RIMS inducts three into Risk Management Hall of Fame

The Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. on Wednesday inducted risk leaders Gert Cruywagen, Susan Meltzer and Bradley Wood into the Risk Management Hall of Fame.

The Risk Management Hall of Fame recognizes risk practitioners who have made significant contributions in advancing the discipline. The honor was presented at Riskworld in Chicago.

Mr. Cruywagen, who died in 2022, was regarded as a pioneer in risk management in South Africa and globally.

He was president of the International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations from 2019 to 2020 and a life member of the Institute of Risk Management South Africa. He was the director of risk for Tsogo Sun Group, Africa’s largest owner and operator of hotels and casinos. He was also an executive director of Tsogosure Insurance Co., based in the Isle of Man.

Ms. Meltzer began her career at a Toronto-based brokerage after graduating from Carleton University in Ottawa in 1975. She held risk management positions at some of the largest organizations in Canada, including Bell Canada, SunLife Financial and Aviva Canada.

She retired from Aviva Canada in 2019 as the organization’s vice president of risk management. Ms. Meltzer was RIMS global president from 1999 to 2000 and president of IFRIMA from 2004 to 2008.

She was named a Business Insurance 2006 Women To Watch winner, received Canada’s highest risk management honor, the Donald M. Stuart Award, in 2001, and RIMS’ highest global honor, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award, in 2004.

After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Mr. Wood was hired by Marriott as a one-person insurance department. He went on to become Marriott International’s senior vice president, risk management where he led a team of over 250 risk management employees.

Mr. Wood, who retired in 2021 after a 34-year career in risk management, was instrumental in advocating for the passage and extensions of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act. He was acknowledged by then-President George W. Bush for his contributions toward passing TRIA and later advocated for a Pandemic Risk Insurance Act as a steering committee member of the Business Continuity Coalition.

Mr. Wood received the RIMS Richard W. Bland Award in 2003 for his legislative efforts and was inducted into the Business Insurance Risk Management Honor Roll in 2005. He served as president of RIMS Potomac Chapter from 1994 to 1995.