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NEW YORK (April 21, 2015) — Back in 2007, RIMS, the risk management society™, held its first ever Community Service Day in the City of New Orleans to support the local community following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina.  Today, the Society announced its 2015 Community Service Day project to take place on April 26th back in the city where it started.

 

Sponsored by Zurich North America and as part of RIMS 2015 Annual Conference & Exhibition, approximately 100 risk management professionals will team up with the St. Bernard Project (SBP), a nonprofit that provides critical resources for communities afflicted by natural disaster.  Volunteers will spend the day in the New Orleans neighborhoods of Gentilly and New Orleans East building and painting new homes.  The event kicks-off at an 8:00 a.m. breakfast for attendees.  Shuttle buses will transport volunteers to several pre-selected sites.

 

SBP was founded in 2006 by Liz McCartney and Zack Rosenburg after they saw the tremendous needs, yet solvable problems in the New Orleans region. Through Disaster Resilience and Recovery Lab, SBP works to share lessons learned, prevent common barriers to recovery and help communities utilize SBP’s standardized, repeatable and proven-effective model.

 

A second Community Service Day project will be held on Tuesday, April 28th in the Exhibit Hall at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. The second project – also sponsored by Zurich - will benefit Blessings in a Backpack, a local nonprofit that provides elementary school children who are on the federal Free and Reduced Price Meal Program with a backpack of food to take home for 38 weekends during the school year. Risk professionals will lend their support by assembling backpacks that will then be donated to Educare to benefit students at local schools in the Bayou District.

 

“RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition continues to grow and the Community Service Day tradition has become an amazing opportunity to repay our hosting cities for their hospitality,” said RIMS Executive Director Mary Roth. “The people of New Orleans have taught the world a valuable lesson of determination and perseverance.  The two charitable organizations selected have truly noble causes and we’re delighted to be able to support the local community.” 

 

”Zurich is delighted to be sponsoring RIMS Community Service Projects again this year and thrilled to be working with two New Orleans-based charities with which we have long standing relationships,” said Dan Riordan, Zurich CEO of Global Corporate in North America. “I am proud of the Zurich employees and all RIMS volunteers who will work with the St. Bernard Project and with Blessings in a Backpack to make a difference in the lives of local News Orleans children and families.  All of these efforts by RIMS attendees are key to helping build a resilient New Orleans.”

 

This is the fourth year in a row that Zurich has sponsored RIMS Community Service Day activities.  The sponsorship represents the “Zurich Commitment” to its customers, employees, shareholders and communities and helps to empower its employees to get involved in the communities, in which they live and work.  

 

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 150 educational sessions, keynote presentations, special events and an expansive Exhibit Hall with more than 400 exhibitors. Following New Orleans, the event will be hosted in San Diego in 2016. For more information, visit www.RIMS.org/RIMS15.

 

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With more than 55,000 employees, it provides a wide range of general insurance and life insurance products and services. Zurich’s customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, including multinational corporations, in more than 170 countries. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

 

In North America, Zurich is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors through the individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company. Life insurance and disability coverage issued in the United States in all states except New York is issued by Zurich American Life Insurance Company, an Illinois domestic life insurance company. In New York, life insurance and disability coverage is issued by Zurich American Life Insurance Company of New York, a New York domestic life insurance company. For more information about the products and services it offers and people Zurich employs around the world go to www.zurichna.com. 2012 marked Zurich's 100-year anniversary of insuring America and the success of its customers, shareholders and employees.

Insurance coverages are underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company. Certain coverages are not available in all states. Some coverages may be written on a nonadmitted basis through licensed surplus lines brokers. Risk engineering services are provided by The Zurich Services Corporation.