Good news, risk managers. The market is hot for you. C-suites love them some risk managers. If you're not getting the love now, it's your own fault. That was the message of Richard Meyers, head of his own eponymous talent search corporation.
I took some great notes on the session on Wednesday afternoon upstairs in the conference session, held by RIMS to discuss its RIMS Fellow designation and for Meyers to explain the job market and demand for risk managers. But these notes are trapped on my laptop, along with fantastic, titilating quotes from Meyers, because the desktop in the press room here does not read my thumb drive. Read Erin's post from earlier this week about the state of the RIMS press room.
Anyway, I can delve into my short-term memory, which is not entirely shot, and give you the gist of what Meyers said. And later on, I had planned to post again about the opportunities that risk managers have in today's world, according to folks I've spoken with in San Diego, and how if you are not getting your love in this world then it's your own fault.
Basically, Meyers knows that risk managers are in high demand by the C-suite because he works with C-suite suits to help them find talent for their organizations. They've allowed him to pick their brains about they need, what they're looking for. At least that's what he claims.
Go with it, though, folks. He had nothing but good things to say for risk managers who are wanting to seize this moment. Surely, not all of you are ambitious enough to do so. But for those of you who are, Meyers said that you will have to scour the national market for job opportunities. No longer can you just look in your local market for new opportunities, for positions that are a 10-minute commute from home.
To expand your horizons, you must be willing to travel into the horizon in any direction to find the position that will help you grow your skills, your resume, your experience, your connections.
If I had my thumb drive working, I could share a little bit more of Meyers wisdom. But this was the most important part: You want a new job, it's out there.
Your current employer stink? Give them the pink slip.
Showing posts with label Prime-Time Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prime-Time Events. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Live Blog: Risk Management Belongs in the C-Suite
12: 40 p.m.
This is a live blog from Tuesday's luncheon keynote address, "Risk Management Belongs in the C-Suite." Today's speaker is Lauralee Martin, CFO and COO of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
1:13 p.m.
Martin sees the C-suite as becoming crowded. It's no longer a place solely for the CEO, COO and CFO.
1:15 p.m.
Current events point to the need to put risk management at the top. The credit crisis proves that the basics of risk management were forgotten. "Where were our risk managers," Martin asks.
1:20 p.m.
The rules have changed, says Martin. "Not only about how you play the game but how you win."
What's different about today's risk environment than the one Martin grew up in is that companies have more to lose today if they don't experiment with risk management strategy.
1:25 p.m.
Back to the credit crisis. Martin says she is continually shocked by what transpired. The sorting out of what went down is still going on because of the reluctance by some companies to embrace transparency. Interestingly enough, Martin says she is convinced that the C-suite will pay attention now more than ever. Its members may not have much time or patience, and they clearly want answers. But their ears are open, she insists.
1:32 p.m.
"I believe we'll be required to do more risk transfer," Martin says. "We can't be experts in everything." Involving others who are experts in certain fields means you'll be getting it right.
1:35 p.m.
Comforting to know, this CEO and COO says risk management processes cannot be just a report gathering dust on your desk. "It must live and breathe" throughout your organization, Martin says.
1:40 p.m.
Leaving attendees with some parting thoughts, Martin again insisted that risk management indeed belongs at the top of an organization and that those C-suite-rs will listen to concerns about their company's risk management program. But before she left the podium she issued a challenge to the audience. "I'm told you guys are the best." What she meant was, here's the kick in the pants risk managers need to speak up to their superiors. After all, change can't occur in the C-suite if risk managers remain silent.
1:44 p.m.
As applause followed Martin from the stage and audience members rose to gather their belongings and head down to the exhibit hall for a much needed wine and cheese reception, there was some positive chatter among those departing. One risk manager attendee was impressed that RIMS booked a C-suite-r to speak for the keynote address. He was also pleased that Martin's observations were pretty spot-on. Communication between the risk manager and C-suite is the key, he said. As long as you've got the data and the research to put in front of your CEO, they will listen to you. They will do their part, he said, if you do yours.
This is a live blog from Tuesday's luncheon keynote address, "Risk Management Belongs in the C-Suite." Today's speaker is Lauralee Martin, CFO and COO of Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.
1:13 p.m.
Martin sees the C-suite as becoming crowded. It's no longer a place solely for the CEO, COO and CFO.
1:15 p.m.
Current events point to the need to put risk management at the top. The credit crisis proves that the basics of risk management were forgotten. "Where were our risk managers," Martin asks.
1:20 p.m.
The rules have changed, says Martin. "Not only about how you play the game but how you win."
What's different about today's risk environment than the one Martin grew up in is that companies have more to lose today if they don't experiment with risk management strategy.
