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RIMS Conference Back to the Big Easy—A risk management smorgasbord awaits attendees The Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) 45th annual conference is scheduled for April 29-May 3, 2007, in New Orleans. Yes, that’s right, New Orleans. Certainly we have all seen national news reports about the lack of progress in reconstructing the Big Easy. However, please note that the conference and convention areas of New Orleans have pretty much been restored to their original condition, as has the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. RIMS had made a commitment to the New Orleans venue several years ago, long before anyone had ever heard of Hurricane Katrina. Certainly the reality of Katrina gave RIMS pause for concern about having the conference in New Orleans. However, over the past year-and-a-half they monitored the reconstruction progress closely and today are confident that New Orleans will continue to provide a positive location for the conference. Opening day, Sunday, April 29, will feature a number of old standbys, including the 16th annual Spencer Golf Tournament (8:00 a.m. tee off) and the 13th annual Spencer Tennis Tournament (9:00 a.m.). Another important event is the first-timer’s orientation, which will be held at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside at 4:15 p.m. Sunday concludes with the “Riverside Royale” Opening Reception, also scheduled at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday is also a day that the risk management community can help support recovery efforts in New Orleans through the RIMS 2007 Community Service Day. To give conference participants a chance to help those in need, RIMS has partnered with the Beacon of Hope Resource Center to assist the residents of the Lakeview section in eventually returning to their homes. Participants will leave the Morial Convention Center by bus at 8:30 a.m. and will paint homes, clean yards of overgrown weeds, and remove dead shrubs and trees. Breakfast and a boxed lunch will be provided. RIMS’ normal Wednesday evening entertainment event will feature award-winning comedian and television personality Dennis Miller, who will host the 4,000 delegates at the Morial Convention Center. RIMS is reaching out to exhibitors to donate funds to the benefit; proceeds will be used to purchase much-needed fire trucks for New Orleans. The benefit is scheduled to be held at the convention center, 8:00-10:00 p.m. Keynote speakers at this year’s RIMS Convention include Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, who will explore what risk managers can expect from the next pandemic crisis in his presentation titled “Bracing for a Pandemic: What You Need to Know and How You Can Prepare.” In addition, David Maurstad, director of FEMA’s Mitigation Division and Federal Insurance Administrator, will share successes and lessons learned in the wake of 2005’s unprecedented storm season and the government’s role in “Mitigating Risk: New Orleans and Beyond.” And finally, David Holcombe, CPCU, director of Risk Management for International Speedway Corporation (NASCAR), will address his company’s efforts to manage risk in “Driving Risk Management on the Speedway.” The CEO Leadership Panel—a special event that met with much success last year—returns to the conference this year, with CEOs of leading insurers and brokers engaging in a dialogue on key issues affecting today’s risk managers. Panelists will discuss how the big firms are responding to the issues, in terms of processes and solutions. Panelists include the CEOs of ACE USA, AIG, Aon Corp., Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., FM Global, Marsh & McLennan Cos., Willis Group Holdings and Zurich. This year’s annual event will follow in the tradition of providing a high quality educational experience for attendees. A main focus of this year’s conference will be Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), with approximately 20 sessions focusing on the topic, including an ERM Bootcamp and an introductory session on applying the newly launched RIMS Risk Maturity Model for ERM. Some 400 expert speakers will lead sessions in diverse areas such as claims management, employment risks, ERM, finance, insurance, legal legislation, loss control, and risk management. Additional sessions will be customized for various industries and aspects of doing business and managing risks internationally. Other “hot topic” sessions will include “Lost in Translation—International Risk and Compliance Challenging Global Companies” and “Catastrophe Modeling and Climate Change—Risk Management Challenges.” These sessions offer attendees the most up-to-date content based on current industry news. Two off-site sessions will take RIMS members to the New Orleans Museum of Art and Harrah’s New Orleans to explore how these facilities were able to bounce back after Hurricane Katrina. One of the highlights of the RIMS annual conference is the exhibit hall. This year’s conference will feature close to 400 exhibitors, offering tools and services to assist and provide solutions to risk managers’ needs. More than 55 new companies are exhibiting this year. Traditionally, exhibitors use the conference as a platform to announce important company news, launch products and publicize changes in senior management. To be certain, RIMS has a long history with New Orleans; in fact the annual RIMS conference was actually born in the Big Easy in 1963. Since that time RIMS has returned to New Orleans six times for its annual conference. Coming back for its seventh time is certain to add to the Society’s rich history in the Big Easy, and certain to provide any agent or broker with a great opportunity to learn about the state-of-the-art of risk management. * For more information: |
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