Given that the Risk and Insurance Management Society is anorganization that helps educate insurance professionals on how tolimit risks, it's not surprising that the first question RIMSPresident Michael Liebowitz often heard when planning this year'sevent was, “After all that has happened in New Orleans recently,why hold the annual RIMS conference there?” But he's ready with aresponse to this frequently asked question.

“If the insurance industry turns its back on that city in itstime of need, then shame on them,” said Liebowitz. “New Orleans hasbeen ready, well in advance to host a conference of this size, andwe want to show our support. It's also the home of the first annualRIMS conference.”

As it turns out, this year is the seventh time that the annualconference has been held on the bayou. It will take place next weekbetween Apr. 29-May 3, 2007, at the Ernest N. Morial ConventionCenter, and marks the 45th year that the Society has served up avaluable resource for the insurance community to utilize as aneducational opportunity.

Schedule Highlights

The conference kicks off on Sunday with a number of specialevents, including the 16th Annual Spencer/Gallagher Golf Tournamentat the Carter Plantation and The Oaks Golf Club. The RIMS 2007Community Service Day, which is a joint volunteer project betweenRIMS and the Beacon of Hope Resource Center, also takes place onSunday. Participants will have a chance to help residents of theLakeview Parrish return home after Hurricane Katrina's destructionby clearing yards of dead shrubbery and tree branches, and bypainting. Rest assured, though — it's not all work. Sunday eveningoffers the chance to reward yourself by taking in “RiversideRoyale,” the opening reception at in the grand ballroom of theHilton Riverside Hotel from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

On Monday morning, the opening session and keynote address willbegin at 8:00 a.m. One of the most anticipated keynote speakers ofthe conference is Dr. Michael Osterholm, who is director for theCenter for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. His address,“Bracing for a Pandemic: What You Need to Know and How You CanPrepare,” will discuss the social and economic effects of a flupandemic and how public health authorities plan to manage thethreat.

“Dr. Osterholm's address will be interesting because it willbring an internal perspective to our audience that they will findhelpful,” said Liebowitz.

Another highly anticipated event is the CEO Leadership PanelLuncheon, which takes place on Tuesday of conference week. This isthe third year for the forum, which focuses on the key issues thatrisk managers are tackling today. This year the panel includes CEOsfrom highly recognized companies such as Zurich Insurance, WillisGroup Holdings, AON Corp., Marsh & McLennan Companies, ACE USA,FM Global, Arthur J. Gallagher Co., and AIG.

“The CEO panel is important to risk managers because we getgreat guests answering the questions that come out of the sessions,and there are always some surprises,” said Liebowitz. “It is goodto have that kind of open communication here.”

Beyond Breakouts

There are a wide range of topics covered at this year's RIMSconference and the entire experience can be overwhelming forsomeone who has never attended a conference like this before.That's why RIMS has chosen to reach out to those who are new to thebusiness by offering the First Timers' Orientation, which will beavailable Sunday and Monday.

“We have seen an increase in those who are attending theconference for the first time,” said Liebowitz. “It is large andthere is a lot of information out there so it can be daunting. Wewant to focus this gathering on education and networking.”

But count on breakout sessions to dominate the days. This year,there are 10 different categories of session topics:

Claims Management

Employment Risks

Enterprise Risk Management

Finance

Industry

Insurance

International

Legal Legislation

Loss Control

Risk Management

For the Risk Management, Claims Management, and Loss Controltracks, there will be a “hot topic” session, which will cover asubject that is viewed as an issue of significance to that area,but will not be revealed until the time of the presentation. “Thesesessions are nothing new to the conference, and they usually fillup fast for obvious reasons,” said Liebowitz. The three sessionsare sure to address pertinent concerns of the selected topic andprovide valuable information to assist the risk managementcommunity in the future.

According to Liebowitz, the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)track is the largest, and there is a big push to embrace ERMprograms this year. Keynote speaker Dave Maurstad, director ofFEMA's mitigation division and federal insurance administrator,will give an address titled, “Government's Role in Mitigating Risk:New Orleans and Beyond,” and will highlight efforts by the NationalFlood Insurance Program, as well as how to reduce risks related tonatural disasters.

Take It Away

There is something new for everyone in the risk managementindustry to take away from this year's RIMS conference. The trickwill be to choose sessions carefully to create an educational andenjoyable experience.

“In order to get the most out of this conference, ask yourself,'Where can I advance my skills?' There is a variety of topics beingpresented and it is up to each member to decide that forthemselves. Each year, we challenge them to take away more thanthey can carry,” said Liebowitz.

Interested in more risk management news and in-depth articles?Head over to Claims' risk management channel for moreinformation.