Iris E. Wagner

CEO, Founder & Executive Producer

Passionate about Preserving Legacies

Iris E. Wagner’s journey began with a deep-seated passion for storytelling and a commitment to preserving legacies. With a background in International Finance, Iris’s career took an unexpected turn when she discovered her love for working with entrepreneurs and start-ups. Her pursuit of a graduate degree in Film and Communications at Concordia University laid the foundation for what would become her life’s work.

In 2000, Iris founded Memoirs Productions, channeling her expertise into creating Ethical Wills—Legacy of Values™—and video biography documentaries. Her mission was clear: to help successful family businesses and individuals preserve their stories, values, beliefs, and lessons learned alongside their financial assets.

Award-Winning

Over the years, Iris’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. She has garnered numerous awards and nominations for her work in both Canada and the U.S. One of her posthumous bio-docs is even distributed worldwide by the National Film Board. Memoirs Productions has become the personal historian industry’s “blueprint for success”. As Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s, Iris showcased the rich history of New York City’s iconic fashion emporium. Her expertise in video ethical wills and biography productions has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s Penta, and Billionaire magazine’s special Legacy Issue.

Thought Leader and International Speaker

Iris’s influence extends beyond her productions. As a sought-after speaker at family office and international conferences, she shares her insights on digital legacy preservation. With extensive experience in capturing families’ stories and ethical wills on video, Iris leads the conversation on authentic legacy preservation in an age where artificial intelligence makes distinguishing genuine memories increasingly challenging.

Bringing Legacy Work to the Mainstream

In 2021, Iris took a bold step to bring ethical will and legacy work into the mainstream by launching her online courses, Preserving Your Life’s Legacy (PYLL) and Your Ethical Will. Embracing cutting-edge technology, she incorporated online meeting tools, smartphones and tablets to capture legacy stories, making it easier for people to preserve their histories in a rapidly changing world.

Iris is in the process of launching a podcast, Speaking of Legacy…, to inspire listeners to start recording their wisdom.

A Lifelong Mission

Iris’s passion for preserving life stories and values—the essence of what truly matters—drives her every day. She is dedicated to speaking about legacy preservation, especially as technology evolves and shapes our understanding of the past, present, and future. Her legacy is evident in each heirloom created by her and her team at Memoirs Productions, ensuring that the legacies of families and individuals are preserved for generations to come.