Welcome to RIMS!

For those of you who have joined in the last three months, this is your first issue of the New Member Newsletter and the first of four quarterly issues you’ll be getting over the coming year. We use this newsletter to introduce our valued new members to the breadth of services, products and resources that RIMS has to offer.

1950 was a momentous year. Diner’s Club was introduced as the first charge card. The first organ transplant was performed. Gasoline retailed for eighteen cents per gallon. Jay Leno, Stevie Wonder and Mark Spitz were born. The great Brinks armored car robbery occurred in Boston (more about Boston to come). And the Risk and Insurance Management Society was established. Yes—RIMS is celebrating its 60th anniversary and you’re just in time to join the celebration! Read more…

2010 RIMS Benchmark Survey™ Book and Online Toolkit

The 2010 Benchmark book provides data on insurance acquisition in 14 major industry groups and six key coverage lines, as well as documents the significant trends affecting risk management overall including data from both the U.S. and Canadian markets. As a RIMS member, you can purchase the 2010 edition for $550, a 30% discount over the non-member price, in the RIMStore or at www.RIMS.org/Benchmark.

But here’s the really good news: you can receive next year’s book FREE by contributing data about your company’s insurance practices before December 31—every contributor receives a free copy of the book as soon as it’s published! Submit your data today at www.RIMS.org/Contribute.

First-Timer’s Guide to RIMS 2010 Annual Conference & Exhibition

Will this be your first RIMS Conference? Well, with all that’s going on—sessions, keynote addresses, exhibition, bookstore, networking events—it can be a bit overwhelming and seem like there’s too much to do and too little time to do it in.

Here’s a guide to help you plan your time while in Boston!

• Plan Your Work, Then Work Your Plan—Your first task is to decide what your objectives are for the conference and acknowledge that you may not be able to “do it all.” So, decide what’s most important to you. Look at the program before you get there and plan your days. A simple Word or Excel document makes it a lot easier. Read more…

What is a RIMS Fellow?

RIMS can present you with a distinct way to step-up your career and give more to your profession through the RIMS Fellow® (RF) designation. Not only does an RF give you a credential and competitive advantage over colleagues, it allows you to give back to your profession and strengthen your career through formal training and the acquisition of new skills and knowledge.

Individuals interested in becoming a RIMS Fellow must attend 12-days of RF workshops and have completed various college-level courses in risk management and business or hold one of the following designations: ARM, CRM or CRM. For more information on RIMS Fellow and a full list of requirements, visit www.RIMS.org/AboutRF.

Spring 2010 Professional Development Course Calendar

RIMS offers workshops, online courses, webinars and CourseCasts. Check out the RIMS Professional Development calendar now and start planning for your future!

Need Help or Information?
RIMS staff stands ready and eager to help you make the most of your membership. Key contacts are listed here:

Key Contacts
Membership & Chapters—Mark Anthony Pollydore—mpollydore@RIMS.org
Professional Development—Fran Jordan—fjordan@RIMS.org
Conference—Theresa Medina—tmedina@RIMS.org
Member Records/Renewal—Donna Pilato—dpilato@RIMS.org
Government Affairs—Nathan Bacchus—nbacchus@RIMS.org
Website—Vyn Raskopf—vraskopf@RIMS.org