I don’t think anything can quite prepare you for your first RIMS Conference. The insurance industry descends on San Diego and completely takes it over. All over the Gaslamp District, meetings are taking place, deals are being struck, and relationships are being cultivated. Massive exhibits are constructed using state-of-the-art technology and you can walk miles every day looking at exhibits ranging from a 16-foot bobblehead dog to a professionally crafted sandcastle and everything in between. So glad I heeded the “wear comfortable shoes” tip.

This is my third conference of the year, and it’s so different than World Captive Forum or CICA, that it’s truly in a category by itself. The sheer scale of it makes it so, with roughly 10,000 attendees filling the San Diego Convention Center and an exhibit hall that is at least three football fields in length.  It also encompasses so many different aspects of industry, and not just the more specific captive space we occupy (although safe to say it’s becoming more popular). I’ve learned a lot at each of the conferences I’ve attended, and RIMS was no exception.

My favorite thing about the past week was being a part of the State of Vermont delegation. Getting to know my Vermont-based colleagues from the DFR, captive managers, asset managers, lawyers, bankers, etc. was truly a highlight. We had a well-rounded team of Vermont representatives and I feel so fortunate to be surrounded by genuine, kind people in the captive industry. These folks work hard, but they also know how to have fun, and trust me, fun was had!

CEO Kevin Mead and I were also fortunate to meet up with a few of VCIA’s exhibitors, sponsors and members, and it’s always a joy to put faces with names and make a lasting connection. Seeing these folks and how excited they are to come to Burlington this summer made us that much more excited for the August conference.

Speaking of the conference, registration opens next week! All signs point to big attendee numbers and the VCIA team is hard at work to make it our best one yet. There are very few exhibit booths remaining and a couple of sponsorship opportunities available so do reach out if you’d like to be a part of the largest US captive insurance conference.

Cheers from San Diego!

Angie