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RIMS Presents Risk Management Industry’s Top Honors

RIMS16_Award_Winners-7SAN DIEGO—During today’s RIMS 2016 Annual Conference & Exhibition Awards Luncheon, RIMS doled out its highest honors to several prominent members of the risk management industry.

The risk management society presented Christopher E. Mandel, senior vice president of strategic solutions at Sedgwick Claims Management, Inc., with its top honor, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award for outstanding service and achievement to the risk management discipline.

“The risk management community is filled with exceptional professionals but few have had the remarkable career achievements and broad industry impact as Chris Mandel,” said RIMS CEO Mary Roth. “To this day, Chris continues to give back to the profession through his involvement with RIMS and at Sedgwick. He is a wonderful example of the best this profession has to offer and it is our honor to present him with RIMS’ highest award.”

Mandel served as 2002 RIMS president, and has fulfilled 19 distinct roles for the society and delivered dozens of workshops for other risk professionals since becoming a RIMS workshop instructor 2010, with particular emphasis on enterprise risk management and strategic risk management.

This year’s Risk Management Hall of Fame inductees are David Mikulina and William H. (Bill) McGannon. Mikulina headed the risk management department at Hyatt Hotels Corporation for 23 years before his retirement in 2007, and still enjoys sharing his insights with rising and veteran risk management professionals alike as a longstanding RIMS member. McGannon was one of the first Canadian risk managers to establish a full-service risk management department that included loss prevention and statistical support at NOVA Chemical Corporation in Alberta. After his retirement in 1998, he frequently lectured at the University of Calgary and traveled to Scotland to participate in the Risk Manager in Residence program. While McGannon passed away in 2015, his legacy in the risk community lives on, particularly through the William H. McGannon Foundation, which provides scholarships, research grants and student involvement initiatives to advance risk management by way of education, research, mentorship and work experience programs.

“Although the risk management profession has evolved significantly, the achievements of its early pioneers continue to have lasting influence on the processes and strategies used today,” said RIMS Chief Executive Officer Mary Roth. “Whether it was enhancing their organization’s already complex risk program or devoting themselves to supporting the promising careers of future risk management leaders, this year’s Risk Management Hall of Fame inductees have unquestionably made substantial contributions to the profession and RIMS.”

“We are pleased to recognize Bill and Dave for significant achievement in their professional careers and their contributions to shaping the risk management discipline,” said Rob Schimek, CEO of AIG Commercial.

RIMS and Business Insurance presented Gus Fuldner, head of insurance for Uber Technologies, with the 2016 Risk Manager of the Year Award.

In recognition for her outstanding performance in furthering risk management with the RIMS Memphis Chapter, Sedgewick Senior Vice President of Risk Management Robin Joines received the Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” Award.

RIMS also announced its first inductees into the RIMS Ambassador Group, which recognizes individuals for their continued service with the organization. Darius Delon, South Alberta Chapter member and associate vice president of risk services at Mount Royal Univeristy, and Daniel McGarvey, Western Carolina Chapter member and managing director at Marsh, both recived this award for going above and beyond to help strengthen and support the society’s strategic initiatives.

The RIMS Rising Star Award was presented to Alumine Bellone, director of risk and insurance for Broward Health, and Kathleen Crowe, account specialist II for Aon Risk Solutions were honored for demonstrating exceptional initiative, volunteerism, professional development, achievement, and leadership potential.

David Engel, director of risk management for AT&T, received the Cristy Award, presented to the individual with the highest marks on the three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation.

RIMS Presents Top Risk Management Awards

Janice Ochenkowski RIMS Award

Janice Ochenkowski was presented with the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award by RIMS Executive Director Mary Roth and President Richard Roberts.

 

NEW ORLEANS—At today’s RIMS 2015 Annual Conference & Exhibition Awards Luncheon, RIMS, the risk management society, announced the winners of its top industry awards.

Janice Ochenkowski, international director of global risk management at Jones Lang LaSalle, received the society’s most prestigious honor, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award for furthering the goals of RIMS and the risk management discipline through outstanding service and achievement.

Victoria Nolan Heart of RIMS Award

The Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” award for outstanding performance in furthering risk management at the chapter level was presented to Victoria Nolan, risk and benefits manager at Clean Water Services and an active member of the RIMS Oregon Chapter.

Three individuals received the RIMS Rising Star Award, which honors up-and-coming risk management professionals under the age of 35 or with less than seven years of experience in the industry. Anna Bendgen, risk management specialist at Sedgwick, Andrew Bent, senior advisor, EH&S risk at Suncor Energy Inc., and Yelena Urcia, senior global insurance analyst at The AES Corporation, were recognized for their exceptional initiative, volunteerism, professional development, achievement, and leadership potential.

RIMS and Business Insurance magazine presented the 2015 Risk Manager of the Year® Award to Kathleen M. Ireland, vice president of global risk management at IBM.

Richard Rabs, immediate past chair of the RIMS External Affairs Committee, was presented with the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award for commitment in the area of legislation or regulation.

This year’s Cristy Award, for the highest marks on the three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation, went to Michael Grosso, risk analyst at Bimbo Bakeries USA.

And the RIMS Awards Winners Are…

DENVER— At today’s RIMS 2014 Awards Luncheon, the risk management society issued its top marks of distinction for leadership and achievement in the industry.

RIMS’ most prestigious honor, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award went to Mark DeLillo, director of risk management for Taylor Morrison, Inc., in Scottsdale, Ariz (pictured above with RIMS President Carolyn Snow). Named in honor of RIMS’ first president, the award pays tribute to an individual who has furthered the goals of the Society and the risk management discipline through a lifetime of outstanding service and achievement.

Recognizing outstanding performance in furthering risk management at the chapter level, the Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” Award was given to Hal D. Larson, vice president and risk manager of the Kent Corporation and a member of the RIMS Greater Quad Cities Chapter in Iowa.

Scott B. Clark, risk and benefits officer with the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, received the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award for commitment in the area of legislation or regulation.

Melissa Swanson, a risk management analyst with California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo, won the Cristy Award, presented to the individual who scored the highest marks on three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation.

RIMS also honored William M. Zachry, vice president of risk management at Safeway Inc., with the 2014 Risk Manager of the Year Award, issued in association with Business Insurance magazine.

Engagement in the risk management community continues to rise, and the awards highlighted the society’s growth over the past year. RIMS recognized 17 chapters across the country that notably increased membership—nine chapters grew by at least 9% in 2013, and another eight chapters expanded by at least 6%.