1:25 p.m.
Back to the credit crisis. Martin says she is continually shocked by what transpired. The sorting out of what went down is still going on because of the reluctance by some companies to embrace transparency. Interestingly enough, Martin says she is convinced that the C-suite will pay attention now more than ever. Its members may not have much time or patience, and they clearly want answers. But their ears are open, she insists.
1:32 p.m.
"I believe we'll be required to do more risk transfer," Martin says. "We can't be experts in everything." Involving others who are experts in certain fields means you'll be getting it right.
1:35 p.m.
Comforting to know, this CEO and COO says risk management processes cannot be just a report gathering dust on your desk. "It must live and breathe" throughout your organization, Martin says.
1:40 p.m.
Leaving attendees with some parting thoughts, Martin again insisted that risk management indeed belongs at the top of an organization and that those C-suite-rs will listen to concerns about their company's risk management program. But before she left the podium she issued a challenge to the audience. "I'm told you guys are the best." What she meant was, here's the kick in the pants risk managers need to speak up to their superiors. After all, change can't occur in the C-suite if risk managers remain silent.
1:44 p.m.
As applause followed Martin from the stage and audience members rose to gather their belongings and head down to the exhibit hall for a much needed wine and cheese reception, there was some positive chatter among those departing. One risk manager attendee was impressed that RIMS booked a C-suite-r to speak for the keynote address. He was also pleased that Martin's observations were pretty spot-on. Communication between the risk manager and C-suite is the key, he said. As long as you've got the data and the research to put in front of your CEO, they will listen to you. They will do their part, he said, if you do yours.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Prime-Time Events: A Hootin' Good Time
There's something sexy about Darius Rucker. Maybe it's the well-worn cowboy hat. Or maybe it's the tight black shirt with the top few buttons undone, exposing just a hint of curly black chest hair. Or maybe it's just the fact that he's a damn good singer.
Whatever it was, there were plenty of music lovers singing and gyrating along to the lyrics at Monday night's Hootie & The Blowfish concert, part of ACE's Customer Gala held in the convention center's pavilion.
Risk management and insurance folks, young and old, male and female, took an hour or so to let down their hair. What a great way to unwind after a long day at the RIMS conference. Plenty of hardcore Hootie fans rushed to the front of the stage to stake their spots as soon as ACE opened the doors to the show.
But the crowd was mostly comprised of those who were just looking to throw back a few drinks and enjoy some easy listening. After all, they may not be your favorite band (for instance: a convention center staffer who was directing concert goers admitted that Earth Wind & Fire's show last week was much more his cup of tea), but it would be difficult to argue that listening to Hootie's hits of the 90s doesn't make for an enjoyable evening.
The band is known best for its debut album "Cracked Rear View" from 1994, which sold 16 million copies. The quartet, which formed when the members were freshmen attending the University of South Carolina, obliged the audience Monday night by singing hits "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry," and the slogan printed on ACE's posters, "Only Wanna Be With You."
But the audience seemed just as excited about the songs played from the band's 2005 album "Looking for Lucky," as they sang and danced along to "Hey Sister Pretty," "Get Out of My Mind" and "One Love." Also crowd pleasers were covers of R.E.M's "Losing My Religion," and Led Zeppelin's "Hey Hey What Can I Do."
This may have been the most well-attended event of the RIMS conference this year. In the hour before the band took the stage, ACE kept people happy with plenty of snacks and beverages, served by what appeared to be an army of bartenders. Overall, the show had a steady crowd, though as time went on some of the dancing got a bit too ridiculous, inappropriate or just plain embarrassing. On that note, there were no medical emergencies during the show, just some people who only appeared to be having seizures. They were, in fact, dancing. I think.
Hats off to ACE for throwing what so far has been the most entertaining party during RIMS. Other companies be forewarned, this will be difficult to top.
Whatever it was, there were plenty of music lovers singing and gyrating along to the lyrics at Monday night's Hootie & The Blowfish concert, part of ACE's Customer Gala held in the convention center's pavilion.
Risk management and insurance folks, young and old, male and female, took an hour or so to let down their hair. What a great way to unwind after a long day at the RIMS conference. Plenty of hardcore Hootie fans rushed to the front of the stage to stake their spots as soon as ACE opened the doors to the show.
But the crowd was mostly comprised of those who were just looking to throw back a few drinks and enjoy some easy listening. After all, they may not be your favorite band (for instance: a convention center staffer who was directing concert goers admitted that Earth Wind & Fire's show last week was much more his cup of tea), but it would be difficult to argue that listening to Hootie's hits of the 90s doesn't make for an enjoyable evening.
