IPPA - Independent Payroll Providers Association

What IPPA - Independent Payroll Providers Association does

IPPA (Independent Payroll Providers Association) is a non-profit professional membership association founded in 2000 and headquartered in Mission, Kansas. It serves independent payroll service bureaus across the United States that compete against large HCM software vendors such as UKG, ADP, and Paychex. IPPA's core offering is a horizontal community platform delivering professional development (CPE/RCH credits and PayrollOrg PayTrain courses), legislative and regulatory advocacy, peer networking, and curated access to a vendor partner ecosystem.

The association operates two membership tiers with publicly disclosed, auto-renewing annual dues. Payroll Membership is priced on a tiered scale based on member company employee size, ranging from $1,250 (1–10 employees) to $3,400 (101+ employees), with a membership period of July 1 through June 30. Vendor Partner Membership is a flat $2,500 annual fee, sold to 175+ ancillary product and service providers in categories including HCM/payroll software, time & attendance, earned wage access, banking, retirement, and HR services. Member-facing programmatic products include the annual Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat (November), the annual Spring Summit (March), a monthly webinar series (live and on-demand), the Grow Now resource program, and the password-protected IPPA Legislative Intelligence portal. Distribution is community-led, channeled through the IPPA website, annual events, monthly webinars, podcast appearances, LinkedIn, and a formal Referral Partner Program sponsored by PrismHR, Payro Finance, and UKG. The organization is governed by an Executive Board and supported by a five-person central office led by Executive Director Cheryl Whelan.

IPPA does not develop or sell proprietary technology. It is funded entirely through recurring annual membership dues and event-related sponsor and registration revenue. The association reports 80+ payroll member companies that collectively represent billions in annual tax deposits and pay millions of employees across the United States, framing member value through collective industry scale rather than individual product utility.

Name

IPPA - Independent Payroll Providers Association

Legal name

IPPA - Independent Payroll Providers Association

Website

https://ippa.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IPPA is a non-profit professional membership association founded in 2000 and based in Mission, Kansas, serving US independent payroll service bureaus with tiered annual dues, peer networking, legislative advocacy, annual retreats and summits, and access to a 175+ vendor partner ecosystem across HCM, banking, retirement, and HR services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mission, Kansas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Payroll Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from independent payroll service bureaus, billed on a tiered structure based on company employee size. Members receive access to educational programs, networking, advocacy, and peer support. Membership period runs July 1 through June 30.
2. Vendor Partner Membership Dues: Annual dues from vendor and ancillary product/service companies seeking access to IPPA's payroll firm membership base. Vendor partners receive marketing exposure, event access, webinars, and a company listing on the IPPA website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IPPA is a nonprofit professional membership association that delivers Payroll Membership programs for independent payroll service bureaus and a Vendor Partner Program for ancillary product/service providers. Core offerings include educational programs (CPE/RCH credits, PayrollOrg PayTrain courses), legislative and regulatory advocacy, peer networking and benchmarking, the annual Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat and Spring Summit conferences, monthly Webinars, the Grow Now business development resources, and a Legislative Intelligence resource portal.

