris Garlock
NOTE: Dave Weimer was AGA board chair, not president; this post has been updated.