The band is known best for its debut album "Cracked Rear View" from 1994, which sold 16 million copies. The quartet, which formed when the members were freshmen attending the University of South Carolina, obliged the audience Monday night by singing hits "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry," and the slogan printed on ACE's posters, "Only Wanna Be With You."
But the audience seemed just as excited about the songs played from the band's 2005 album "Looking for Lucky," as they sang and danced along to "Hey Sister Pretty," "Get Out of My Mind" and "One Love." Also crowd pleasers were covers of R.E.M's "Losing My Religion," and Led Zeppelin's "Hey Hey What Can I Do."
This may have been the most well-attended event of the RIMS conference this year. In the hour before the band took the stage, ACE kept people happy with plenty of snacks and beverages, served by what appeared to be an army of bartenders. Overall, the show had a steady crowd, though as time went on some of the dancing got a bit too ridiculous, inappropriate or just plain embarrassing. On that note, there were no medical emergencies during the show, just some people who only appeared to be having seizures. They were, in fact, dancing. I think.
Hats off to ACE for throwing what so far has been the most entertaining party during RIMS. Other companies be forewarned, this will be difficult to top.
Prime-Time Events: RIMS Awards
Walking into the San Diego Convention Center ballroom that hosted the RIMS annual award luncheon on Monday was a little like entering the floor of a political convention.
The table placards with their state chapter identifiers, and the sheer volume of the population in the room brought that to mind.
What that also brought to mind is how much more well qualified the various RIMS chapter members might be to elect a presidential nominee than the politicos that will find their way to the two party system’s party conventions this late summer and fall.
After all, risk managers are practical people who have some knowledge of how the world works−right? And politicians, well the jury is still out on that one and is likely to stay out for the near future.
Chapters across the country ended up doing well in the awards ceremony that followed the string of piped in Beach Boys hits and the excellent yellow string beans that accompanied the luncheon chicken, but some chapters did better than others.
In individual triumphs, Charles Magazine, the risk manager for the city of Boynton Beach, Fla., was the winner of the Richard Bland Memorial award for the chapter member who displayed the most prowess in 2007 in legislative affairs.
Margaret Accordino, the director of risk management at National Financial Partners Corporation and the vice president and director of RIMS New York chapter was awarded the Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” award. This award is based on nominations from individual chapters who felt the nominee contributed tons to the growth of the profession in 2007.
Judd, as many might remember, was the director of RIMS for a 22-year stint.
Debra Hinton, the assistant director of risk management at the University of Virginia, also picked up the Christy Award for getting the highest marks on the three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation.
When it came to the Chapter awards. There were a handful of chapters that just dominated. That raises the question, were these particular chapters all that awe-inspiring, or were they just more organized in applying for the awards?
Whichever way the answer to that question breaks, the chapters that got all the glory on Monday were Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Diego, Orange County and Greater Quad Cities. The only outsider to break into that hallowed circle was the Golden Gate chapter, which managed to muscle into the Outstanding Chapter Programming award with those others.
Rounding out lunch were those heroes of every classic car cruise and oldies music pig roast, The Coasters.
With tunes like “Poison Ivy” and “Love Potion No. 9,” the Coasters proved that you’re never too old to rock, even if it’s only for 15 or 20 minutes.
The table placards with their state chapter identifiers, and the sheer volume of the population in the room brought that to mind.
What that also brought to mind is how much more well qualified the various RIMS chapter members might be to elect a presidential nominee than the politicos that will find their way to the two party system’s party conventions this late summer and fall.
After all, risk managers are practical people who have some knowledge of how the world works−right? And politicians, well the jury is still out on that one and is likely to stay out for the near future.
Chapters across the country ended up doing well in the awards ceremony that followed the string of piped in Beach Boys hits and the excellent yellow string beans that accompanied the luncheon chicken, but some chapters did better than others.
In individual triumphs, Charles Magazine, the risk manager for the city of Boynton Beach, Fla., was the winner of the Richard Bland Memorial award for the chapter member who displayed the most prowess in 2007 in legislative affairs.
Margaret Accordino, the director of risk management at National Financial Partners Corporation and the vice president and director of RIMS New York chapter was awarded the Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” award. This award is based on nominations from individual chapters who felt the nominee contributed tons to the growth of the profession in 2007.
Judd, as many might remember, was the director of RIMS for a 22-year stint.
Debra Hinton, the assistant director of risk management at the University of Virginia, also picked up the Christy Award for getting the highest marks on the three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation.
When it came to the Chapter awards. There were a handful of chapters that just dominated. That raises the question, were these particular chapters all that awe-inspiring, or were they just more organized in applying for the awards?
