Chapter History
The Atlanta Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. was organized November 22, 1957, as the American Society of Insurance Management, Inc., at a meeting held at Georgia State College in Atlanta. The formation of this chapter was the culmination of the efforts of those who recognized the need for such a chapter in Atlanta and the surrounding area.
Insurance managers from the The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Power Company and Delta Airlines and insurance educators from Georgia State College in Atlanta worked with representatives from the national offlce of the American Society of Insurance Management (ASIM) to form the Atlanta Chapter of ASIM. A preliminary meeting of interested persons was held at Georgia State College October 8, 1957. From this meeting, the Atlanta Chapter emerged with a well-diversified membership representing a cross-section of industry in the greater Atlanta area.
Atlanta Chapter members elected to follow the national lead and in 1975 the name of the organization was changed to the Atlanta Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society, lnc.
From a charter membership of twelve member companies in l 957, the Atlanta Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) has grown to a membership of approximately one hundred member companies. The chapter provides its membership with educational materials, conferences and seminars, the opportunity for professional advancement, and fellowship with other risk and insurance management professionals in the Atlanta area.
Since 1984, the Atlanta Chapter has hosted annual regional risk management educational conferences. The proceeds from the regional conferences allow the chapter to contribute scholarship funds both to the National Spencer Educational Foundation and to local university risk management programs at the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Georgia Southern University.
The National RIMS Conference was held in Atlanta and hosted by the Atlanta Chapter in 1967, 1973, l 980, l989 and 1997.
A number of deputy insurance members of the Atlanta Chapter have served as Executive Committee members for the Risk and Management Society. In 1977, Robert S. Spencer of Fuqua Industries, who was the Atlanta Chapter President in 1973, was elected President of RIMS after having served in each of the other elected positions. Donald T. Browne of First Atlanta Corporation, who served as Atlanta Chapter President in 1977, was elected President of RIMS during the 1984-85 term.
In June 1979, following Robert S. Spencer's death, the Robert S. Spencer Memorial Foundation, Inc. was founded by the Atlanta Chapter. Renamed as the Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc., scholarships are awarded annually to deserving students in the field of risk and insurance management, including students from the University of Georgia and Georgia State University.