THIS JUST IN!!!
The Spencer Foundation announced that the UNT
Risk Management and Insurance Program has been
awarded a Risk Manager in Residence for the second
year in a row!
Next year (2011-2012), UNT will host John Bell, Sr. VP &
Director, Risk Management Union Bank N.A. in San Francisco, as its Risk Manager in Residence. Watch the COB
UNT website for additional details.
RISK MANAGEMENT & Department
INSURANCE
Program
of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law
Medlin Announces Renewal of Fundraising for Glen L. Taylor Chair in Insurance
Don Medlin, president and CEO of Scarbrough, Medlin & Associates Inc. and Dr. Finley Graves, Dean of the College of Business,
announce the reactivation of fundraising for the Glen L. Taylor
Chair in Insurance at UNT. The fund was established to honor Dr.
Glen Taylor. Dr. Taylor‘s UNT career began as an undergraduate
student in 1947 and culminated with his retirement after more than
three decades as a professor in the UNT College of Business. Mr.
Medlin and Dr. John H. Thornton, Regents Professor Emeritus of
Insurance, worked with supporters of the risk management and
insurance program at UNT to raise more than $500,000 toward
the Glen L. Taylor Chair.
―We are about one third the way of where we need to be,‖ said Mr.
Medlin. ―The program is poised to become recognized as an outstanding program at the national level. In order to attract a leader
we need to raise an additional million dollars. And we can do it.‖
―The College is committed to have a nationally rated program in
risk management and insurance,‖ said Dean Graves. ―In order to
do that we need an academic leader who can work with the insurance industry in Texas and beyond. As UNT moves to becoming a
premier research institution, the risk management and insurance
program will lead the College in that direction.‖
When fully funded, the Glen L. Taylor Chair in Insurance will
enable the College of Business to attract an outstanding scholar to
its faculty. This individual will build on the tradition of excellence
in teaching, research and service provided by the Risk Management and Insurance program at UNT. Specifically, the Glen L.
Taylor Chair will:
Ensure continued quality insurance education in the College of Business.
Facilitate the College's initiative to provide an integrated
curriculum for future financial planning and insurance professionals.
Teach topics related to insurance at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels.
Develop a visiting executives program by inviting
outstanding individuals to share their experience and
knowledge with students and faculty.
Monitor and analyze trends affecting the insurance industry.
Develop additional scholarship and internship opportunities
to attract and retain high-caliber students to the insurance
industry.
Hold seminars and conferences on current insurance topics.
Conduct research on the insurance industry and related
topics in the global insurance marketplace.
Left to Right:
Don Medlin,
Chancellor Lee
Jackson, Dr.
Glen L. Taylor
and Dean
Finley Graves
visit at a
reception for
donors to the
Glen L. Taylor
Chair in
Insurance.
Mr. Medlin was Outstanding Alumnus of the Department of
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law for Fall 2009. Medlin
earned his BBA degree from the University of North Texas. At
UNT, he continues to give back with tireless fundraising efforts by
serving as Chairman of the Glen L. Taylor Chair in Insurance
committee. Medlin is an invaluable resource to the school as
lecturer and supporter for students interested in the insurance
industry.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
UNT Risk Management and
Insurance Program to become UNT
Risk, Insurance and Financial
Services Concentration
Recognizing the tremendous changes and growth underway in the
risk management, insurance and financial services industries, the
faculty of the Department of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and
Law department recently approved combining the academic programs under one umbrella.
The requirements of the programs remain basically the same.
Combining the programs will recognize the importance of the disciplines to each other and will allow advising, internship placement, job searches and alumni interactions to be more effective.
Industry representatives were consulted prior to the proposed
combination and were universally supportive.
Dr. Stephen Poe will continue as academic advisor for the combined program. Beginning Fall 2011, the UNT Risk Management
and Insurance Club will become the Risk, Insurance and Financial
Services Society (RIFSS).
―Combining the programs will allow us to provide better advising
and career services to our students,‖ said Dr. Poe. ―Employers
looking for interns in the areas of risk management, insurance or
financial services will now know where to go for assistance. Each
of the areas will benefit from this move.‖
Join RMI & Network
Are you still an undecided major? Are you
still contemplating if you should major in Risk
Management and Insurance? Are you not
sure about what career path you should be
working towards? If you answered yes to one
or more of these questions, then check out the
Risk Management and Insurance Club where
Desirée Binion you will be notified of numerous opportunities
ranging from job opportunities, scholarship
opportunities, club meetings, and especially networking mixers
where you can meet top Risk Management and Insurance professionals, and enjoy FREE food and drinks—great for us college students who are on a major budget!
