Views (July 01, 2006)

At the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) 2006 Conference in Honolulu, HI, Roger Andrews, director of risk management for E.D. Bullard Co., accepted the society’s distinguished Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award. Andrews accepted the RIMS award for “furthering the goals of risk management and RIMS through outstanding achievement.” Andrews has been an active RIMS member for two decades, serving as the RIMS president in 2000 and past president and director of RIMS’ Bluegrass Chapter in Lexington, KY. Currently, Andrews is a delegate and co-chair of the Western Regional Conference for the Utah Chapter. In addition, Andrews served as chair of the RIMS Constitution & Bylaws Task Force, as well as on the RIMS Executive Council as treasurer, first vice president, president, and vice president of International and Special Projects. He was a member of the RIMS nominating committee and is currently a member of the board of directors of the Spencer Educational Foundation. In 1997, Andrews was honored at the RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition in Atlanta as the recipient of the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award for outstanding work in the area of legislative activity affecting risk management. In 1982, Andrews drafted legislation that created the risk management division for the State of Maine and became the first director of risk management for the state.

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For the first time in RIMS’ history, the Ron Judd Heart of RIMS Award went to two co-winners. Diana J. Rich, director of risk management for RemedyTemp Inc., and Cheryl P. Johnson, executive director of risk management for the Dallas Independent School District, received the award. The award is given to individuals for outstanding performance on behalf of their chapters. Rich served as Orange County Chapter president in 2005 and served three years as vice president of the chapter; Johnson has served every officer position for the Dallas Fort Worth Chapter and was chapter president in ’95. Numerous other awards were presented, including the Advancing the Role of Risk Management Chapter Award winners.

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Insurance Institute Canada inaugurated its new training premises with an open house celebration on May 18. The new space will be the ‘educational home’ for professionals taking insurance industry courses and seminars. The new facility is located within the institute’s building at 18 King Street East in Toronto. Bob Tisdale, president and COO of Pembridge Insurance Co., and Peter Hohman, president and CEO of the institute, cut the inaugural ribbon and welcomed guests in to the new space.

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Giffin Koerth Forensic Engineering and Science celebrated its move to 40 University Ave. in Toronto on May 25. The move accommodates the “growing team of experts” joining Giffin Koerth.

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Many exhibitors attended the Insurance Brokers Association of B.C (IBABC)’s 58th Annual Conference & Trade Show, held May 9-12 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Vancouver.

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Ontario Risk and Insurance Management Society (ORIMS) members enjoyed a good chuckle at the organization’s 46th Annual General Meeting, featuring the jovial musings of CTV’s Comedy Inc. comedian James Cunningham. ORIMS’ director of social programs, Karin McDonald, emceed the event, which was held at Stop 33, a restaurant on the 33rd floor of Toronto’s luxurious Sutton Place Hotel. McDonald asked guests to acknowledge social committee volunteers for a splendid evening and welcomed the chapter’s past presidents. Outgoing president Niver Rubenyan offered the audience her parting words and passed the ceremonial gavel to incoming president Bruce Tainsh of Sun Life Financial Inc. Tanish addressed the audience in his new role as ORIMS president for 2006-2007, and then presented Rubenyan with a plaque recognizing her contribution to ORIMS.

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KRG Children’s Charitable Foundation offered Muskoka-based CNIB Lake Joseph Centre (Lake Jo) a $500,000 donation towards Lake Jo’s “Restoring the Spirit” campaign. Lake Jo is a camp for visually impaired children and their families. Its capital campaign aims to raise enough money to rebuild the entire camp facility. KRG’s generous donation will be spread out over a five-year period, with Lake Jo receiving CD$100,000 each year starting June 2006 and ending in 2011. Steven Wise, chairman of The KRG Children’s Charitable Foundation, says KRG’s cornerstone gift will “set the wheels in motion to “Restoring the Spirit” at Lake Jo. “Lake Jo is a very special place and the children who will benefit and enjoy the camp should have a state-of-the-art facility,” Wise said as he presented the cheque to the CNIB Capital Campaign committee on June 7, 2006.

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Hannover Re recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Canadian branch with a special Anniversary Dinner held at the island clubhouse of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto. Hans Rolf, managing director of Hannover Re’s North American treaty division, and Roy Vincent, senior vice president of the company’s Canadian treaty department, acted as hosts. Several Hannover Re senior executives joined the festivities, including Hannover Re chair Wilhelm Zeller and executive board member Jurgen Graber. Throughout the evening, speakers reminisced about Hannover Re’s 25 years of service to the Canadian insurance industry. Lorraine Williams of D.M. Williams & Associates Ltd., Hannover Re’s chief agent in Canada throughout this time period, received special mention for her dedicated service.