NU Online News Service, April 26, 3:48 p.m. EDT

BOSTON--In only 10 years the risk management profession has gone from "back office" to sought-after professionals, Terry Fleming, president of the Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc., told members.

He noted today in a talk here that the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, along with Hurricane Katrina and most lately a volcano in Iceland have raised awareness levels of the need for risk management.

"Companies are asking what they can do to mitigate risk," he said. "Once insurance buyers, now they are business professionals in many areas, asked to participate in C-suite decision-making."

He said RIMS, now seeing its 60th anniversary, is helping risk managers to reach the top corporate officers level and to support risk managers for the next 60 years.

He reiterated his five key objectives for RIMS:

o Furthering leadership efforts of enterprise risk management.

o Developing advocacy for risk managers with legislation and regulations.

o Continuing efforts to develop a RIMS international strategy.

o Supporting efforts to continue to encourage students to enter risk management careers.

o Encouraging more peer-to-peer benchmarking and sharing best practices.

RIMS Executive Director Mary Roth, celebrating her 25th anniversary with RIMS, said since 1980 RIMS has awarded $4 million in scholarships and $2 million in student grants.

Mr. Fleming announced Steven M. Wilder, vice president of risk management at the Walt Disney Company, as the winner of the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award. The award is chosen by other risk managers and pays tribute to an individual who has furthered the goals of the Society and the risk management discipline.

The Ron Judd "Heart of RIMS" Award was presented to Mark Ryan, director of casualty insurance for Occidental Petroleum Corporation and member of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter.

The Arthur Quern Quality Award was presented to Paychex Inc. for its predictive model within its ERM program.

The Cristy Award was presented to Stanley Jurewicz, director of risk management for Florida State Univ., Jacksonville.

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RIMS Pres. Says Risk Managers Have Gained Corporate Clout

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