The place to be on Wednesday, February 16, 2011, from 6-8 p.m.
was the DFW RIMS Mixer held at Sambuca in Plano. My fellow
UNT students and I were afforded the opportunity to meet the top
Risk Management and Insurance Professionals in the DFW
area. Surprisingly, the professionals were excited to talk to us students and share lots of exciting information about the industry and
what their jobs entail. My favorite part of the night was meeting
DFW RIMS President, Buddy Gillenwater! One of the nicest guys
you will ever meet! He had never seen my resume, yet he shared
with me a job opportunity for a potential, high paying career. He
told me who to contact and the rest is history. Mr. Gillenwater has
the greatest quote when it comes to networking: ―Sometimes the
difference between working and not working is networking.‖
If you have not already joined UNT‘s Risk Management and Insurance Club, what are you waiting for! Contact Professor Richardson, Debra.Richardson@unt.edu, or one of the officers for details.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 3
CPCU Society Includes Students
in Annual Seminar
GRADUATES
December 2010 Graduates
Andrea Gallion
Matthew Ramsey
Maria Kahn
Cassandra Wilcox
May 2011 Graduates
Desirée Binion
Samantha Reed
Kimberly Hodges
Dustin Thompson
Faith Martin
Jo Watson
Oralia Martinez
Best Wishes to Dr. Enya He
& Her Husband, Truman Du
Allison Du
November 2, 2010
5lb. 14 ounces ; 18-1/2 inches long.
Samantha Reed
UNT Risk Management and Insurance students
were among 25 students from across the nation
invited to attend the annual meeting of the CPCU
Society in Orlando, Florida to honor new designees
to the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter
Society . UNT students Samantha Reed and Cassandra Wilcox were among the students chosen to
attend. Debra Richardson, Lecturer in Risk Management and Insurance, accompanied the students.
Each student who attended was assigned a mentor to assist in meeting
professionals, learning aspects of the business, and selecting which lectures
and programs to attend.
The event focused on recognizing the current state of property and casualty insurance while honoring those who have taken leadership roles, acquired their CPCU designations, and lobbied for the betterment of the
insurance industry.
The meeting was led by Lamont Boyd of FICO Scoring Solutions, and
the theme was ―A Look into the Future.‖ The meeting highlighted the
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
property and casualty insurance industry‘s need for the ―best and brightest‖ business people and provided the unique perspective of students
working toward risk management and insurance careers.
The program was specifically designed to help risk management and insurance students, as well as new designees, understand the variety of paths
available to them and innovations of the industry. Attendees gained a
clear understanding of the value of the CPCU designation and encouragement to get started.
―To me these young people represent our future. I met and had discussions with many of the students in Orlando and was amazed by their enthusiasm and genuine interest in careers in insurance. They all had great
things to say about the Student Program and especially appreciated having
mentors with whom they could connect for guidance and counsel,‖ said
Warren Farrar, 2011 CPCU President.
Keynote speaker Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State, spoke on
leadership and her experience in the White House. She answered questions ranging from international relations to how she became an inspirational leader. Other lectures ranged from new technology insurance, past
president panel discussions and student seminars.
A special panel discussion involved the risk managers of Chartis, Major
League Baseball, Disney World, and Marriott Hotels. This two hour
presentation focused on overseas construction along with the highs and
lows of enterprise risk management. Other activities included receptions
for every chapter, the diversity dessert buffet where designees were recognized for hard work and commitment and a final Hawaiian Tropic party
to end the conference.
―The most awe-inspiring moment of the entire event was the warm welcome from start to finish for all students involved in the program,‖ said
Samantha Reed, UNT student. ―It felt wonderful to see smiles and hear
enthusiasm from older patrons of the industry as they heard my major
and interests.‖
DFW RIMS Chapter Sponsors
Tours of DFW Airport
As part of the DFW RIMS chapter grant to UNT, students and faculty in
the program were hosted for a DFW Airport Emergency Operations Center tour March 25, 2011.
The tour included visits to the Board's Airport Operations Center/
Emergency Operations center, the Operations Department's computerized airfield driver simulator classroom, and a tour of the Live Well facility where the employee wellness program is based.
The tour and the associated presentations provided a close-up look at risk
management issues faced by a public entity airport and placed special emphasis on emergency preparedness/emergency management, advanced
driver training methods, and employee wellness.
At the conclusion of the tour, participants were transported to the Hyatt
Regency for lunch and a recap of the tour.
―We were happy to provide the University of North Texas students, their
professor and the attending RIMS sponsors with a behind-the-scenes look
at some of the aspects of risk management which are unique to the Dallas/
Fort Worth International Airport Board,‖ said Steve Francis, Safety Manager, DFW International Airport. ―I hope that all of the tour participants
were able to see that individuals in departments other than the Risk Management Department have an understanding of why considering risk in
each and every activity is important to the whole airport.‖ Mr. Francis
concluded, ―You brought some bright minds with you.‖
―I'd like to reiterate our appreciation for the excellent tour provided for
our Risk Management students, professors and DFW RIMS members,‖
said Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of Risk Management for the Dallas Independent School District and Education Chairperson for DFW
RIMS. ―The students were so impressed by the various responsibilities
and commented at lunch that they had no idea risk management encompassed emergency operations, wellness and driver's training. They have a
lot to learn!‖
Opportunities such as this tour sponsored by the DFW RIMS are excellent examples of how students in the UNT program learn both inside and
outside the classroom during their academic careers at UNT.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 5
RIMS International and DFW RIMS
Continue Outstanding Support
of UNT RMI Program
RIMS International and DFW RIMS in partnership awarded four UNT
RMI students full grants to attend the RIMS 2011 Annual Conference
held May 1-5, 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The RIMS 2011
Annual Conference gathered risk professionals from around the world for
a common purpose: to share experiences and gain expertise. The
students were a part of this community and connected with risk
management professionals, built new relationships and learned from
industry experts. Each student had a mentor within the industry to ensure
he or she took full advantage of conference sessions and networking.
