Janice Ochenkowski was presented with the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award at the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc.’s annual conference in New Orleans on Monday.

The award, named for RIMS’ first president, honors individuals that have furthered the goal of the society and the risk management discipline.

Ms. Ochenkowski is international director of global risk management for Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. in Chicago.

During an awards luncheon, RIMS President Richard Roberts said Ms. Ochenkowski, who has been active within the society since the 1980s and was the society’s president in 2008, has advanced the goals of risk management and is a role model for ethical behavior.

“It is truly humbling to be honored by my peers in this way,” Ms. Ochenkowski said. “I tell our risk management group that anyone can say ‘no.’ It takes a real risk manager to make it happen – that’s what makes it exciting.”

Ms. Ochenkowski said she was proud of many projects she had worked on with RIMS, including the society’s professional growth model, and improving RIMS’ governance and promoting more international interest in risk management.

Several other RIMS members received awards during Monday’s luncheon. The Ron Judd Heart of RIMS Award, which honors individuals who keep their chapters vibrant and relevant, was given to Victoria Nolan, risk and benefits manager at Clean Water Services and an active member of RIMS’ Oregon chapter.

The Richard W. Bland Memorial Award, which recognizes a member’s commitment in the area of legislation or regulation, was presented to Richard Rabs, immediate past chair of RIMS’ external affairs committee.

The Cristy Award, which acknowledges the person who earns the highest marks on the three exams required to earn the Associate of Risk Management designation, was presented to Michael Grosso, risk analyst at Bimbo Bakeries USA.

Also this year, RIMS introduced the Rising Star Award to honor the achievements, initiative, volunteerism, professional development and leadership potential of professionals under the age of 35 or with less than seven years’ experience in the industry. Those receiving the inaugural awards were Anna Bendgen, a risk management specialist at Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.; Andrew Bent, a senior adviser for environment, health and safety risk at Suncor Energy Inc.; and Yelena Urcia, senior global insurance analyst at The AES Corp.