Annual RIMS Canada Conference rewards industry winners

The annual 2005 Risk Insurance Management Canada Conference recently held in Montral acknowledged several individuals at the awards luncheon, sponsored by Lloyds. At the ceremony, which recognizes the need for professional advancement and the elevation of the risk management profession through education, keynote speaker and president of Lloyds of America Wendy Baker offered guests a global overview and perspective on the issues and challenges facing the insurance industry and the risk management profession the second half of this decade unfolds.One of featured individual was the president of the McGannon Foundation Joe Restoule. At the ceremony Restoule was acknowledged for the organizations $300,000 surplus, which resulted from the generous donations received over the past 2.5 years. Growing their good works, the board of the McGannon foundation recently initiated the new endeavor of supporting the Junior Achievement organization in an attempt to draw students and young people into the industry and promote risk management as a superb career choice for more students.Also running into the spotlight was the annual “Spencer Foundation Fun Run,” organized by Joe Hardy and sponsored by FM Global, which raised $1,780 for the foundation.Also featured at the ceremony was ORIMS AGM Golf Tournament for its $5,200 donation as well as Agnew Higgins Pickering lunchtime donation of $5,000; and, SARIMS donation of $19,200.Jim Swanson, chair of the National Education Committee, spoke at the event, announcing this years Fred Bossons award winner. The 2005 winner, who requested to remain ‘anonymous,’ is a senior officer with the Canadian military (Dept. of National Defense). According to Swanson this year’s winner is grateful for the award but cannot accept the $500 cash prize and requested instead that the funds be donated to the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Society. This year’s enrolment for the award going to the student achieving the highest marks in the CRM program totaled 239 students. Nancy Chambers took center stage when Niver Rubenyan, current ORIMS president presented, awarded her with the distinguished Don Stuart award the highest symbol of achievement of risk management in Canada. Boasting a host of accomplishments and highlights throughout her 15-year career, Chambers most recent tenure was as RIMS president in 2004. Chambers has been a promoter of education in risk management and an ambassador for the risk management community and has inspired many within the profession With an overwhelming 16 letters of support for the nomination, an emotional Chambers addressed the audience with gratitude for the honor and privilege she received by being able to spend time with Don Stuart. This time was humbly spent developing workshops and an archive project.