Students competed on a local and national level for this honor by
completing a rigorous application process and writing an essay. Samantha
Reed was awarded the national Anita Benedetti Student Involvement
Program grant, named in honor of the late Ms. Benedetti, who acted as
Deputy Executive Director of RIMS, Inc. and President of the Spencer
Education Foundation, Inc. Kathryn Krasner, Esequiel Nathal and Toni
Tate were awarded full grants from the DFW RIMS Chapter to attend.
Lecturer Debra Richardson, who accompanied the students to the
conference, shared her appreciation for all that the national and local
organizations have done to support future risk management professionals.
Please visit www.rims.org and www.rims.org/education/
studentinvolvement to learn more.
DFW RIMS AWARDED A 2010 RIMS STUDENT
MEMBERSHIP GROWTH AWARD
As part of its continued support of university students seeking to enter the
risk management field, RIMS offers free membership in its prestigious
organization to students. DFW RIMS Chapter was awarded a nationally
recognized award for having more than a 10% increase in student
membership from January 1—December 31, 2010. Area universities had
new student members totaling 27, with 17 students coming from UNT.
This achievement was acknowledged at the RIMS 2011 Annual
Conference May 1-5 in Vancouver, BC with a listing in the conference
program and a listing on a presentation slide during the Awards
Luncheon.
We are so proud that our RMI students value membership in RIMS, and
are getting a head start on the educational and networking opportunities
afforded by this international organization. A special logo will be
displayed on the DFW RIMS Web site, www.rims.org, in honor of this
award.
Scholarships Awarded
to UNT Students
SPENCER SCHOLASHIPS 2011-2012
Two UNT students, Jin Na and Esequiel Nathal were named Spencer
Scholars for 2011-2012 by the Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc.
Jin Na, a double major in math and risk management and insurance,
was named the recipient of the Royal & SunAlliance/Douglas Barlow
Scholarship awarded by the Spencer Educational Foundation. The
$7,500 scholarship is awarded by the Foundation‘s Education Committee to the scholarship recipient with the highest grade point average
within the pool of selected Spencer Scholars.
Being a part of the Risk Management and Insurance Club, I
have been provided with so many great opportunities for both
my academic and career development. Not only have I received
generous scholarship from industry partners of the program, I
have also gained valuable internship opportunities. Through the
network opportunities that the program offers, I interned
with Alon USA last year and obtained a second internship
opportunity with Goldman Sachs Archon Group this summer. I
will be participating in the annual Archon & Goldman Sachs
Jin Na
insurance renewal process among various other projects while
interacting with their branches and partners in North America,
Europe, and Asia. I am really grateful for everything our faculty and our program
have been doing for UNT students. This program has truly accelerated and
bettered my professional development.
Esequiel Nathal, a risk management and insurance major, won the Risk
and Insurance Management Society Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter Scholarship in the amount of $5,000. The mission of the Dallas-Fort Worth
Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society is to advance
the risk management profession among its members, students and business community through educational programs, professional development resources and networking opportunities.
The mission of the Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc. is to stimulate,
promote and encourage promising students of risk management disciplines by supporting them in fulfilling their educational goals. The Foundation provides scholarship awards, educational grants and knowledge
programs for undergraduate, graduate and part-time MBA students.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
TEXAS RISK & INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS
SOCIETY (TRIPS) AWARDS TOTAL OF $2,750
DALLAS CPCU SCHOLARHIPS
AWARDS $12,000 TO UNT STUDENTS
The Texas Risk & Insurance Professionals Society (TRIPS) awarded 11
RMI students $250 each in scholarships. This is a new scholarship created by TRIPS to reward new RMI majors for completing their second
course in the program with a minimum of a B average for the two
courses. Jack Gibson, chairman of the TRIPS board, shared with the students that by deciding to major in risk and insurance, they have taken a
step toward a potentially lucrative and fulfilling career in an important and
dynamic industry. Mr. Gibson added ―We hope you will look at this
money as a ‗long-term loan‘ rather than simply a gift, and that you will pay
it back by helping other young people enter the industry once you have
achieved some of your career goals.‖
The Dallas Chapter of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU)
Society awarded the Risk Management and Insurance Program $12,000 in
student scholarships. The announcement took place at the Dallas Chapter‘s Fall Mixer at the Dallas Museum of Art September 16, 2010.
Students receiving the awards were Ashleigh Buchanan, Desiree Binion,
Kimberly Hodges, Jin Na, Faith Martin, Oralia Martinez, Lizette Pena,
Matthew Ramsey, Samantha Reed, Addison Weiss, and Cassandra Wilcox. The presentation was made by Mr. Gibson and the TRIPS board at
the annual All Industry Day held November 23, 2010, at the Dallas Hilton Anatole Hotel. Learn more about TRIPS at http://texasrmi.com/
wordpress.
