Professor for a Day - RMI

Michael Manis, Managing Director of Lockton, enriched CSUN students with his insights on the future of the RMI profession (4/24/24).

Starting from a community college, he took some courses at CSUN and continued to earn his bachelor's degree in engineering from USC.

His presentation is full of thought-provoking messages, including my favorite: "Nurture your reputation – Nearly every major decision about your career will be determined when you’re not in the room."

Thank Michael again for sharing your wisdom with CSUN RMI students and making this event possible by rescheduling an important business meeting with a CEO.

Feel free to leave your feedback on LinkedIn. 

Bill Ortgiesen brought his Matador spirit back to his alma mater and shared with RMI students his journey from a CSUN graduate to a regional executive at Allied World (11/1/23).

As a Professor for a day in my class, he encouraged students to generate an edge in their careers with both technical skills and social connections.

His presentation brightened my class with his real-life experiences.

Feel free to leave your feedback on LinkedIn. 

What a delightful day to host Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP as a Professor for a day at CSUN David Nazarian College of Business and Economics (10/18/23).

His enthusiasm for the RMI profession made this visit possible while he traveled across the nation multiple times this month.

He shared with students a wide range of resources provided by LA RIMS in support of students interested in RMI.

We at CSUN are grateful for its continuous generosity, including recently sponsoring two CSUN students to attend the RIMS Western Regional Conference in Vail, Colorado, Oct. 4-6, 2023.

Feel free to leave your feedback on LinkedIn. 

Tim Gaspar founded an insurance agency in 2008, at a challenging time when the financial crisis hit every corner of the economy, two years out of California State University, Northridge.

Tim shared his entrepreneurial spirit and leadership style of making his agency one of the largest independent insurance firms in both Los Angeles City and San Fernando (4/20/23).

I deeply appreciate Tim for his inspirational presentation as a professor for a day, for his generous giving in the form of scholarships, and for his support of serving on the CSUN RMI advisory board.   

Feel free to leave your comments on LinkedIn. 

A joyful afternoon to host Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP, President of LA RIMS and VP of Risk Management at Kilroy, as a Risk/Insurance Professor for A Day at CSUN (10/19/2022).

He answered 30+ questions from students who were eager to know what risk management and insurance careers look like.

His love of the risk management profession was contagious throughout his presentation.
Feel free to leave comments on LinkedIn. 

A beautiful afternoon to host Kelly, Regional VP of STARR, as a Risk/Insurance Professor for A Day (3/15/2022).

Her presentation is full of inspiring stories in her career and life journey from a college student with many dreams to her current executive position with leadership duties.

Feel free to leave comments on the LinkedIn post. 

A group picture as her presentation concluded. 

It's a blessing to have Tony Chimera, Chief Talent Officer of Westfield Specialty, as a Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day (10/20/21).

Using his 27 years of recruiting experiences, he enriched 27 CSUN students with a practical understanding of various career paths available in this field.  

Striking is his remark on soft skills—such as curiosity, collaboration, and passion—that are highly valued by recruiters.  

View more pictures of the “Professor for a Day” events at https://www.csun.edu/center-for-risk-insurance/risk-and-insurance-professor-day. 

Feel free to leave a comment on LinkedIn.     

My privilege to host Terry Campbell, Managing Director of Gallagher, as a Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day (10/18/21).

With his 34-year career on the brokerage side of the insurance industry, he engaged CSUN students with several thought-provoking questions, such as truths/untruths about the industry, what matters after college, and what skill sets an employer would look for in a college graduate.

Terry has planted the seed into these young minds about the beauty of the risk and insurance profession. Thank you again with joy and gratitude!

View more pictures of the “Professor for a Day” events at https://www.csun.edu/center-for-risk-insurance/risk-and-insurance-professor-day. 

Feel free to leave a comment on LinkedIn.     

Lindsey Harris, Director of Risk Management at Dollar Tree, addressed numerous questions on her risk management career from my students for an interactive Zoom session (Oct. 20, 2020).

Her presentation not only helped these Matadors with a better understanding of how she identified and managed loss exposures facing this big retailer with nearly 190,000 associates, particularly during this pandemic.

She also inspired the hearts of all participants with her personal life stories from childhood to her present professional position. 

From her beautiful mind comes a final note to students as follows.

"Never stop learning, be good to others, find your joy, and aggressively pursue it."

Feel free to leave your comments on LinkedIn. 

Jennifer Knox of Swiss Re and Sean Bishoff of AFM – FM Global took time out to visit CSUN as a Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day (Oct. 25, 2019).

Both of them provide valuable career tips to Matadors.

Feel free to share your thought/feedback on the LinkedIn post.

After earning her Bachler degree from San Francisco State University, Jennifer Knox has advanced her career with several insurance companies in San Francisco, Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. She encouraged student Matadors to be agile and learn to navigate ambiguity.

Sean Bishoff also shared with these students his career stories starting from his life chapter as a Mechanic Engineering major at CSUN. He came back to the campus for the first time 25 years after his graduation, encouraging participating students to be deliberate in your personal brand. As the Western Regional Manager of AFM– FM Global, Sean also explained to students why his company stands out as a specialized property insurance company in the risk and insurance industry by focusing on risk management in the upper-middle market.  

Below is the event poster for the 5th Annual Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day.

Rachael Waller of Lockton and Courtney W. Claflin of the University of California visited CSUN for the Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day event (Oct. 25, 2019). 

Their career stories fuel several Matadors’ curiosity and passion for the RMI profession. 

Feel free to share your thought/feedback on the LinkedIn post.

