Lessons in Risk Management

Managing risk is vital to the operations of a successful engineering firm. The Leadership Institute Class of 2023 tackled this important topic during its fourth session – Risk Management for Future Firm Leaders. The module featured seven presenters to provide a well-rounded view of risk management.

An introduction to Enterprise Risk Management kicked off the session. Mead & Hunt’s Anne Black and Cassie Coopman provided an overview of ERM. The Class of 2023 was then led through an interactive risk log exercise designed to identify and think about risks.

Shifting gears, we looked at the risks of leading and managing people. Jennifer Mirus from Boardman & Clark LLP presented HR Legal Basics for Managers. This session was provided actionable takeways for managers and clearly illustrated how project managers and Human Resources need to work together to reduce legal exposures.

Paula Dixon, Holmes Murphy & Associates, provided best practices from the lens of insurance industry, while John Boldt, PE, FACEC, and Joe Bunker, PE, Strand Associates, weighed in with real-world examples from the engineering perspective. These examples from real projects always generate great questions and discussion.

And finally, Karen Erger, Lockton Companies, looked at risk from an attorney’s perspective. Her presentation, The Legal Liability of Design Professionals, tied together the lessons from throughout the risk module.

Risk Management Resources

Visit ACEC National’s Risk Management page for resources, including the class’s pre-reading assignment, Client Expectations of Perfection.