The CPCU Society is a community of credentialed property and casualty
insurance professionals who promote excellence through ethical behavior
and continuing education. Learn more about the Dallas CPCU Society at
www.dallas.cpcusociety.org.
―We are so grateful for the continued support of the Dallas CPCU chapter,‖ said Marcia J. Staff, Chair of the Department of Finance, Insurance,
Real Estate and Law, ―The Risk Management and Insurance Program at
UNT is stronger because of the generous support of the Dallas CPCU
Chapter.‖
FORT WORTH CPCU SCHOLARSHIP
AWARDS $12,000 TO UNT STUDENTS
The Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Society's Fort
Worth Chapter announced the winners of its annual scholarship program
on October 26, 2010. The winners for 2010 were students Ashleigh Buchanan, Kimberly Hodges, Jin Na, Addison Weiss and Cassandra Wilcox. The Fort Worth Chapter holds a Charity Golf Tournament each
April to raise funds for the scholarship program. Over the last 14 years,
the Fort Worth Chapter has been able to award $184,000 in scholarship
funds to UNT Insurance Students.
Members of the CPCU Society's Fort Worth Chapter are involved in a
number of charitable, educational and volunteer events throughout the
year, including a Good Works Program that benefits Lena Pope Home.
The Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Society is a community of credentialed property and casualty insurance professionals who
promote excellence through ethical behavior and continuing education.
Learn more about the Fort Worth CPCU Society at
www.fortworth.cpcusociety.org.
Congratulations to
all our students.
We are very
proud of you!!!
On hand to accept the award were (left to right) UNT Students Jo
Watson and Mardie Thompson; Debra Richardson, CPCU and Lecturer in Insurance at UNT; Addison Weiss; Dr. Marilyn Wiley, Executive Associate Dean in the College of Business at UNT; Lekorie
Pearson, Toni Tate and Samantha Reed.
DFW RIMS AWARDS
15 SCHOLARSHIPS
FOR $11,000 TOTAL
The DFW Chapter of Risk Insurance Management Society continued to
be a strong supporter of the UNT program. At its 2010 Fall conference,
DFW RIMS awarded 15 scholarships to UNT students for a total value of
$11,000.
Students receiving the awards were Matthew Brewer, Ashleigh Buchanan,
Armani Campbell, Kimberly Hodges, Elizabeth Kouiteb, Karthryn Krasner, Jin Na, LeKoria Pearson, Lizette Pena, Matthew Ramsey, Samantha
Reed, Ottonian(Toni) Tate, Dustin Thompson, Mardie Kay Thompson
and Addison Weiss. Learn more about the DFW Chapter of Risk Insurance Management Society at www.dallasftworth.rims.org.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 7
Insurance Council of Texas (ICT)
Education Foundation
Award $10,000 to UNT Students
In December 2010, insurance and risk management students at UNT
were recently awarded $10,000 in academic scholarships from the Insurance Council of Texas (ICT) Education Foundation.
UNT students receiving ICT scholarships were Kathryn Krasner,
Samantha Reed, Cassandra Wilcox, Erika Villavicencio and Jin Na.
―Every scholarship recipient was highly recommended by their professor
and each student has exceptional qualities,‖ said Tony Gonzalez, chairman of the ICT Education Foundation. ―The ICT scholarships are our
way of rewarding these outstanding students and encouraging them to
seek employment in the insurance industry.‖
Each student received a $2,000 scholarship as well as an invitation to attend ICT‘s annual Mid-Year Symposium in Austin.
www.insurancecouncil.org
Jin Na, Erika Villavicencio, Cassandra Wilcox, Samantha Reed,
and Kathryn Krasner
Jin Na, Erika Villavicencio, ICT’s Mark Hanna, Dr. Marilyn Wiley, Debra Richardson, Tony Gonzales,
Cassandra Wilcox, Samantha Reed, and Kathryn Krasner
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
UNT Risk Management and Insurance
Club “Professional Designation Day”
The RMI Club welcomed three insurance and risk management professionals from various organizations to speak to our students about the requirements and preparation for some of the industry‘s leading professional certifications and designations – CFP, CPCU, CIC and CRM. Students enjoyed free pizza and drinks while learning how to set themselves
apart professionally once they begin their careers.
Dr. Charles R. Chaffin, Director of Education and Examination from the
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in Washington, D.C.,
spoke to the students about the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) certification. Dr. Chaffin challenged the students to learn the ―Four Es‖ of professional conduct that sets one apart from others – Examination, Ethics,
Experience and Education. He further stated ―UNT is a vital program to
the CFP Board, and I am happy to assist in any way possible.‖
Larry Klein, CPCU, Assistant Vice President with Zurich North America / Captives and Alternative Risk Business Unit, spoke to the students
about the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation,
and the other programs offered by the American Institute such as Certified Life Underwriter (CLU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM).
According to Mr. Klein, passing the eight national exams and completing
the industry standards required to obtain the CPCU designation will help
students achieve their career goals more effectively. CPCUs are influential
leaders, as more than one half of CPCU Society members are in management positions within their organizations (www.cpcu.org/page/46307).
