IRMI Renames Best Practices Award to Honor WTC Victim
Release Date: May 5, 2002
Contact: Contact Us
DALLAS—International Risk Management
Institute, Inc. (IRMI), has announced that it will rename its
Construction Risk Management Best Practices
Award in honor of Gary E. Bird, a nationally known risk management
expert whose life was taken on September 11, 2001. Mr. Bird was a senior
vice president with Marsh, Inc., and was in the Marsh offices of the
World Trade Center when the building was destroyed in the terrorist
attacks. In acknowledgment of Gary's significant and cutting-edge risk
management solutions and his contributions to the construction risk
management community, IRMI is pleased to rename the
Construction Risk Management Best Practices
Award in his honor. The award will now be known as the
Gary E. Bird Horizon Award.
According to Jack Gibson, IRMI president, "If there was a member
of the risk management community who could serve as a role model for
a Construction Risk Management Best Practices
Award recipient, it was Gary Bird. Gary always pushed the risk
management horizon in search of new ways to manage the risks of large
construction projects." In his 12-year tenure as director of risk management
with Phelps Dodge Corporation, Mr. Bird implemented loss control programs,
alternative risk financing programs including the formation of two Bermuda-domiciled
captive insurance companies, controlled insurance programs (operational
and environmental) domestically and internationally, environmental liability
insurance programs, and a complete international insurance program covering
operations in over 30 countries. Additionally, Gary was the author of
The Wrap-Up Guide, the authoritative
work on the installation and operation of controlled insurance programs
published by IRMI.
In 1998, IRMI created the Construction
Risk Management Best Practices Award to promote the awareness
of innovative risk management techniques and processes that have proven
to be cost-efficient and effective in the construction industry. In
its first 3 years, the award was bestowed on Gayle Jones of Snyder Langston
and George Bragg of Bragg Crane Services for their development of a
crane safety manual, Paul Day of Cianbro Corporation for a behavior-based
safety process, and TJ Lyons of Rifenburg Construction, Inc., for adapting
the OSHA Voluntary Protection Plan (VPP) Accreditation for use in the
road construction industry.
The first Gary E. Bird Horizon Award
will be presented at the Marsh-sponsored award luncheon during the 22nd
IRMI Construction Risk Conference in San Diego November 11-14, 2002.
To find out more about this award, its qualification requirements, and
how to apply, contact Christine Fuge of IRMI at 1-800-827-4242, ext.
346, or visit IRMI's website at www.IRMI.com
and go to the "Conference" section of the site.
Founded in 1978, International Risk Management Institute, Inc., (IRMI),
is a Dallas-based research and publishing organization specializing
in risk management and insurance reference manuals, books, and newsletters.
These references and the firm's website, IRMI.com, provide practical
strategies and tactics for insurance buyers, human resources professionals,
risk managers, agents, brokers, underwriters, claims adjusters, and
attorneys. IRMI is also the sponsor of the annual IRMI Construction
Risk Conference, which is the only national symposium devoted exclusively
to managing and insuring construction risks. Visit
www.IRMI.com, or call 1-800-827-4242
for more information.