Rachael Waller and Courtney W. Claflin are a living expression of being curious, persistent, and patient in their career development.

From a student athlete in swimming at USC to the youngest senior executive in the 30-year history of Lockton’s operations in the Pacific, Rachael transmitted to CSUN students the idea that there are no limits on their potentials.

In addition, Courtney shared with Matadors his life journey from a hockey player at college to an executive director of captive insurance programs who helped create more than 15 captives.

His expertise in captive insurance contributes to the creation of the first captive insurance company for the California State University.

Below is the event poster for the 5th Annual Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day.

BobbiJo DeNofa Broad of Willis Towers Watson and Jeffrey Stolle of LA RIMS President came to CSUN for the Risk and Insurance Professor for a Day event (Oct. 23, 2019).  

They shared their career stories and sparked a lot of interest in the RMI profession among participating students.

Feel free to share your thought/feedback on the LinkedIn post.

BobbiJo DeNofa Broad and Jeff Stolle addressed students' questions about what it looks at work as risk professionals on a daily basis.  

Below is the event poster for the 5th Annual Risk/Insurance Professor for a Day event.

Vincent J. Monastersky presented to a group of 30+ CSUN students about how he performed his duties as a risk professional at Fox Corporation (Oct. 23, 2019). 

As one of 60+ professionals invited for the annual 'Professor for a Day' program at CSUN, Vincent was hosted by Sheila Walker in her class of Strategic Management Seminar.

Vincent J. Monastersky provided with Matadors insightful risk management issues in the new era for Fox after the Disney transaction. 

John P. Barrett, Chairman of Aon Southern California, educated Matadors on the changing face of global risk as a Risk/Insurance Professor for A Day (Oct. 18, 2018).

"Risk needs to be attacked, embraced, and managed due to the increases in its magnitude, complexity, and scrutiny." 

As a corporate executive, he also inspired Matadors with three elements of leadership: confidence, credibility, and impact.  

Vincent J. Monastersky, VP of Risk Management at Fox Entertainment Group, gave Matadors a bird's eye view on enterprise risk management as a CSUN's Professor for A Day (Oct. 18, 2018).

He emphasizes that "risk management involves all levels of organization: legal, finance, human resources, operations, tax, travel, safety, security, internal audit, treasury, and business affairs." 

Vincent also shared with Matadors how risk management applied for Fox's GREASE: LIVE event. 

CSUN students appreciated John P. Barrett and Vincent J. Monastersky for their presentations with their heart-shaped hand signs. 

The event poster for Risk and Insurance Professor for a Day 2018. 

Jim Darling, Regional Executive office of Pacific Region at Chubb, enlightened Matadors about the insurance industry from three unique perspectives based on his 37 years of career experience, his daughter's view as a Lockton Account manager, and his son's view as a Chubb professional associate (Oct. 17, 2018).  

He also shared with Matadors the beauty of the risk/insurance industry that values the work/life/community balance.

Douglas Turk, Chief Marketing Officer of JLT Group, enhanced Matadors' understanding of the risk/insurance profession with his career stories at the Professor for a Day event (Oct. 17, 2018). He also shared with Matadors using his personal experience about when to say "No, but I can do this" in response to an unreasonable request at work. 

Doug offered several career tips, including (1) keep your mouth shut and eyes open in the first thirty days of a new job and learn constantly about the business, and (2) success is driven by hard work.

Timothy J. Noonan ’81 (History), President and CEO of Lockton, visited his alma mater as a Risk and Insurance Professor for A Day (Oct. 11, 2017).

Tim inspired Matadors to differentiate themselves as all professions are vulnerable to technology and outsourcing replaces personnel for routine administration tasks.

William Blake, SVP and Southwest Executive of Zurich North America, visited CSUN again as a Risk and Insurance Professor a Day (Oct. 11, 2017).

Matadors got inspired by his life stories, career advice, and challenges & opportunities in the insurance industry.

See the Event Poster!

Riki Nieman, Vice President of CNA Insurance, was invited to CSUN as a Risk and Insurance Professor for A Day (Oct. 10, 2017). She encouraged Matadors to explore a career opportunity in insurance. One of her career suggestions for students is to find mentors and champions as they are looking for a career.

Stephanie Conner ’05 (Sociology), Risk Manager of the Walt Disney Company, came back to her alma mater as a Risk and Insurance Professor for a Day (Oct. 10, 2017). Matadors opened their eyes to how risk management and insurance are applied in practice at this global corporation in the entertainment industry.  

Nicole Bacon ’02 (Finance), Managing Director of Construction at Travelers, returned to her alma mater as a Risk and Insurance Professor for A Day at CSUN (Oct. 10, 2017). She inspired matadors with her life stories and passion toward insurance careers.  

Manny Chavez ’93 (MPA, Public Administration) came back to his alma mater as a Risk & Insurance Professor for A Day (Oct. 10, 2017), sharing with Matadors his life passion as a risk manager at Holland America Group that serves Princess Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, and P&O Cruises Australia.

He currently serves as President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society. 

William "Bill" Blake, Southwest executive of Zurich North America, engaged CSUN students with the facts of the insurance industry and explained how insurance companies transact business at the Professor for a Day event (Oct. 5, 2016).

He informed students that a wide variety of careers is available in the insurance industry.

Ty von Hoetzendorff, Vice President of Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. and CSUN alum, shared with CSUN students his passion for the insurance industry at the Professor for a Day event (Oct. 5, 2016).

He brought his 30 years of insurance experience to the classroom and talked about careers in insurance.