Merrillee Streetman, CIC, CRM, CISR, CSRM, Business Development
Director with the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research in Austin, presented the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and
Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations. Ms. Streetman distributed
valuable information to help students identify what they would like to do
in their careers and discussed how obtaining professional designations will
help them fast-track their careers. One booklet, Insurance and Risk Management Career Paths: Enter the Community of Professionals, provided
practical advice and position descriptions for anyone considering a career
in the risk, insurance or financial services industry.
―We encourage students to begin the preparation and exam process for
these certifications and designations before they graduate, as this will set
them apart while interviewing for and selecting their chosen career,‖ said
Debra Richardson.
All Industry Day/Dallas CPCU and
Independent Insurance Agents
of Dallas
On November 23, 2010, ―All Industry Day‖ was held to bring together
professionals from across the North Texas area for education, fellowship
and fun. UNT RMI Students were invited to participate and were able to
attend the largest trade show and educational event of its kind in the Southwest. Around 1,200 professionals from the insurance, risk management
and financial services industry were on hand to hear from leaders in the industry their views on the current state of the TX RMI industry as well as
their predictions on the coming year‘s outlook. Students were exposed to
leaders from various disciplines and saw the growth potential and career
opportunities in this industry. Please visit www.iiadallas.org to learn more.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 9
Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Education
Foundation Excess &
Surplus Lines Symposium
Houston Marine Insurance Seminar,
Inc., Outstanding Supporter of the
RMIN Program
UNT RMI Students Kimberly Hodges, Kathryn Krasner and Lekorie
Pearson, along with Lecturer Debra Richardson, were awarded grants to
attend the 2010 Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Education Foundation E&S
Symposium held October 8-10, 2010, in Birmingham, Alabama. The
symposium was presented in conjunction with Troy University‘s RMI department. Students from across the country came to learn more about
the excess and surplus lines industry. Dr. Carol Jordan, eminent scholar
in risk management and insurance at Troy University, said ―The symposium allows RMI students to interact with students from other schools,
and it introduces business students to insurance topics that are relevant
but are generally not covered in the classroom.‖ Professionals from the
E&S industry were on hand to educate and meet with students, including
representatives from All Risk, Ltd., Brown & Brown, The Insurance
House, Berkshire Hathaway, Quirk & Co., Markel, Peachtree Special
Risk Brokers and others. Learn more about this event at www.troy.edu.
For the past several years, the Houston Marine Insurance Seminar, Inc.
has provided travel and other supporting funds to the UNT Risk Management and Insurance Program.
Debra Richardson, Lecturer in Risk Management and Insurance, and
students Jin Na, Addison Weiss and Kimberly Hodges attended the 45th
annual Houston Marine Insurance Seminar held September 2010.
Known internationally as the leading Global Energy and Marine Seminar,
the three-day event was attended by more than 750 delegates.
Proceeds from the seminar are used to provide support for young, bright
university talent to attain education and contacts for careers related to the
marine/energy insurance industries and to further education in marine
and energy insurance and admiralty law.
In addition to providing funds for travel, the Houston Marine Insurance
Seminar, Inc. provided a $10,000 donation to support the work of the
UNT program in risk management and insurance.
―The seminar is a worldwide ‗who‘s who‘ of marine insurance experts and
professionals,‖ said Ms. Richardson, ―Both the students and I learned a
tremendous amount about the industry and made important contacts that
will benefit the students and the program well into the future.‖
―We are excited about the 2011 seminar and will be looking for bright
young talent to take to the seminar September 18 to 20, 2011 in Houston,‖ added Ms. Richardson. To learn more, visit
www.houstonmarineseminar.com
Independent Insurance Agents of
Texas (IIAT) Annual Conference
in Fort Worth
UNT RMI students, along with Dr. Enya He and Lecturer Debra
Richardson, manned the UNT booth at the 113 th Annual IIAT Annual
Conference held June 2010 in Fort Worth. Hundreds of insurance and
risk management professionals from around the state stopped by the
booth to learn about the exciting growth the RMI program is experiencing
here at UNT! Break-out sessions, as well as group meetings and presentations, allowed students to hear about the vast opportunities available to
them in this industry, and experience a few days in the life of an insurance
professional. Many shared with Dr. He and Ms. Richardson how impressed they were regarding the enthusiasm, excitement and polished appearance of our students.
IIAT is a nonprofit organization of more than 1,880 independent property and casualty insurance agency members and 250 associate members
from insurance companies, managing general agents (MGA) and other
vendors of agency products. It represents a total member agency employee population of more than 14,000 professionals. Learn more at
www.iiat.org.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
FW CPCU Chapter Holds 15th Annual
Golf Tournaments in Support of
UNT Risk Management
and Insurance Students
The Fort Worth Chapter of CPCU hosted its 15 th annual golf tournament
on April 18th at the Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield. Over the
past 14 years, the organization has donated $181,000 in total scholarships
to UNT RMI students. Rhonda Pumphrey, CPCU, ARM, president of the
FW Chapter, shared the reason the organization works so diligently on this
annual event. ―We help these RMI students network with industry professionals and encourage them to enter the insurance and risk management
field through these scholarships.‖
RMI students Desiree Binion, Amelia Bourassa, Ashleigh Buchanan, Walter Filmore IV, Ian Michaud, Jacob Mitzel, Jin Na, Addison Weiss, and
Candace Williams helped with registration, photos, and raffle tickets. They
were able to thank personally all those who came to play golf in support of
scholarships.
