RIMS Western Regional Conference Set for Sept. 2-5

The 52nd Annual Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Western Regional Conference kicks off on Sept. 2-5 in San Francisco. More than 100 risk professionals are expected to attend. The conference is hosted by RIMS Golden Gate Chapter. Complete details may be found at www.RIMS.org/wrc.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Bridging Risk to Opportunity”, and the conference logo features the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. “This year, we chose a theme that highlights the importance of enterprise risk management. We are committed to providing risk professionals with a program that will help them recognize the value of the risk-reward balance, which can be attained by accepting risk or proactively controlling it,” says Karen Beier, ARM, RIMS Western Regional Conference chair, member of RIMS board of directors and vice president of risk management at Shaklee Corp.

“RIMS Western Regional Conference has traditionally been a popular event—providing an intimate setting for talented risk management professionals from the western states to network and learn from one another,” adds Gregory Thaler, RIMS Golden Gate Chapter member, RIMS Western Regional Conference coordinator and national leader of property insurance claims at LECG, LCC.

The conference features panel sessions comprised of risk managers and industry experts in order to provide a multi-faceted perspective on the issues. Topics include “The Changing Landscape of D&O Liability Insurance: Are you Prepared?”; “Catastrophic Risk Management—Going Beyond Insurance”; “The Ten Worst Mistakes on Property and Business Interruption Claims”; and “Fundamentals of a Successful TPA Claims Service Partnership”.

Keynote speaker at the RIMS Western Regional Conference General Session is Evan Greenberg, chairman and CEO of ACE, on the topic of “Current Affairs in Risk Management”.

In keeping with the conference theme, humor therapist Elaine Lundberg will kick off the event with “Laughter—The Glue That Holds the Bridge Together” and Dan McGarvey, managing director of Marsh, will explore challenges in risk management in “Bridging the Generation Gap”. Other speakers include Dan Glaser, chairman and CEO of Marsh, speaking on “Outlook for the Insurance and Brokerage Industries”; and Brian Murray, managing director of AIG and an expert on doing business in China, on “China’s Rising Impact on the Global Economy”.

For a special treat, the conference will host a gala at McCormick & Kuleto’s Seafood Restaurant in historic Ghirardelli Square with spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay, fine California wines and a mouth-watering selection of culturally-diverse cuisine to the beat of the Magnolia Jazz Band—all topped off with a Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory “Build Your Own Sundae”.

The early bird deadline for RIMS Western Regional Conference is July 18. Online registration ends Aug. 15, 2008.