Hyatt's Jennifer Pack Named 2025 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year

RIMS has recognized Jennifer Pack, vice president of risk management at Hyatt, as the 2025 Risk Manager of the Year. Mark Saltsgaver, vice president of corporate risk management at Eli Lilly and Company, has been inducted into the Risk Management Honor Roll. Both honorees will be recognized during RISKWORLD® in Chicago this May. 

Established in 1977, the Risk Manager of the Year program honors risk professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and innovation. In 1981, RIMS expanded the initiative by introducing the Risk Management Honor Roll to recognize additional outstanding contributors. Nominees are judged by a panel of past honorees and risk industry leaders. 

"Jennifer Pack has transformed risk management at Hyatt, embedding a culture that has provided a launchpad for organizational success," RIMS CEO Gary A. LaBranche said. "Similarly, Mark Saltsgaver's ability to develop impactful relationships across Eli Lilly and with external stakeholders demonstrates the undeniable value of having strong risk management leadership." 

Ms. Pack leads a 40-person team at Hyatt, where she has overhauled core risk strategies to align with the company's shifting business model. Under her leadership, Hyatt has centralized its short-term, long-term disability, and workers compensation programs, reducing manual work by approximately 80,000 hours and yielding significant cost savings. She has also introduced enhanced claims management systems and employee health initiatives. 

Her work includes establishing Hyatt's fire life safety compliance and governance program, a global initiative that audits more than 1,400 properties across 79 countries. The program incorporates new technologies and aims to standardize safety protocols across the hospitality chain. Her leadership in addressing challenges such as social inflation and cybersecurity has also strengthened the organization's risk resilience. 

Ms. Pack has received multiple accolades in her field, including inclusion on Business Insurance's Women to Watch list. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and remains actively involved with RIMS's Chicago chapter. 

Mr. Saltsgaver, with nearly 35 years at Eli Lilly, is credited with building a globally integrated risk function that supports over 46,000 employees in 100 countries. His risk financing strategy relies on captive insurance and structured reinsurance to cut costs while improving protection. His work has delivered millions in savings for the pharmaceutical company. 

He is currently leading a project to modernize Lilly's insurance certificate workflows, a change expected to eliminate more than 20,000 manual steps. Mr. Saltsgaver's collaborative approach has helped unite cross-functional teams across finance, legal, information technology, and operations, facilitating predictive analysis of emerging risks. 

Recognized as a mentor and thought leader, Mr. Saltsgaver shares his expertise at numerous industry forums and remains dedicated to advancing the risk management profession.