In addition to the general scholarship funds raised, a separate annual scholarship will be established in honor of the late Robert Purdin, CPCU, a long
time industry professional and supporter of insurance education and excellence. The Purdin Family very generously provided $3,000 to be awarded
to an outstanding RMI student during the Fall 2011 term.
Guest Speakers
Greg Kennemer
David Rubey
Dan Staalsen
Risk Manager for Dallas-based
Jani-King Services.
Partner in GSM International Risk Management.
He graduated from the RMIN program at UNT
"a few" years ago!
Fire Claims Team Manager for State Farm.
Mr. Staalsen was President of the Ft. Worth
Chapter CPCU last year.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 11
National Association of Insurance
Women (NAIW) Awards Scholarship
NAIW held its annual Insurance Professional Week May 9-13, 2011, hosting various events to honor insurance professionals and highlight the benefits of continued professional development and networking. Michelle
Ward, Personal Lines Underwriter with Republic Group, and chair of the
NAIW Dallas Chapter Scholarship Committee, presented UNT student
Samantha Reed a scholarship in the amount of $500 at a luncheon held as
part of the week-long celebration. Michelle Ward, NAIW spokesperson,
said "We are so proud to be honoring one of our industry's future leaders
with our scholarship and look forward to having her join our industry upon
her graduation." Also honored at the luncheon were the outstanding Dallas
Firefighter and Police Officer of the Year.
RIMS Annual Conference in Vancouver,
BCA Great Experience for Students!
From May 1-5, 2011, RMI students Kathryn Krasner, Esequiel Nathal,
Samantha Reed and Toni Tate experienced the international scope and
breadth of the Risk & Insurance Management Society. Chapters from the
USA, Canada, Japan and Mexico came together to study enterprise risk
management and emerging issues, while networking with professionals
from around the globe and enjoying beautiful downtown Vancouver. Major
insurance carriers, brokers, risk managers and supporting industry exhibitors manned 344 booths in the Trade Show and shared information about
their markets and services with attendees. Samantha Reed was awarded the
national Anita Benedetti Student Involvement scholarship to attend. Expenses for the other students were generously provided by the DFW
RIMS chapter. Debra Richardson, who attended with the students, received very positive feedback on our UNT RMI students from attendees
across various disciplines. Charles Gillenwater, Risk Manager for the City
of Mesquite and current president of DFW RIMS, was most impressed
with the students‘ involvement with other university students and their participation in the nearly 200 individual break-out educational sessions and
lectures that were offered. With the continued support of RIMS and the
DFW RIMS chapter, Ms. Richardson plans to make this outstanding conference an annual event for our top RMI students.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
RMI Club Celebrates Another
Successful Year at Yogurt Fusion!
The Friday before ―finals week‖ was celebrated by members of the RMI
Club, along with several professors from the College of Business, at
Denton‘s YogurtFusion. Prudential Insurance Company of America representatives Catherine Simpson and Bob Ferguson hosted the event and
shared with the students the wonderful opportunities available to them in
the insurance and financial services field. Contests were held for the most
fabulous yogurt sundae creation as well as the most interesting. Jin Na‘s
creation earned a $25 gift card to YogurtFusion, and Eve Wolz‘ creation
with gummy worms and ―dirt‖ earned her a $25 gift card to Red Lobster.
Professors Steve Cole, Randy Guttery, Imre Karafiath, Rusty McDonald,
Steve Poe and Debra Richardson were on hand to congratulate Executive
Director Erika Villavicencio and the members of the club for another successful and productive year. To join the RMI Club, please contact Jin Na,
JinNa@my.unt.edu or Ms. Richardson at Debra.Richardson@unt.edu. All
majors are welcome, and as you can see, we know how to work hard and
play hard!
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 13
FACULTY CORNER
Dr. Enya He
The year has been an extraordinarily productive and
busy one for Dr. Enya He, Assistant Professor of Risk
Management and Insurance. Dr. He served as the
sponsor for the Risk Management and Insurance Club
for 2009-2010 and during most of the Fall semester
2010. During that time, the club was extremely busy
with field trips and wide variety of activities. Dr. He‘s
sponsorship was cut short in Fall 2010 when she and her husband, Truman, welcomed their first child, Allison, on Nov. 2, 2010. The entire family is doing well and enjoying some time together. Dr. He will return to
teaching in the Fall of 2011.
In addition to Allison and the Risk Management and Insurance Club, Dr.
He has produced an outstanding body of research including:
Eckles, D., Halek, M., He, M., Sommer, D. W., & Zhang, R. (accepted,
2011). Earnings smoothing, executive compensation, and corporate governance: evidence from the property-liability insurance industry. Journal
of Risk and Insurance.