Product overview

IPPA (Independent Payroll Providers Association) is a professional membership organization for independent payroll service bureaus, not a product company. The association offers a unified platform of membership programs including Payroll Membership for service bureaus and Vendor Partner Program for ancillary service providers. Supporting programs include the Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat (annual November event), Spring Summit (annual March conference), monthly Webinar Series, Grow Now resources, and Legislative Intelligence portal. The organization connects 80+ payroll members serving businesses employing millions of people, with 175+ vendor partners offering solutions across payroll processing, time & attendance, earned wage access, tax services, retirement services, and HR technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Payroll Membership Core membership program for independent payroll service bureaus providing access to educational resources, networking opportunities, peer support, and industry advocacy. Annual dues are tiered by company employee size (Small 1-10: $1,250 auto-renew/$1,325 annual; Medium 11-50: $2,050/$2,150; Large 51-100: $2,700/$2,850; Enterprise 101+: $3,400/$3,600), with the membership period running July 1 through June 30.
• Vendor Partner Program Membership program for vendors offering ancillary products and services (HCM technology, earned wage access, retirement, banking, payments, tax, compliance, marketing) to payroll service bureaus, providing access to the target market through promotional opportunities, event access, webinars, and website listing at $2,500 annual dues.
• Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat Annual strategic retreat for owners and executives of member firms, featuring high-level content, networking, educational sessions, and premier sponsor participation (held each November, traditionally at Clearwater Beach, FL).
• Spring Summit Annual spring conference delivering leadership development, practical learning, and industry networking for IPPA members (held annually in March, traditionally at Arlington, TX), with exhibiting sponsors and educational sessions.
• Webinar Series Monthly live and on-demand webinar series delivering timely, relevant content including Legislative Intelligence updates, year-end planning, sales excellence, and operational best practices for IPPA members.
• Grow Now Growth-focused program providing educational resources, business development tools, and opportunities for connection among IPPA members to support firm expansion.
• Legislative Intelligence Password-protected member resource portal providing legislative news, regulatory updates, and policy insights enabling members to track and respond to legislative and regulatory developments affecting payroll service bureaus.
• Vendor Partner Directory Online listing of IPPA vendor partners categorized by service type including ACH Services, Payroll Service Software, Time & Attendance, Earned Wage Access, Tax Services, Retirement Services, and HR-related solutions.
• Referral Partner Program Formal referral program where Allied (vendor) Members connect IPPA with non-member payroll bureaus, including an annual Referral Challenge with prizes sponsored by partners such as PrismHR, Payro Finance, and UKG.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

