Richard W. Bland Memorial Award

Guidelines

About Richard W. Bland

Richard "Dick" W. Bland was born on June 17, 1910, and died of a heart attack at the age of 60, on February 21, 1971. At the time of his death, Dick was employed by Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Company of Kansas City, Missouri, as “Risk Manager”—he first person in the U.S. to claim that coveted title. Dick was also proud to be called a rancher, as he, along with his wife, Mildred, and their two children, owned and operated a 340-acre beef cattle ranch near Gower, Missouri. Throughout his career, Dick worked ceaselessly for the professionalism and recognition of risk managers. Not only did Dick become a charter member of ASIM (now RIMS) in 1950, but in 1964 he recognized the need for and founded the Greater Kansas City Society of Insurance Management. He was also a co-founder of the Pipe Line Insurance Managers Conference and served as the permanent secretary for many years. As Vice President of Legislation for the American Management Association, Dick helped plan many meaningful AMA seminars for both risk managers and employee benefit administrators. Dick also fostered risk management through positions he held with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, the Associated Industries of Missouri, and the Associated Industries of Kansas. Perhaps the sharpest impression of Dick comes from his activity as a long-time member of the ASIM National Legislative Committee, where he stood out as the man who most clearly recognized the need for risk managers to understand any legislation that affected their operations and to speak out effectively for measures that would protect corporate insurance consumers. Dick practiced what he preached by keeping in close contact with legislators and with legislation in the states of Kansas and Missouri, as well as at the national level. Dick involved many other members of the Kansas City chapter to assist him in those legislative efforts, and he contributed mightily to our education.

Submission Guidelines

The Boards of Directors of all RIMS Chapters are invited to submit nominations no later than Friday, January 16, 2026 for the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award in order to qualify for possible presentation at RISKWORLD.

Richard W. Bland Memorial Award Nomination Form

The Award may be based on performance in the calendar year preceding the year of presentation and/or continued prior service.

Judging of entries will be done by the awards committee of the Greater Kansas City Chapter. Entries should contain biographical information on the candidate as well as complete information regarding his or her accomplishments in the legislative/regulatory field.

Rules and Regulations

• The Award shall be called the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award. It is created to recognize outstanding performance and effort by members of RIMS in the field of legislation and/or regulation of risk and insurance.
• The Award shall be determined by the Chapter in consultation with RIMS.
• This Award is established, maintained, and granted by the RIMS Greater Kansas City Chapter.
• The Award shall be presented by the President of RIMS at an appropriate session during RISKWORLD.

Eligibility

• Any member of RIMS is eligible for the award.
• No member shall be disqualified because of any office they hold in RIMS or a Chapter.

Performance Qualifications

The Award is granted for outstanding performance or effort in the areas of legislation and/or regulation.

• "Performance and effort" is envisioned as embracing service by the nominee on either the state, provincial or federal level and could include (but not necessarily be restricted to) such activity as:
  • Influencing or securing passage of legislation favorable to insureds and, conversely, blocking passage of unfavorable legislation.
  • Working towards securing revision of onerous existing laws to render them more compatible with the needs of insureds. Cooperating with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Association of Superintendents of Insurance of the Provinces of Canada, various State and Provincial Insurance Commissioners and Superintendents and other governmental or industry groups to promulgate desirable model legislation.
  • Engaging in actual formulation and sponsoring introduction of bills favorable to insureds.
  • Taking part in promulgation or revision of regulations affecting the administration of insurance by various governmental bodies.
  • Advising chapter and national members of RIMS of legislation or regulations affecting their interests and encouraging action.
  • Apprising legislators, insurance commissioners and others of the industrial insured’s viewpoint through personal contact or by putting in their hands appropriate risk management publications.
  • Representing the interests of the risk management community in any legislative or regulatory activity or issue.
  • Providing support to the efforts of other groups or individuals to represent the interests of the risk management community in any legislative or regulatory activity or issue.
• b) Provide examples of involvement in educating the public, legislative or regulatory personnel of proposed changes. Examples may include narrative of such activities, copies of event schedules where the candidate presented information to a group of insurance consumers, business leaders or political figures.
• c) Provide copies of any of the candidate's published articles and/or copies of articles published in a local, state or national publication which quote the candidate or describes the candidate's legislative activities.

Procedure

• a) Annually, the Board of Directors of the RIMS Greater Kansas City Chapter shall appoint three members of the chapter to constitute an Award Committee to administer this Award. The Committee shall elect its chair and secretary from among its members.
• b) The Board of Directors of any chapter may nominate any member of RIMS for the Award.
• c) Then nominations must be submitted to the Chair of the Award Committee by January 12th.
• d) The Award Committee will notify RIMS of their selection by February 15th.
• e) While only one Award may be granted each year, the Award Committee shall have the power to decline to grant such Award.
• f) The decision of the Award Committee shall be final.