He, M. & Sommer, D. W. (accepted, 2011). CEO Turnover and Ownership Structure: Evidence from the Property-Liability Insurance Industry. Journal of Risk and Insurance.
He, M., Sommer, D. W., & Xie, X. (accepted, 2010; in press,
2011). The Impact of CEO Turnover on Property-Liability Insurer Performance. Journal of Risk and Insurance.
He, M. (accepted in 2010; in press, 2010). CEO Succession Planning Risk Management Lessons from the 2010 BCS Championship
Game. Risk Management.
Congratulations and best wishes to Dr. He and her family!
We appreciate the dedication and hard work of our
Risk, Insurance and Financial Services Faculty.
in 2009, she spent 30 years in the property and casualty insurance industry. Her most recent position was regional vice president for the Hanover
Insurance Group in Dallas.
Ms. Richardson has earned her CPCU, CIC, CRM and IIA designations.
She holds a bachelors degree in business management from Dallas Baptist
University, and is near completion of her MBA at UNT. She served as
president of the Dallas Chapter CPCU 2006/2007 and has held many
committee chair and officer positions with that chapter. She currently
serves as president of the Fort Worth Chapter CPCU. She is an active
member of DFW RIMS, a committee member of the Insurance Council
of Texas, serves on the board of the Texas Risk and Insurance Professional Society and is active with the Independent Insurance Agents of
Dallas and IIA of Texas.
Ms. Richardson is president-elect of the board of ―Our Friends Place,‖ a
Dallas based charity helping at-risk girls and young women with their emotional, educational, and developmental needs.
Dr. Stephen Poe
Dr. Poe is a professor in the department of
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Law. He has
taught the Estate Planning course at both the
undergraduate and master‘s level since 2002. The
undergraduate Estate Planning course is required
for both RMIN majors and Financial Services
majors.
Dr. Poe has authored articles on a variety of business topics, including
several in the insurance area. He also regularly reviews papers for
academic journals, including the American Business Law Journal and the
Journal of Legal Studies Education.
Debra Richardson,
CPCU, CIC, CRM
A strong supporter of the Risk Management and Insurance program, Dr.
Poe serves as the academic advisor for RMIN majors and Financial
Services majors. He also coordinates internships for students in both of
these programs.
Debra Richardson is currently serving as lecturer in the
Risk Management and Insurance program. She acted
as Faculty Advisor for the Risk Management and Insurance Club Spring 2011, and is responsible for publishing the RMI Resume Book and administering RMI
student scholarships. She accompanies students to various industry events,
including educational and professional conferences, to help them network with industry professionals. Prior to joining the UNT RMI faculty
Dr. Poe and his wife, Rosemary, have been married for 25 years, and are
the proud parents of a 10-year old daughter, Adriana. They have lived in
Denton for 22 years and are members of Denton Bible Church. As far as
interests go, Professor Poe enjoys tinkering with his computer,
backpacking in the Rockies, and singing in the shower (it frightens his
wife's cat).
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
Risk Manager in Residence
October 20-21, 2010
The Risk Manager in Residence Visit by Mr.
Jeffrey Vernor was an overwhelming success.
Mr. Vernor met with a wide variety of classes
and student groups. He spoke with four finance classes and several risk management and
insurance classes during his visit to campus.
Vernor holds a bachelor‘s degree in environmental science from Texas
Christian University and was in the inaugural graduating class of the
University of Texas at San Antonio‘s executive MBA program. Vernor
obtained an Associate in Risk Management designation in 2002 and
continues his professional development by attending a variety of conferences and courses available within Russell.
Mr. Vernor also met with Dean Finley Graves
who reported that they had an excellent discussion on the future of risk management education. The department also hosted a reception
in honor of Mr. Vernor for campus leaders,
students and industry representatives.
Vernor supports the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
and previously served as President of the South Texas RIMS Chapter
in 2005. He also served as Chair of the Enterprise Risk Management
Development Committee at RIMS in 2009, which is at the forefront of
defining and improving the level of ERM maturity for the entire RIMS
membership.
In addition, Mr. Vernor was hosted for dinner by representatives of the
Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. UNT faculty and students also participated in the dinner.
Mr. Vernor‘s visit to UNT was made possible by a grant from the
Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc. with additional support from
Jeffrey Vernor is the Director, Global Operational Risk for Russell
Investments, based in Seattle, Washington. Russell, a global leader in
multi-manager investing, manages in excess of US$140B assets
(06/30/10), and provides investment products and services in 44 countries. With about 1,750 associates in over twenty offices around the
world, Russell provides services in all the world‘s financial centers.
Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual since
January 1999.
The Global Risk Management department at Russell is responsible for
providing management with the leadership, advice and tools they need
to identify and manage the risks that could impact the achievement of
Russell‘s purpose and objectives. As part of the risk management team
across the globe, Vernor shares responsibility for executing the team‘s
strategy for Russell which includes establishing the risk management
framework and building the appropriate risk culture throughout operations. Vernor also provides support for the risk transfer process, which
includes purchasing commercial insurance products where appropriate.
