2013 RIMS Canada Conference to Focus on Discovery & Exploration -- Oct. 6 - 9 -- Victoria, BC

July 22, 2013

Conference Announces Stellar Lineup of Plenary Speakers

VICTORIA, BC (July 22, 2013) — With a group of plenary speakers that hail from professions in outer space to the ocean’s depths and beyond, the 2013 RIMS Canada Conference: Discovery is primed to deliver. The conference will provide risk professionals from all industries and at all levels with the resources to further explore risk management strategies and discover new opportunities for their organizations’ success.  The four-day event is scheduled for October 6 – 9, 2013 at the Victoria Conference Centre in British Columbia.

Plenary speakers will include:

  • Colonel Chris Hadfield, former Commander of the International Space Station and the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space;
  • Dr. Joe MacInnis, safety officer for James Cameron’s historic seven-mile dive to explore the Mariana Trench; and
  • Seth Mattison, internationally renowned Millennial thought-leader

"Today's risk professionals are asked to dive deep within their organizations' operations, they're challenged to discover never before realized risks and explore the value of untapped opportunities,” said Dan Heaman, conference co-chair and director of risk management and insurance for Central 1 Credit Union.   "For almost four decades, the RIMS Canada Conference has dedicated its services to empower industry professionals with the resources, the information and the network they need to take their risk programs to new heights.”

In its 39th year, RIMS Canada Conference attracts more than 1,000 risk and insurance professionals at all experience levels, business executives with risk management interests, brokers, insurers and service providers for the ultimate educational and networking experience. Conference educational offerings will feature more than 25 concurrent sessions on topics ranging from enterprise risk management and cyber risks, to property, business continuity and social media risks.

Steve Matterson, conference co-chair and director of risk and insurance for the British Columbia Ferry Service Inc., said, "To keep pace with the evolution of risk management, practitioners need access to a varied selection of professional development options, including conferences like the RIMS Canada Conference.  Nowhere else will Canadian risk professionals have the opportunity to hear from some of our country's most forward-thinking business leaders and develop lasting relationships that will enrich perspectives and careers."

Featured keynoters include:

COLONEL CHRIS HADFIELD

The Sky is Not the Limit
“Good morning, Earth.” That is how Colonel Chris Hadfield—writing on Twitter—woke up the world every day while living aboard the International Space Station for over five months. Since blasting off from Kazakhstan in December 2012, Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions and infusing a sense of wonder into the collective consciousness not felt since man first walked on the moon. Called “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong” by the BBC, Hadfield—now safely back on Earth—continues to bring the glory of science and space travel to everyone he encounters.

On Tuesday, October 8 at 11:30 a.m., Colonel Hadfield will share his adventures and, perhaps more importantly, the advantages of taking calculated risks and the opportunities those risks can uncover.

DR. JOE MACINNIS

Deep Leadership:  Five Ways to Become a Better Risk Manager
In 2012, Dr. Joe MacInnis was the team physician and safety officer for James Cameron’s historic seven-mile dive to explore the Mariana Trench. During the two-month long National Geographic expedition, Cameron and his thirty-person team made hundreds of life-and-death risk management decisions.

In his 50-minute presentation on Monday, October 7 at 9:30 a.m., Dr. MacInnis chronicles the forces of nature, technical breakdowns, and severe stress that plagued Cameron’s high-risk expedition. Drawing on his collaborative experiences with astronauts who built the International Space Station and Canadian Forces fighting the Taliban, he examines the leadership principles including cool competence, strategic imagination, fierce ingenuity, and team genius that allowed Cameron and his team to assess the risks and make life-and-death decisions.

SETH MATTISON

Workforce Trends and the Millennials

Seth Mattison is an internationally renowned Millennial speaker. His primary interest is in workforce trends and his generation—the Millennials. His presentations focus on the generational divide between younger and older generations and how bridging the gaps can infuse new ideas and energy into organizations everywhere. Seth works with executives across the country to help them understand how they can best maximize their young talent, as well as maintain connections with their experienced workforce, to drive innovation and sustainability.

As one of the millions of Millennials/Gen Yers around the world trying to make an impact in their communities and companies, Seth helps organizations deal with the challenges of effectively recruiting, managing, and retaining top young talent. On Wednesday, October 9 at 10:30 a.m., he will communicate and connect with all four generations to help them better understand not only their differences, but their commonalities, and how those commonalities can create engaging environments for employees, customers and members.

More information on 2013 RIMS Canada Conference: Discovery is available online at www.rimscanadaconference.ca.

Interested in covering RIMS Canada Conference 2012 for your publication?
Accredited press may obtain a press pass by contacting Josh Salter at
jsalter@RIMS.org or (212) 655-6059.

About RIMS Canada Council

The RIMS Canada Council (RCC) is a standing committee of the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS).  The RCC addresses the strategic initiatives of RIMS and risk management issues in Canada.

For more information, contact:

Josh Salter, Director of Communications, (212) 655-6059 or JSalter@rims.org

About RIMS

As the preeminent organization dedicated to promoting the profession of risk management, RIMS, the risk management society®, is a global not-for-profit organization representing more than 3,500 industrial, service, nonprofit, charitable and government entities throughout the world. Founded in 1950, RIMS is committed to advancing risk management capabilities for organizational success, bringing networking, professional development and education opportunities to its membership of more than 10,000 risk management professionals who are located in more than 60 countries. For more information on RIMS, visit www.RIMS.org

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