Three Risk Professionals Inducted into RIMS Hall of Fame

RIMS has inducted three global leaders in risk management—Dr. Gert Cruywagen, Susan Meltzer, and Bradley Wood—into the Risk Management Hall of Fame (RMHF), recognizing their decades of contributions to the profession. The honor was announced during the RISKWORLD conference in Chicago. 

Candidates for RMHF induction are selected based on their professional achievements, innovation, ethical conduct, and leadership in advancing the risk management discipline. 

Dr. Gert Cruywagen, who passed away in 2022, spent over 40 years in the industry. He served as director of risk for Tsogo Sun Group, Africa's largest operator of hotels and entertainment venues, and held executive roles at Tsogosure Insurance Company Limited. He was a permanent member of South Africa's king committee on corporate governance and chaired risk-related bodies in Johannesburg. Cruywagen held memberships and honorary titles across multiple international risk management associations and was the founder and first chairman of the Cruywagen-IRMSA Risk Foundation, a nonprofit supporting education and training in risk. 

Susan Meltzer began her career in 1975 and held senior risk management roles at Bell Canada, SunLife Financial, and Aviva Canada, where she retired as vice president of risk in 2019. She led enterprise risk for Aviva North America and was deeply involved with RIMS, serving as global president from 1999 to 2000 and participating on the IFRIMA board, where she served as president from 2004 to 2008. She also taught at the University of Toronto and supported the Spencer Educational Foundation. Meltzer has received numerous honors, including the Donald M. Stuart Award and the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award. In 2024, RIMS Ontario renamed its top CRM graduate award in her honor. 

Bradley Wood entered the field in 1986 through a RIMS student scholarship and built a 34-year career at Marriott International, eventually becoming senior vice president of risk management. He oversaw global risk operations spanning safety, crisis management, insurance, and claims. Wood was also a strong advocate for the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act and the Pandemic Risk Insurance Act, representing the industry in policy discussions with lawmakers. He holds CPCU and ARM designations and was recognized by President George W. Bush for his role in TRIA's passage. He served as RIMS Potomac Chapter president and was inducted into Business Insurance Magazine's Risk Management Honor Roll in 2005. 

The Risk Management Hall of Fame, founded in 2011, honors risk professionals who have significantly shaped the discipline. Inductees are chosen annually by a selection committee and announced at RISKWORLD.