RIMS has announced Manuel “Manny” Padilla will serve as president of the risk management society for the 2026 term, effective January 1. Padilla is the 70th president of RIMS and the first of Hispanic descent.

Padilla’s risk management career began as a student when he was awarded a scholarship to attend RIMS’s annual conference in New Orleans in 1992. He has remained active with the society since, and has held several leadership roles on its board, public policy committee and RISK PAC.

“The time is now for risk professionals to take the lead and build corporate cultures that empower business leaders to make smart and strategic investments that spur innovation, growth, and profitability,” Padilla said in a release. “However, to assume that leading role, risk professionals must invest in themselves first.”

Padilla currently serves as vice president of risk management and insurance for MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated. Since joining the firm in 1992, his responsibilities have included analysis, procurement and management of a variety of risk management functions, including settlement activities on first and third-party claims.

“Making the smart investment in oneself demands patience, dedication and perseverance,” Padilla said. “My goal as RIMS president is to help ensure that this Society continues to create opportunities for risk professionals around the globe to make that wise investment in themselves and collaboratively advance the risk profession.”

Padilla is also co-chair of the Lloyd’s Counsel of Risk Owners, an adjunct professor for the Maurice Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (St. John’s University), a member of a private family office risk committee group and was formerly a member of the risk committee for the New York Navy League.

From 1982 to 1988, Padilla served in the U.S. Navy, primarily engaged in shipboard engineering functions, serving on the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Kitty Hawk and the USS Mount Baker. He was also the assistant master at arms for Fighter Squadron 124 located in San Diego. He has been a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 2003 and was formerly the commander for Division 11 located in Brooklyn, New York. He is qualified in various marine safety-related areas and has earned the USCG Auxiliary AuxOp designation, in addition to several awards.

The remainder of the officers for the RIMS 2026 Board of Directors are:

  • President-elect: Christy Kaufman, vice president, P&C risk and compliance, USAA
  • Treasurer: Penni Chambers, senior vice president, risk management, Hillwood, a Perot Company
  • Secretary: Christie Weinstein, senior director, risk management, Solstice Advanced Materials Inc.

Incumbent board members for 2026 are:

  • Ann Barry, MA, ARM, senior director, risk management, Palo Alto Networks
  • Carnell Jones, risk manager, Trinitas Ventures LLC
  • John Kline, RIMS-CRMP, CPCU, ARM; senior director, enterprise insurance risk management, TransUnion
  • Will Lehman, MBA, ARM, CPCU; global director of risk management, Cook Group Incorporated
  • Ondrea Matthews, senior director, risk management and benefits, CoorsTek, LLC
  • Tamieka Weeks, AIC, AIS, ARM-E; director, global risk management and insurance, Southwire Company
  • Robert Zhang, chief risk officer, DTI Global
  • Immediate past-president: Kristen Peed, RIMS-CRMP, ACI, AIC, ARM-E, CPCU, CRM, RPLU; Chief Risk Officer, SEQUOIA
  • Non-voting director: Gary A. LaBranche, FASAE, CAE, RIMS chief executive officer

(Photo credit: Courtesy of RIMS)

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