NEW YORK (May 7, 2025) —RIMS, the risk management society®, inducted three legendary risk management professionals – Dr. Gert Cruywagen, Susan Meltzer, and Bradley Wood – into the Risk Management Hall of Fame (RMHF). The RMHF maintains the history of the field of risk management and recognizes risk practitioners who have made significant contributions to advancing the discipline. The honor was presented at RISKWORLD in Chicago.
The RMHF Selection Committee considers the following criteria for induction into the RMHF: considerable contributions to the field; significant achievements, innovation and trend setting; demonstrated leadership, character, and service; and the highest caliber of ethical and professional conduct.
“As we celebrate RIMS 75th Anniversary and look toward the future it is incredibly important that we recognize the exceptional trailblazers who have given so much to help empower risk professionals around the world,” said RIMS CEO Gary A. LaBranche, FASAE, CAE. “Dr. Cruywagen, Susan Meltzer, and Bradley Wood have had remarkable careers and are wonderful examples of the immense impact we can have on future generations.”
ABOUT DR. GERT CRUYWAGEN
During an award-winning career of more than 40 years, Gert Cruywagen led risk management for some of the world’s most complex companies while selflessly dedicating his life to elevating the practice of risk management around the world.
Most recently, Gert was the Director of Risk for the Tsogo Sun Group, Africa’s largest owner and operator of a diverse range of hotels, casinos and entertainment destinations across South Africa. Prior to that, he was an executive director of Tsogosure Insurance Company Limited based in the Isle of Man and served on various boards, management committees, including its audit and risk committees, as well as its pension and medical aid funds.
Gert was also a permanent member of the King Committee on Corporate Governance in South Africa serving as convenor for its Risk Working Group and the Chairperson of the Group Risk Governance Committee of the City of Johannesburg.
He was steadfast in his commitment to advancing risk management globally. Gert was a Fellow of the Institute of Risk Management of South Africa (IRMSA), an Honorary Life Member of the Institute of Risk Management (UK), an Honorary Member of the Russian Risk Management Association; a Founder Member and Honorary Member of the Polish Risk Management Association; as well as a past Chairman of the South African Risk and Insurance Management Association (SARIMA). He served on the advisory board of the International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations (IFRIMA), the Global Editorial Advisory Board of Business Insurance Magazine, as well as serving as a member on the Zurich Financial Services Client Advisory Board and Allianz Insurance Company’s Africa Advisory Board.
He is also a member of RIMS (USA), the Institute of Directors of South Africa (IoDSA) and of The Institute of Directors based in London.
Gert was voted as South Africa’s “Risk Manager of the Year” in 2009 and is the founder and first chairman of the Cruywagen-IRMSA Risk Foundation; a non-profit body that facilitates risk laboratories, risk training, internships and exchange programs for students in the disciplines of risk.
Gert passed away in 2022 and is survived by his wife and his three children.
ABOUT SUSAN MELTZER
Susan Meltzer is one the most-respected and most-accomplished risk management professionals within the RIMS community.
Susan graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa in 1975 and began her risk management career with Morris and Mackenzie Insurance Brokers right after graduation. Her risk management journey has included roles at some of the largest and most successful organizations in Canada including Bell Canada, SunLife Financial, and Aviva Canada.
In her last risk management role at Aviva, Susan led enterprise risk management across Aviva North America and was accountable for risk management in Aviva Canada. She retired from Aviva Canada as the organization’s Vice President, Risk in June of 2019.
Throughout her career Susan has been one of the biggest supporters of RIMS Ontario Chapter (ORIMS), RIMS Canada Council, RIMS Global, and the overall advancement of the risk management profession. Susan has not only guided and mentored countless risk management professionals, she also taught Canadian Risk Management Certificate (CRM) courses at University of Toronto and participated in the Spencer Educational Foundation’s Risk Manager in Residence program at several universities in Canada and the United States.
Susan served as RIMS Global President from 1999-2000 – during RIMS’ 50th Anniversary year. She was a member of the board of the International Federation of Insurance and Risk Management Associations (IFRIMA) from 2000 to 2010, holding the position of President from 2004 to 2008. She also served on the CIP Society Council, and the Graduate Society of the Insurance Institute of Canada.
Susan was named a Business Insurance Women to Watch in 2006, received Canada’s highest honor, the Donald M. Stuart Award, in 2001, and RIMS highest global honor the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award in 2004.
In recognition of her amazing service to risk management, she is a RIMS and ORIMS Chapter Emeritus Member. And, in 2024, ORIMS renamed its Top CRM Graduate Award to the Susan Meltzer Award, commemorating her outstanding contributions to the CRM program.
ABOUT BRADLEY WOOD
In 1986, Brad Wood was awarded the RIMS Anita Benedetti Student Involvement Program scholarship that afforded him the opportunity to attend RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition as a student. That introduction to risk management ignited a remarkable 34-year career in the field.
Upon graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Brad was hired by Marriott as a one-person insurance department. Rising through the ranks, he was named as Marriott International’s Senior Vice President, Risk Management and would be responsible for business continuity, crisis management, insurance, safety & security, risk finance, claims administration, occupational health, intelligence, investigations, and fire life safety for thousands of hotels across 30 brands in 100+ countries.
As the leader of a large and diverse global team of over 250 risk management employees, Brad demonstrated an unwavering commitment to providing them with resources, tools, and training to grow their careers. With the support from talented colleagues, Marriott’s risk management team successfully developed strategies to identify and prioritize acceptable risk levels; established risk finance methodologies; procured insurance through complex centralized insurance structures; maintained fire protection, safety and security standards; self-administered claims; and helped the organization navigate crises such as 9/11, Katrina, SARS, COVID, and others.
Brad was instrumental in advocating for the passage and extensions of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). He frequently shared the impact 9/11 had on Marriott properties and the insurance markets with business leaders, members of Congress, and other government officials. For his efforts, Brad was acknowledged by then President George W. Bush for his exceptional contributions towards passing TRIA. Later, Brad advocated for the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act as a steering committee member of the Business Continuity Coalition to protect the economy by creating a market for pandemic insurance for business.
Brad maintains the CPCU and ARM professional designations. He served as president of RIMS Potomac Chapter from 1994-1995. He also served on the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Risk Management Committee and insurer advisory boards. Brad received the RIMS Richard W. Bland Award in 2003 for his legislative efforts and was inducted into Business Insurance Magazine’s Risk Management Honor Roll in 2005.
About the Risk Management Hall of Fame
The Risk Management Hall of Fame (RMHF) is home to those risk professionals who have made exceptional contributions to advancing the risk management discipline. The RMHF was created to preserve the history and tradition of the profession. Founded in 2011, nominees are considered from around the globe and inductees are selected by the RMHF Selection Committee. New members to the Risk Management Hall of Fame are announced yearly at RISKWORLD.
About RIMS
RIMS, the risk management society®️, empowers risk professionals to make the world safer, more secure, and more sustainable. Through networking, professional development, certification, advocacy, and research, RIMS and its 80 chapters serves more than 200,000 risk practitioners and business leaders from over 75 countries. Founded in 1950, the Society publishes the award-winning Risk Management Magazine and produces RISKWORLD®️, the largest annual gathering of global risk professionals. RIMS embraces diversity, equity and inclusion and welcomes all risk professionals to connect and learn, explore the online Risk Knowledge library, tune into the RIMScast podcast series, and engage the global risk community via RIMS social media channels. To learn more, visit https://www.RIMS.org.
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