When asked about her goals as the 2014 president of the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc., Carolyn M. Snow first mentions preparing the organization for the future, a task for which her professional background and previous work with the society should have her well positioned.

“My main objective is to establish a long-range plan for RIMS,” said Ms. Snow, director of risk management for Louisville, Ky.-based Humana Inc. “We're calling it RIMS 2020 and we've set up a task force to look at what's going to happen in the next five or six years and how RIMS can be best positioned to respond to multiple changes in the industry, the environment — in everything, really.”

Ms. Snow has been a RIMS member for 14 years, serving on the organization's board for seven years. She has previously served as the New York-based society's treasurer, secretary and director of external affairs and is a member of RIMS Kentuckiana/Bluegrass chapter.

The new RIMS president also was recognized in 2009 as one of Business Insurance's Women to Watch.

“Carolyn and I actually came onto the board together,” said Nowell R. Seaman, director of global risk management at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. and RIMS 2014 corporate secretary. “Carolyn is a very experienced and knowledgeable risk manager.”

“She's been involved with a lot of the strategies, the initiatives RIMS has been involved with over those seven years,” including the strategic risk management program and its student program, said Daniel H. Kugler, assistant treasurer of risk management at Snap-on Inc. in Kenosha, Wis. “I think that provides her with an opportunity to have a pretty strong vision of where RIMS should go.”

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Another element of her vision, Ms. Snow said, is continuing RIMS' emphasis on developing young, emerging leaders. RIMS has had “incredible growth'' in developing online educational forums for young risk managers, she said.

She and several other RIMS members also connect with risk management students through the Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager in Residence Program. Through the program, risk managers spend time at colleges and universities “to lecture and to teach and to talk about the real risk management worlds,” Ms. Snow said. “This year I'm going to Appalachian State.”

While the new RIMS president's previous work in external affairs for the society involved largely U.S. issues, as president she plans to focus on international issues, too.

“We've really had some good growth internationally,” she said. “We have the new Australia chapter, we have a new Peru chapter. Some exciting things are happening there, and I want to continue that.”

Before joining Humana, Ms. Snow worked both with insurers and in brokerage. “I tell everyone I had the perfect background” for risk management, she said. “I was in underwriting and marketing — I was with Cigna and Fireman's Fund — so I had a lot of contact with brokers. From there I was vice president of marketing at Aon, and there was an opportunity that came up at Humana at a time when Aon was consolidating offices.” She was offered an opportunity to transfer to another Aon office but chose to take the job with Humana, a major health insurer.

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Ms. Snow said RIMS has helped her advance her risk management career in a variety of ways, from giving her the exposure that comes with being interviewed by national publications to educational opportunities.

“I think the single biggest thing for me is the networking, and just meeting risk managers in all kinds of fields,” Ms. Snow said. “I've yet to pick up the phone or send an email and ask any risk manager for help in any area and not get a positive response.” Ms. Snow's risk management colleagues are looking forward to her sharing her skills and experience with the society as its new president.

“I think she'll be a great president,” Mr. Kugler said. “She understands the board. She's got a great relationship with the RIMS staff.”

“I'm excited about Carolyn's term as president of RIMS,” said Janice Ochenkowski, managing director of global risk management at Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. in Chicago, RIMS' 2008 president and a member of the society's board. “I think she will help move RIMS forward.”