NEW YORK (April 17, 2018) — At the Spencer Educational Foundation reception, case-study provider Andrew Bent, risk manager at Sage Group plc announced University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) student team as the winners of the 2018 Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge. The team, comprised of four risk management students, competed against 26 other universities and delivered the award-winning risk management presentation in front industry leaders at RIMS 2018 Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Antonio.
Members of the UWM winning team included:
• Becky Cacioppo
• Taryn Otto
• Cassandra Ring
• Cameron Rowe
• Academic Advisor: Carl Barlett
"We are very pleased to continue the Foundation's support of Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge and congratulate the team from University of Wisconsin-Madison," said Zakia Phillips, the chairperson of the Spencer Educational Foundation. "This week, I had the opportunity and pleasure to watch the students thoughtfully apply their classroom knowledge and research skills to this year’s case study. The teams showcased their analytical and creative thinking abilities as they made their presentations. The work we have seen from all the teams this week reinforces the critical work we do in supporting tomorrow's risk management professionals."
“As business risks continue to evolve and become more complex, organizations will lean on the next generation of risk professionals to support growth, innovation and sustainability endeavors,” said RIMS CEO Mary Roth. “The students who participate in the Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge prove that the future is bright for the profession, demonstrating a remarkable grasp of both fundamental and nuanced risk management practices. Congratulations to this year’s champion University of Wisconsin-Madison and all of this year’s competitors.”
The challenge began with 26 universities, eight months ago, who were each presented with a risk management case-study, provided by the Sage Foundation. The teams developed solutions and eight of the teams were selected to attend RIMS 2018. During the conference, the field was narrowed to three and those finalists presented one last time in front of risk professionals at the conference.
Second place in this year’s Challenge was Saint Joseph’s University (Philadelphia) and the third place team was Nanyang Technological University (Singapore). The first place university received $4000, second $3,000 and third $2,000.
About The Spencer Educational Foundation
Spencer Educational Foundation is the premier organization awarding scholarships and grants in risk management and insurance industry. Since its founding in 1979, it has awarded approximately $6.4 million in student and part-time master’s scholarships and $3.25 million in grants to universities, corporations and professional institutions for educational programs, internships and conferences. Spencer is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose purpose is to fund the education of tomorrow’s risk management and insurance industry leaders.
About RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition
Launched in 1963, RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition attracts some 10,000 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. The four-day event offers more than 160 educational sessions, keynote presentations, special events and an expansive Marketplace Exhibit Hall with nearly 400 exhibitors. Following San Antonio, the event will be hosted in Boston in 2019. For more information, visit www.RIMS.org/RIMS2018.
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.