The Houston Chapter of RIMS serves its members and the greater Houston community by focusing on the highest quality service, education and information to manage all forms of business risk and to promote the risk management profession.

July 2026 Newsletter

President's Letter

July 2026

July always brings a different kind of energy. For many of us, the Fourth of July is more than a holiday. I always think about that scene in The Sandlot, with the kids running through the park under the fireworks. It captures the feeling of summer, community, and traditions that stay with us long after the moment has passed.

As we celebrate America's 250th anniversary, it is a good reminder to reflect on both legacy and future. Houston RIMS has been built by professionals who invested their time, knowledge, and energy into this chapter. Our responsibility is to continue that work so the next generation has the same opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. Here's to the next 25 years, the next 50 years, and many more beyond.

I also want to remind everyone about our July 15 luncheon featuring Brian Stockton of IMA Financial Group. Brian will be discussing Owner Controlled Insurance Programs (OCIPs) and Contractor Controlled Insurance Programs (CCIPs), including program design, key coverages, implementation considerations, and current market conditions.

We are also continuing to build momentum toward the Texas RIMS Regional Conference. If you have not registered yet, I encourage you to do so and join risk professionals from across the state.

Thank you for your continued support of Houston RIMS. Wishing you and your families a safe, enjoyable, and restful remainder of the summer.

You can find chapter information and register for meetings and events at www.houstonrims.org. Please reach out if you have any questions. We truly enjoy hearing from you and seeing you at our events is even better. Your continued support drives the Houston chapter’s impact and helps us further our goal of supporting risk management education in the Houston area.

Thank you all,

Zachry Norman

From the board

Hello, Summer!

We hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Fourth of July! As we settle into the second half of the year, we're looking forward to reconnecting with our members and continuing to bring timely, practical programming to the Houston risk management community.

Join Us Next Week – July 15 HTX RIMS Luncheon

There's still time to register for our July luncheon at The Briar Club! Registration remains open through Monday, and we'd love to see you there.

Our featured speaker, Brian Stockton, IMA Financial Group, will present Owner-Controlled Insurance Programs (OCIPs) and Contractor-Controlled Insurance Programs (CCIPs). The session will cover:

Program structure and design
Key insurance coverages
Implementation best practices
Current claims trends
Today's insurance market conditions

With construction activity continuing across Texas, understanding OCIPs and CCIPs is becoming increasingly important for owners, contractors, brokers, and risk professionals alike. This has been one of our most requested topics, and we're excited to bring it to our membership.

Have an intern on your team? We encourage you to invite them to attend! This is an excellent opportunity for students and emerging professionals to gain exposure to real-world risk management topics while connecting with experienced industry leaders.

What Has HTX RIMS Been Up To?

May Networking Event – Astros Game

A great evening of baseball, networking, and relationship building! Thank you to our generous event sponsors:

Cotton Holdings
CorVel
Gallagher Bassett

June Luncheon

Thank you to Brian Waters of Gray Reed for delivering an outstanding presentation on Indemnity and Insurance in Commercial Contracts. We welcomed a packed room and appreciated the thoughtful discussion and engaging Q&A that followed.

Providing relevant, practical education remains one of our highest priorities. If there's a topic you'd like to see covered at a future luncheon, we'd love to hear from you.

Supporting Our Industry Partners

HTX RIMS was proud to sponsor a table at the NAAIA Houston Chapter luncheon.

We're also pleased to sponsor the upcoming Young Risk Professionals (YRP) Golf Tournament, supporting the next generation of risk management professionals.

Industry Spotlight

As hurricane season progresses, organizations across the Gulf Coast continue to focus on operational resilience and catastrophe preparedness. While insurance remains an essential component of every risk financing strategy, today's market increasingly rewards organizations that demonstrate strong risk controls, business continuity planning, and proactive loss prevention.

Whether reviewing property values, updating emergency response plans, evaluating contractual risk transfer, or strengthening supply chain resilience, now is an excellent time to ensure your organization's risk management program is prepared for the months ahead.

Upcoming Events

RIMS Texas Regional Conference

August 10–12, 2026 | San Antonio, Texas

The conference is just around the corner! Attendees can enjoy the convenience of staying at the host hotel, located just steps from conference sessions, networking events, and San Antonio's famous River Walk.

Today (July 10) is the final day to secure the discounted hotel rate of $243 per night.

Please remember that conference registration must be completed before you can reserve a room within the RIMS hotel block. Once registered, you'll receive the hotel booking link.

We hope to see many of our Houston members there!

September Luncheon

September 16, 2026 | The Briar Club

Join us for our September luncheon featuring a presentation on Marine Exposures.

We're also excited to announce that we're finalizing plans for an exclusive HTX RIMS Port of Houston tour. Space will be limited, and registration details will be announced during the September luncheon, so be sure to attend if you're interested.

HTX RIMS Annual Golf Tournament

October 6, 2026

We're excited to host this year's tournament at a new incredible venue—the Golf Club of Houston!

Additional details and sponsorship opportunities will be shared soon.

Thank you for your continued support of HTX RIMS. We appreciate your engagement and look forward to seeing you throughout the remainder of the year.

Stay connected. Stay involved. Better Together.

Cheers,

The HTX RIMS Board

Member Spotlight

Houston RIMS Awards Scholarship to St. Mary's Senior Arturo Martinez

Houston RIMS is proud to recognize Arturo Martinez, a senior at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, as a recipient of this year’s Houston RIMS Libby Evans Scholarship facilitated through Spencer Education. The scholarship highlights students who demonstrate a strong commitment to the insurance and risk management profession and who show exceptional potential as future industry leaders.

Arturo has developed a clear vision for his career in the insurance industry. Following graduation, he plans to pursue a career in underwriting, with a long-term goal of specializing in excess and surplus lines as well as property and casualty insurance. Looking ahead, Arturo hopes to transition into risk management within the next five years. He is also actively working toward earning his CPCU designation, further demonstrating his dedication to professional development and industry excellence.

As a participant in RIMS events through his role with Alliant, Arturo has particularly enjoyed the chapter’s networking opportunities and educational programming. He shared that the luncheon meetings and speaker sessions have helped him gain a deeper understanding of industry topics while providing valuable opportunities to connect with experienced professionals. Building relationships and learning from industry leaders have been among the most rewarding aspects of his involvement with RIMS.

When reflecting on the most valuable lessons he has learned through his studies in Insurance and Risk Management, Arturo emphasized the importance of clear communication, collaboration, and authenticity. He believes that openly communicating opportunities with teammates and being genuine in professional interactions are essential to success. He also encourages others to step outside their comfort zones and embrace new experiences, recognizing that growth often comes from entering unfamiliar environments and building new connections.

Houston RIMS congratulates Arturo Martinez on this achievement and looks forward to seeing the impact he will make in the insurance and risk management industry. We wish him continued success as he completes his studies and begins the next chapter of his professional journey.

Spencer Educational Foundation

SPENCER WEBINAR SERIES

Join our early career webinar series! These free virtual sessions are a powerful educational and networking tool.

Who can attend? The Spencer Webinar Series is open to all! These free virtual educational & networking sessions are geared toward college students and recent graduates. High schoolers are also highly encouraged to participate.

How can I attend? Register for any session using the Spencer Virtual Campus Website and attend via Zoom.

When are the sessions held?

Monthly during the Spring and Fall semesters: From September through May, our sessions are held on the second Thursday of each month from 1:00-2:00 pm EST.
Weekly during the Summer: From June through August, our sessions are held every Thursday from 1:00-2:00 pm EST.

Questions? Contact Spencer's Program Administrator, Daniel Perez, with any questions.