Whichever way the answer to that question breaks, the chapters that got all the glory on Monday were Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Diego, Orange County and Greater Quad Cities. The only outsider to break into that hallowed circle was the Golden Gate chapter, which managed to muscle into the Outstanding Chapter Programming award with those others.
Rounding out lunch were those heroes of every classic car cruise and oldies music pig roast, The Coasters.
With tunes like “Poison Ivy” and “Love Potion No. 9,” the Coasters proved that you’re never too old to rock, even if it’s only for 15 or 20 minutes.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Prime-Time Events: RIMS Serving San Diego
Big props to RIMS and Aon for setting up the 2008 Community Service Day again. This year, two busloads of volunteers descended upon an elementary school about 10 minutes away from the convention center ... 10 minutes across to the other side of the tracks. Staff from Volunteer San Diego and volunteers from a local landscaping company were there to direct all us risk folks.
And direct us they did. We put in a new Zen garden behind the school, built and painted gardening benches, and otherwise tidied up a little, but important, nook of the city. It was good. You land at the airport and see billboards at the baggage claim for RIMS sponsors. You see the RIMS banners hanging from lightposts as you drive from hotel, to convention, to restaurants and back.
So the monetary effect of thousands of conventioneers is obvious and welcome. But to get your hands dirty, as all the volunteers did today at the RIMS 2008 Community Service Day, and then, at the end of the 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, see the results of your labor ... it's great to have that impact as well. When the principal of the school made a surprise appearance to check out our work, she cried. We aren't that great at gardening ... it was the effort, the humanity, that did it.
Plus, it's fun to see brokers, salespeople, vice presidents of risk managers, former CEOs, entreprenuers, risk and insurance students, etc. all wearing T-shirts and having fun in the dirt. Of course, some business talk could be heard when somebody who had something to sell could corner someone who had something to buy.
But for the most part, this was hard work being done by RIMS finest representatives. Now after filling 40 wheelbarrows of pulverized stone and digging trenches, I am going to put my feet up and relax for the next few days. It's not like I won't have to be on my feet for the next week ... 18 hours a day. Nah!
And direct us they did. We put in a new Zen garden behind the school, built and painted gardening benches, and otherwise tidied up a little, but important, nook of the city. It was good. You land at the airport and see billboards at the baggage claim for RIMS sponsors. You see the RIMS banners hanging from lightposts as you drive from hotel, to convention, to restaurants and back.
So the monetary effect of thousands of conventioneers is obvious and welcome. But to get your hands dirty, as all the volunteers did today at the RIMS 2008 Community Service Day, and then, at the end of the 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. shift, see the results of your labor ... it's great to have that impact as well. When the principal of the school made a surprise appearance to check out our work, she cried. We aren't that great at gardening ... it was the effort, the humanity, that did it.
Plus, it's fun to see brokers, salespeople, vice presidents of risk managers, former CEOs, entreprenuers, risk and insurance students, etc. all wearing T-shirts and having fun in the dirt. Of course, some business talk could be heard when somebody who had something to sell could corner someone who had something to buy.
But for the most part, this was hard work being done by RIMS finest representatives. Now after filling 40 wheelbarrows of pulverized stone and digging trenches, I am going to put my feet up and relax for the next few days. It's not like I won't have to be on my feet for the next week ... 18 hours a day. Nah!
The RIMS Apprentice: Student Welcome Reception
Today, I arrived in San Diego around 11:30 a.m. The weather is AMAZING! We got some lunch and then headed over to the Student Welcome Reception. Once there, we mingled with other students and met people from all over the country, and even Canada. Al Gorski, the chief risk officer for the Orange County Transportation Authority, introduced himself to me, and pointed out everyone in the room whom I should talk to. He also gave me some important advice that I will keep in mind throughout the trip:
1) Talk to as many people as you can.
2) Get business cards from everyone.
3) Enjoy the entire experience of RIMS.
I exchanged cards and numbers with a bunch of students, and we made plans to meet up throughout the next few days. After the Reception, the Temple University students and I went out to dinner with our faculty advisor.
Tomorrow morning, we are going to register for sessions around noon. I will post my schedule then! At night, we have the Opening Reception and the AIG Dessert Party.
1) Talk to as many people as you can.
2) Get business cards from everyone.
3) Enjoy the entire experience of RIMS.
I exchanged cards and numbers with a bunch of students, and we made plans to meet up throughout the next few days. After the Reception, the Temple University students and I went out to dinner with our faculty advisor.
Tomorrow morning, we are going to register for sessions around noon. I will post my schedule then! At night, we have the Opening Reception and the AIG Dessert Party.
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