Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin Smulison interviews Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray of Alliant Insurance Services about her risk and insurance career journey, what DE&I initiatives mean in her growth, the sorts of programs she has launched, and how she proves their worth on social and financial levels. She tells how a professor tried to steer her to trade school so she wouldn’t fail in the big university and how the lack of inclusion at her first job limited her career opportunities until a boss who saw her potential nudged her firmly ahead. She is passionate about the power of DE&I to do moral good and grow business profits.   Listen in to learn what diversity, equity, and inclusion can mean for your company. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:15] About this episode of RIMScast, coming to you from RIMS Headquarters in New York. My guest is Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray. She is the Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for Alliant Insurance Services! We will discuss what it takes to launch and measure the effectiveness of a DE&I Initiative. [:47] Lillian will also be the honoree at this year’s Spencer Educational Foundation Funding Their Future Gala on September 12th in New York City. [:58] First, let’s talk about RIMS Virtual Workshops. The full calendar of virtual workshops is at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. On June 26th and 27th, our friend Elise Farnham leads the two-day course, Captives as an Alternate Risk Financing Technique. On July 9th and 10th, we have Managing Workers’ Compensation. [1:18] On July 23rd and 24th, we have Claims Management. Other dates for Fall and Winter are available on the Virtual Workshops full calendar at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. [1:31] Let’s talk about prep courses for the RIMS-CRMP. The next session for risk managers based in the U.S. and Canada will be held on August 7th and 8th, followed by a two-day session on September 12th and 13th, and lastly, on December 17th and 18th. [1:53] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep Course will be held on December 3rd through 5th, 2024. Additional Prep Courses are offered through NSE Academy, India, Conrad Clark Nigeria, UCLA, and others. A link to these resources and more is also in this episode’s show notes. [2:14] Did you know that the RIMS Risk Management magazine Q2 2024 issue is available online? A link to the digital issue is in this episode’s show notes. The new issue covers the impact of AI on insurance underwriting, geopolitical risks, ERM program tips, social media copyright claims, developments in parametric insurance, and more! [2:44] You can also head over to RMmagazine.com. [2:49] Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray is the Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for Alliant Insurance Services. She is also this year’s honoree for the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala, which will be held, on Thursday, September 12th, 2024 at The Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. [3:15] We are going to hear about her risk and insurance career journey, how DE&I initiatives have played a part in her growth, the sorts of programs she has launched, how she measures them, and how she’s able to prove their worth on social and financial levels. [3:36] Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray, welcome to RIMScast! [4:02] Lilian says that being the 2024 Honoree for the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala feels amazing, phenomenal, and stupendous! She says she’s at a time in her life when she’s happy doing the things she wants to do and she’s making a difference. This honor helped her get there. [4:50] Lilian’s risk and insurance career started in 1988. After she graduated from UCLA in 1987, she worked for a financial planner in Beverly Hills. In October of 1987, the stock market crashed. It was a disaster for the small firm where she worked and Lilian decided she wanted to have a