47 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 401GominorGTM or Marketing Partner401Go is a vendor partner listed on IPPA's website, offering 401(k) and retirement-related services to IPPA's member payroll firms. Contact: Steven Cima. Located at 9815 S Monroe Street, Suite 301, Sandy, UT 84070.
• AARC-360minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAARC-360 is an HR and payroll-related service provider listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Amberly McMillin. Located at 115 Autry Mill Rd, Johns Creek, GA.
• American Commercial Bank & TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial banking services provider listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Travis Kensinger. Located at 1315 N. North Branch St., Chicago, IL 60642.
• Asure SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationAsure Software is a payroll and HR software provider listed as a vendor partner, offering HCM solutions to IPPA's member payroll firms. Contact: Mike Vannoy. Located at 405 Colorado Street, Suite 1800, Austin, TX 78701.
• Benefit Cloud / PayFusion SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBenefit Cloud/PayFusion Solutions is a vendor partner offering employee benefit solutions. Contact: Tyler Priest. Located at 1140 Cape Aire Ln., Carlsbad, CA 92008.
• BlackBottle ITminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIT and cybersecurity services vendor partner. Contact: John Hensberger. Located at 7000 Stonewood Dr, Suite 222, Wexford, PA 15090.
• Byline BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial banking and fintech services provider as a vendor partner. Contact: Joe Tarkington.
• CB BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial banking services vendor partner. Contact: Sheri Chernisky. Located at 2111 North Franklin Drive, Washington, PA 15301.
• ConnectPayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll-related financial services vendor partner. Contact: Paul Altavena.
• Creative Planning Business ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness and financial planning services vendor partner. Contact: Brittany Gonzalez. Located at 12100 Meredith Dr., Suite #200, Urbandale, IA 50323.
• EarnIncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned wage access provider listed as an IPPA vendor partner. EarnIn offers on-demand pay solutions for employees served by IPPA member payroll firms. Contact: Nate Polak. Located at 200 Portage Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306. Premier sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat.
• EFX Financial ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial services vendor partner. Contact: Melanie Bermudez. Located at 1875 Indian Rocks Rd. S, Largo, FL 33774.
• Employee FiduciaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployee benefits and fiduciary services vendor partner. Contact: J.R. Moody. Located at 205 N. Conception St., Mobile, AL 36603.
• EquifaxcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEmployment and income verification services provider, listed as a vendor partner. Contact: Anita McClure. Located at 11432 Lackland Rd, St. Louis, MO 63146.
• Fifth Third BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial banking services vendor partner. Contact: Andy Salemi. Located at 1400 16th St., MD GOAK12, Oak Brook, IL 60523.
• FormQualityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness forms and compliance documentation vendor partner. Contact: Mary Jacobs. Located at 13751 Lincoln Lake Ave., Gowen, MI 49326.
• Georgia Banking CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking services vendor partner. Contact: Sam Gleaton. Located at 2827 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30305. Sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat.
• Goecomp / Granite InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance services vendor partner. Contact: Robert Campbell. Located at 360 Lindbergh Ave., Livermore, CA 94551.
• GreenShades SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll service software provider, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Walter Braithwaite. Located at 7020 A C Skinner Pkwy, Ste 140, Jacksonville, FL 32256. Sponsor of the 2026 Spring Summit.
• HireWith.UsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHR and talent acquisition services vendor partner. Contact: John Mason-Smith. Located at 4916 Parsons Walk Pl., Glen Allen, VA 23059.
• Houdyshell CPAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccounting and tax services vendor partner. Contact: Curt Houdyshell. Located at 106 N Sunset Ln., Raymore, MO 64083.
• Human InterestcoreGTM or Marketing Partner401(k) retirement services provider for small businesses, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Gennaro Romano. Located at 655 Montgomery St., Ste. 1500, San Francisco, CA 94111.
• Industry NewslettersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and communication services vendor partner. Contact: Laurie Friedman. Located at 411 Walnut St., Ste. 9124, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.
• isolved NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationHCM technology platform (payroll, HR, benefits administration) listed as a vendor partner. Contact: Marcia McGeachie. Located at 11215 N Community House Rd., Ste. 800, Charlotte, NC 28277. Exhibitor at the 2026 Spring Summit.
• KotaPayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerACH and payment services vendor partner. Contact: Todd Richardson. Located at 3247 47th Street S., Fargo, ND 58104.
• Marketing All DayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing services vendor partner. Contact: Josh Davis. Located at 91 Clinton Rd., Suite 1A, Fairfield, NJ 07004.
• National Payment Corporation (NatPay)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll tax payment and ACH services vendor partner. Contact: Jim Hagen. Located at 3415 W Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33607.
• PatchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll debit card and wage disbursement vendor partner. Contact: Alan Chang. Located at 1321 Upland Dr., Ste. 21288, Houston, TX 77043.
• PayReelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll-related financial services vendor partner. Contact: Steve Kapusta. Located at 211 Violet Street, Suite 100, Golden, CO 80401.
• Payro FinancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned wage access and payroll advance provider, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Morris Reichman. Located at 1640 Boro Place, 4th Floor, McLean, VA 22102. Co-sponsor of the 2026 Referral Challenge.
• Payroll Tax PeopleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll tax services vendor partner. Contact: Allyson Bunker. Located at 2152 E Copper Ave., Suite 105, Fresno, CA 93730.
• PosterEliteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLabor law compliance poster solutions provider, listed as a vendor partner. Contact: Hannah Peterson. Located at 13700 Stowe Dr., Poway, CA 92064.
• Progress PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness growth and financial services vendor partner. Contact: Parag Sheth.
• Rake DigitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital marketing and services vendor partner. Contact: Jennifer Eversole. Located at 1390 Southside Dr., Suite 117, Salem, VA 24153.
• SelerixcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayroll and HCM software provider, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Michelle Kershner. Located at 2851 Craig Dr., Suite 300, McKinney, TX 75070. Sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat.
• Slavic 401kminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRetirement plan services vendor partner. Contact: Barbara Redstone. Located at 1075 Broken Sound Pkwy NW, Boca Raton, FL 33487.
• SmartPayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPayroll debit card and payment services vendor partner. Contact: Danielle Grabowski. Located at 200 Executive Blvd., Suite 4J, Southington, CT 06489.
• SouthState BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking services for small businesses, vendor partner. Contact: Donyale Getz. Located at 945 E Paces Ferry Rd. NE, Ste. 1600, Atlanta, GA 30326. Sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat.
• Stone BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking services vendor partner. Contact: Bruce Upton. Located at 12615 Chenal Pkwy., Little Rock, AR 72211.
• SwipeclockcoreTechnology or IntegrationTime and attendance solutions provider, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Cary Snowden. Located at 10644 S. Jordan Gateway., Suite 400, South Jordan, UT 84095.
• TAB BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBanking and financial services vendor partner. Contact: Nick Craven. Located at 4185 Harrison Blvd., Ogden, UT 84403.
• TaxRailsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTax services vendor partner. Contact: Josh Cameron. Located at 150 N Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60302.
• TriState Capital BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial banking services vendor partner. Contact: Tim Merrell. Located at 301 Grant St., St. 2700, One Oxford Centre, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
• UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationUKG is a leading HCM software provider and premier advertiser/sponsor of IPPA. Contact: Colin Menchin. Located at 900 Chelmsford St., Lowell, MA 01851. Partner of the UKG Ready Partner Network. Co-sponsor of the 2026 Referral Challenge.
• WagePathminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWage access and earned wage access services vendor partner. Contact: Coray A. Grove. Located at P.O. Box 63, Chesterfield, MO 63017.
• ZayZooncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEarned wage access and financial wellness provider, listed as an IPPA vendor partner. Contact: Tate Hackert. Located at 9525 E Doubletree Ranch Rd., Ste. 101, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Featured on the IPPA podcast and blog. Sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat.
• PrismHRcoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading PEO and payroll technology platform, listed as an IPPA vendor partner and major sponsor. Co-sponsor of the 2026 Referral Challenge. Exhibitor/sponsor of the 2025 Owners & Executives Strategic Retreat and Spring Summit. Host of PRISMHR Live! 2026 industry event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Institute of CPAs (AICPA): A large professional membership association for CPAs with similar revenue model (tiered dues, vendor/sponsor programs, continuing education, advocacy). Comparable as a professional association operating at much larger scale across accounting, with overlap into payroll/HR advisory services for small firms.
• National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO): Trade association for the PEO industry, overlapping with IPPA on HCM/payroll advocacy, education, and vendor partner programs. NAPEO serves a broader PEO-centric audience but competes for the same HCM vendor sponsorship dollars and overlapping mid-market employer-services members.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): The largest HR professional association in the world, offering membership, certification (SHRM-CP/SCP), advocacy, and educational content. It does not focus on independent payroll bureaus but competes for the same employer-side audience and vendor sponsorship spend in the HR/payroll ecosystem.

