Risk management veteran David Arick has been named president of the Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc.

Founded in 1950, Rims publishes the award-winning Risk Management magazine and produces Riskworld, the largest annual gathering of global risk professionals. It will be held in San Diego from May 5 to 8.

Mr Arick, who takes over the top post for the 2024 term, is assistant treasurer, global risk management, at International Paper Company, one of the world’s leading producers of fibre-based packaging and pulp.

Based in Memphis, Tennessee, his team is responsible for risk financing and captive management, insurance programmes and claims management, and property loss prevention engineering.

Rims said Mr Arick has worked in the insurance and risk management field for more than 35 years, beginning his career in claim services at Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio.

He then progressed through risk management positions at Banc One Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Emerson Electric and General Electric, prior to joining International Paper in June 2004.

Mr Arick said: “Risk management is at a crossroads. While the profession’s momentum is at an all-time high, to keep it moving in the right direction it is up to the risk community to step out of their comfort zones, sharpen their skills and set their collective goals even higher.

“To truly tap risk management’s limitless potential, individually we must be bold and dive into uncharted professional waters. My priority as Rims president is to ensure that the society continues to deliver opportunities, resources, networking, events and so much more to empower the risk community to confidently dive into the unknown and advance risk management globally.”

Rims said Mr Arick has been actively involved in the organisation throughout his career, initially as an officer and board member for the Central Ohio and St Louis Rims chapters.

He then served in society roles as a member of the Rims international committee, chairman of the long-range planning committee and as a member of the external affairs committee.

Mr Arick joined the Rims board of directors in 2019, serving as the society’s secretary in 2021, its treasurer in 2022 and vice-president in 2023.

Other officers for the 2024 term are vice-president Kristen Peed, head of corporate risk, Sequoia; treasurer Kevin Bates, group head of risk and insurance, Lendlease; and secretary Manuel Padilla, vice-president, risk management and insurance, MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated.