Rick Graham is the Chief Risk Officer for SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority), the nation's sixth-largest provider of public transportation. Rick leads a team of ten risk management professionals responsible for the authority's treatment of risk, management, and employee injury claims. He also oversees a comprehensive vocational rehabilitation program and currently serves as the VP of the Delaware Valley Chapter of RIMS. He earned his BA in political science from Meridian College. In today's live episode, from the 2022 RIMS Conference, Rick highlights the successes, challenges, and future of risk management and public transportation.

Key Takeaways

• Rick highlights the chapters of his risk management career.
• As a risk manager in public transportation, what does Rick want people to know?
• Public transportation provides great opportunities for inclusion and equity.
• Seeking solutions for the unique exposures that are presented in public transportation.
• Public transportation has seen major technology changes over the last decade. Rick highlights some of the innovations in railroad technology and smartphones.
• As a public entity, public transportation has been affected by the current state of the finance market.
• Rick details his approach to the changing dynamics of the environment, including the impact of climate change.
• Cyberattacks present a very real threat to any company. Rick emphasizes the importance of handling IT infrastructure with the same emphasis as physical infrastructure.
• How will public transportation continue to change as more people adopt a hybrid work model?
• The impact that the pandemic has had on the demand for public transportation.
• Future challenges in public transportation and the most important steps professionals can take today to prepare for the future.
• With a focus on DEI, changes still need to happen in the public transportation industry to effectively welcome more people in.
• RIMS recognizes that greater diversity, equity, and inclusion need to happen, and are working as a leader in increasing DEI in the industry.
• Why come to insurance? Rick shares some of the highlights and rewards of his career.
• Ideas for pulling non-traditional candidates into risk management industries.
• An optimistic look at the future of the risk management industry includes a younger, more diverse workforce.
• Rick reveals what he wishes he had known at the beginning of his risk management career.

Keep Getting Better

Richard Graham at RIMS

Richard Graham on LinkedIn

Quotes

"There is a lot of focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion right now, and public transportation really affords people to be inclusive and provide equity."

"We're acutely aware of [the impact of climate change] taking the risk management model and applying it."

"You have to look at your IT infrastructure the same way you look at your physical infrastructure."

"The most important thing that we have to do as a profession is not to accept things as they are today."

"We've got to look at diversity, equity, and inclusion as an opportunity, not as a threat."