Inna Getselis
Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
212-655-5910 office
917-885-3700 cell
igetselis@RIMS.org

Sabrina Written
Morial Convention Center
504-582-3023 office
504-628-8201 cell
swritten@mccno.com

NEW ORLEANS WELCOMES THE RISK AND INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY 2007 ANNUAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION

10,000 attendees expected April 29-May 3 for New Orleans’ third major citywide convention of 2007

NEW ORLEANS (April 27, 2007) – New Orleans’ hospitality industry is rolling out the red carpet for the arrival of New York City-based Risk and Insurance Management Society’s (RIMS) 2007 Annual Conference & Exhibition, Sunday, April 29-Thursday, May 3, with an expected 10,000 attendees.

RIMS 2007 Annual Conference & Exhibition, celebrating the 45^th anniversary of this premier event, returns home to the city of its birth in 1963. The premier event for the risk management industry features 160 educational sessions and some 400 leading authorities speaking on those topics most critical to risk management professionals, including climate change, business continuity and preparedness, pandemics, crisis management and enterprise risk management—many of which are key issues for business planning in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

This prominent conference is expected to generate millions of dollars in immediate economic impact to New Orleans, but more importantly, it demonstrates that New Orleans is fully operational for hosting major events of significant size and scope. RIMS 2007 follows two successful citywide conventions in 2007 – Healthcare Information Management Systems Society and the American College of Cardiology, which took place February 25-March 2 and March 24-27, respectively.

The majority of RIMS 2007 main events and educational sessions will be held at the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans, which has recently undergone a $60 million facility enhancement.

Community service and charity events abound during RIMS 2007 Annual Conference & Exhibition. Over the course of five days, hundreds of attendees will partake in the 16^th Annual Spencer/Gallagher Golf Tournament and the 13^th Annual Spencer/Logic Tennis Tournament, both fundraisers for Spencer Educational Foundation, Inc., a charitable organization that provides scholarships, educational programs and university grants that benefit promising students of risk management disciplines.

RIMS 2007 will also host a Comedy Benefit featuring comedian and television personality Dennis Miller, from which the proceeds will go towards assisting in New Orleans’ strategic recovery plan. And during RIMS Community Service Day on April 29, some 400 volunteers will help to clean City Park, which will aid in keeping this vast green space a viable place for New Orleans residents to enjoy.

“The Risk and Insurance Management Society is proud and honored to bring the premier conference for the risk management profession to New Orleans for the seventh year in its history,” says Michael Liebowitz, RIMS president and director of insurance and risk management for New York University. “There isn’t a more fitting destination for risk professionals to learn by example about the issues at the heart of business planning and preparedness. There is an excitement about RIMS 2007 New Orleans the likes of which we have not felt in years.”

Nikki Nicholson, vice president of convention sales for the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau added, “We extend our deepest gratitude to RIMS for its commitment, especially for making the decision to move ahead with keeping the meeting in New Orleans. Their due diligence and multiple research trips to the city during the past 18 months demonstrated that New Orleans truly is ready to host what we hope will be one of RIMS most successful and memorable conferences.”

“We are honored to welcome RIMS to the city for their fifth visit since 1989. I have had the personal pleasure of working with the RIMS family for over twenty years. They are a truly wonderful group, always exceedingly professional and authentic, and their commitment to New Orleans is testament to those qualities. We anticipate hosting a successful event and look forward to their return in years to come," said Keith Levey, director of sales for the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans.

For media credentials to attend the conference, please contact Felicia Messimer at 212-655-6059 or fmessimer@RIMS.org.

About the Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.
The Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the practice of risk management, a professional discipline that protects physical, financial and human resources. Founded in 1950, RIMS represents nearly 4,000 industrial, service, nonprofit, charitable, and governmental entities. The Society serves more than 10,000 risk management professionals around the world. For more information, visit www.RIMS.org.

About the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans
With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, an award-winning staff and first class amenities, the new and improved Morial Convention Center-New Orleans is the sixth largest convention center in the nation and a consistent Top 10 host of the largest number of conventions and tradeshows annually. A leading rainmaker of the New Orleans hospitality industry, MCC event activity has produced $35.17 billion in economic impact since 1985, including $2.03 billion in new statewide tax revenues.

About the New Orleans CVB
The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.neworleanscvb.com) is the driving force behind New Orleans' most important industry, tourism, which generates $5 billion in visitor spending and creates 85,000 jobs. Today the cultural riches, sensual indulgences and unparalleled service that define the New Orleans experience continue to flourish, as they have for centuries. The most celebrated and historic core of the city - including the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street and Garden District - not only remains intact, both physically and spiritually, but is thriving. The New Orleans CVB is proudly welcoming visitors and business travelers every day.

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