Others

• ADP: The largest US payroll and HCM provider, acting as both a competitor to IPPA's independent bureau members and a comparable sponsor ecosystem participant. Relevant as the dominant incumbent whose scale-driven competitive pressure defines the market IPPA members operate within.
• PRISM HR / PrismHR: A leading PEO and payroll technology platform that is both a major IPPA vendor partner and a competitor to IPPA's independent bureau members. As PrismHR and similar platforms grow, they can either accelerate IPPA's vendor channel or compress the addressable independent-bureau market.
• UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group): Premier IPPA vendor partner and one of the largest HCM vendors whose growth directly competes with IPPA's independent-bureau members. As UKG consolidates share, it represents both a major sponsorship revenue source for IPPA and a structural threat to the independent payroll ecosystem IPPA serves.
• Paychex: A leading payroll and HCM provider whose continued share gain among small and mid-sized businesses is the principal competitive force that IPPA's independent members must defend against. Comparable to IPPA's vendor partner ecosystem participants and relevant as the dominant mid-market payroll incumbent.

Regional players

• Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA): Trade association for community banks using the same model IPPA applies to payroll bureaus: tiered membership dues, advocacy on behalf of independent operators against large incumbents, vendor partner program, and annual conferences. Directly comparable association operating model for an independent-operator segment.

Emerging players

• National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP): Membership association serving tax preparers and enrolled agents, with a comparable structure of tiered dues, education, advocacy, and vendor partnerships. While tax-focused, it overlaps with IPPA members on payroll-tax services and competes for similar small-firm employer-services members.

Direct peers

• PayrollOrg (formerly American Payroll Association): The dominant US professional association for payroll professionals, offering education, certification, advocacy, and member services directly comparable to IPPA, though PayrollOrg serves individual practitioners and corporate payroll departments rather than focusing on independent payroll service bureaus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ippa-independent-payroll-providers-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about IPPA - Independent Payroll Providers Association