Vernor joined Russell in August of 2006 after seven years with USAA, a
large San Antonio based diversified financial services firm serving more
than 5 million military members and their families. As executive director of the Enterprise Risk Management department, Vernor assisted in
the design and implementation of the firm‘s enterprise risk management discipline. Vernor also managed the operations of USAA‘s captive insurance company. Previously, he held risk management, safety
and human resources posts with Six Flags at both corporate and theme
park posts and performed environmental risk assessments in Dallas,
Texas for another firm.
Risk Management Society
www.rims.org
RIMS Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter
www.dallasftworth.rims.org.
SPRING 2011 | PAGE 15
UNT Program Thanks Its
Outstanding Adjunct Instructors
Ray Croff
taught Life insurance (RMIN 4200) during
Fall 2010. Mr. Croff is a financial advisor
with Turtle Creek Financial. He holds BBA
degrees in Financial Services and Insurance
from UNT and CLU and ChFC designations. Mr. Croff is a member of the National
Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and the Society of Financial Service
Professionals.
Fred LaPointe
is the National Broker Practice Leader in the
Construction Group of The Hartford Insurance Company. In Spring 2011, he taught
Principles of Risk and Insurance (RMIN
2500). Fred holds CPCU, CRM and CIC
designations . He earned a BA with Honors
from Oregon State University and in 2010
earned a Master of Science degree in Insurance from Boston University.
Rob Olson
taught Employee Benefit Programs (RMIN
4400) in the UNT program during Spring
2011. Mr. Olson is the author and principal
research analyst for International Risk Management Institute‘s (IRMI) Personal Risk
Management and Insurance, a 3,100 page
reference manual. Mr. Olson holds BA and
MLA degrees from SMU and CPCU, ARM,
AAM, ARP, CRIS and MLIS designations.
Mr. Olson has served as an adjunct instructor at UNT for several years.
Kyle Weddle
taught advanced Risk Management (RMIN
4600) at UNT during Spring 2011. Mr.
Weddle is Risk Manager for Lennox International. He previously was Global Risk
Practices Leader and North American Regional Risk Manager for General Motors
Corporation. He holds an MBA from the
University of Detroit Mercy and the CPCU
designation.
Retired Faculty
Dr. John H. Thornton
Regents Professor Emeritus of Insurance
joined the faculty of UNT (then North Texas State University) in 1971 as an Assistant Professor of Insurance. He
served the university, the college and the department in an
exemplary fashion until his retirement in May 2006. During his 35 years at the university, Dr. Thornton distinguished himself as a teacher, scholar and colleague.
In addition to his service as a noted teacher and scholar,
Dr. Thornton worked tirelessly to establish and raise funds
for the Glen L. Taylor Chair in Insurance. He continues
to work toward the goal of fully funding the chair and remains an active supporter of the Risk Management and
Insurance Program at UNT. He is enjoying retirement
with his wife Catherine at their new home in Greenville,
South Carolina.
Dr. Glen L. Taylor
Professor Emeritus of Insurance
began his relationship with the university when he began
his studies in 1947. After receiving his undergraduate and
master‘s degrees in accounting and teaching at UNT, he
left for the University of Pennsylvania in 1955, where he
earned his Ph.D. in Business and Applied Economics with
a specialization in risk and insurance from the Wharton
School. Dr. Taylor retired from UNT in 1998 after serving as department chairman, associate dean, and associate
academic vice president.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB
Wealth of Industry Talent
Speaks in Risk Management
and Insurance Classes
Thanks to all of the industry representatives who took the time to share
their expertise with our students.
RISK MANAGEMENT & INSURANCE CLUB OFFICERS
Executive Director:
Directors:
Fall 2010
Katie Bishop, Travelers Insurance
Mark Hanna, Insurance Council of Texas and
Insurance Council of Texas Educational Foundation
James P. Hernandez, Regional Claims Manager,
Faculty Advisor:
ERIKA VILLAVICENCIO
DESIRÉE BINION
JIN NA
SAMANTHA REED
ADDISON WEISS
DEBRA RICHARDSON,
CPCU, CIC, CRM
Debra.Richardson@unt.edu
Federated Insurance
Winston Huckabee & Darrell Petter, Mass Mutual Financial
Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director of Risk Management,
Dallas ISD
Rod Labbe, Federated Insurance
Trent Massey, Vale Training Solutions
Jay Saad, Vice President of Sales, CIGNA
Catherine Simpson, Prudential Insurance Company
Spring 2011
Katie Bishop, Travelers Insurance
Rod Labbe, Federated Insurance
Jeff Lamb, Markel Corporation
Trent Massey, Vale Training Solutions
Cathy Montgomery, RISC, Inc.
Carlos Moran & Justin Bailey, Dempsey Partners
Ashley Stuckey, The Hartford
Ryan Friend, Financial Representative, Northwestern Mutual
RMI Club events are made possible with the
generous support of our sponsors:
DFW RIMS Ins Day with George Mitchell of the Dallas Cowboys
Platinum Sponsor:
Gold Sponsors:
Bronze Sponsor:
Katie Bishop and Charles Ross III from Travelers Ins Co and RMI
Students at Dinner