April 2026 Newsletter

President's Letter

April 2026

I hope everyone had a great weekend and enjoyed the recent holidays. I spent some time on Galveston Island and was reminded just how big the world is. The ocean has a way of putting things into perspective, how small we are individually, but how much impact each of us can make in our own professional and personal worlds.

As we wrap up the first quarter and move quickly toward summer, I hope everyone is finalizing plans and knocking out any lingering renewals. As risk professionals, we also know this time of year brings increased exposure, from convective storms to tropical weather and, at its worst, hurricanes. It is a good reminder of why preparation and strong risk management matter.

April is shaping up to be a great month for our chapter, with two exciting events ahead of RISKWorld in Philadelphia on May 3–6. We hosted a volunteer opportunity with Kids’ Meals, followed by a crawfish boil this week. Thanks to all who volunteered with us at the Kids’ Meals! What a great day giving back! We are already looking to secure more opportunities to volunteer with them! Our second event is next week, April 15th at the Briar Club. This month, Ankura will present “Business Interruption Earnings in Jeopardy.” I notice this presentation was delivered at another RIMS chapter and immediately thought it would be valuable for our Houston audience. We are looking forward to a strong turnout.

As a reminder, please mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

• RISKWorld 2026, May 3–6, Philadelphia
• Astros Game Day, May 14
• Texas Regional RIMS Conference 2026, August 10–12, San Antonio

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, and I hope you have a great month of April. Enjoy the holidays you celebrate.

Zachry Norman

From the board

Already April!

We hope you’ll join us at the HTX RIMS Luncheon next week on April 15th at the Briar Club. Registration will remain open through the end of day Monday, because if time is flying for you the way it is for us, we wanted to be sure there was still room to join! At our March luncheon, we were thrilled to add several extra tables to accommodate a larger-than-expected crowd. Seeing this growth in engagement is exactly what we hoped for, and we’re excited to see that momentum continue throughout the year.

This week, HTX RIMS proudly hosted a Volunteer Day with Kids’ Meals, and it was truly impactful. Together, our volunteers contributed 52.5 hours of service, packing 5,422 meals for preschool-aged children across the Houston area. Touring their impressive new facility was eye-opening. We learned that each meal costs just $2, and their team packs an incredible 12,000 meals each day. None of this would be possible without the support of the communities they serve. Their dedication and passion to end childhood food insecurity right here in Houston left a lasting impression on us. In fact, we’re already working to schedule additional volunteer opportunities later this summer and again during the fall/holiday season.

And speaking of giving back—we’re excited to share progress on an initiative we previously mentioned. The Board has been working closely with the Spencer Foundation to launch the HTX RIMS Libby Evans Scholarship. We are deeply grateful for Libby’s meaningful contributions to our industry and to our local chapter, and we sincerely thank the Spencer Foundation for partnering with us to honor her legacy while supporting the next generation of risk professionals. We look forward to sharing the announcement of the selected recipient very soon.

Stay tuned. Get involved. Better Together.

Cheers,
HTX RIMS Board

Member Spotlight

Elijah Kabalka, Insurance & Risk Management Analyst - City of Houston

In connection with our recent announcement of the HTX RIMS Libby Evans Scholarship, we are excited to highlight one of our own members, Elijah Kabalka, a past Spencer Foundation Scholarship recipient whose experience reflects the impact this opportunity can make.

When asked about the benefits of receiving the Spencer Foundation Scholarship, Elijah shared:

“The Spencer Foundation Scholarship was a meaningful milestone along my journey in Risk Management. I was already on that path when I decided to return to school to pursue my Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in Insurance and Risk Management at the University of Houston–Downtown (UHD). What made the scholarship especially meaningful was that it represented far more than financial assistance. It helped drive my education beyond what can be learned through industry experience alone and into a formal academic foundation in Risk Management and Insurance. In addition, it created opportunities for networking, conferences, and broader professional engagement that added real value to my growth and development. It reinforced that I was investing in the right field and remains an important part of my journey in Risk Management.”

Stories like Elijah’s reinforce why we are so proud to establish and award the HTX RIMS Libby Evans Scholarship. We look forward to the meaningful impact this scholarship will have as we continue to invest in and support the future risk managers of our industry.

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.