Hargis directing Lipscomb University's Office of Risk Management and Insurance
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Lipscomb University has hired Kathy Hargis to direct its office of Risk Management and Insurance, according to Phil Ellenburg, Lipscomb's general counsel.
The position of Director of Risk Management was created in response to the growing complexities of managing the risk and providing appropriate coverage for the various aspects of a multi-faceted institution like Lipscomb, according to Ellenburg.
"The attention required in this area has grown exponentially in the last few years," Ellenburg said. "In a post-9/11 world, reducing risk through recognition and training as well as providing adequate coverage for all of our operations is crucial. We, at Lipscomb, have a lot to consider with the needs of the university as well as those of our K-12 campus school and numerous specialty coverage plans."
"Kathy is uniquely qualified to design and lead this office. She possesses the expertise required of such a position, but also the kind of outgoing personality that will encourage members of the campus community to take advantage of the services she provides. In her short time here she has already had a major positive impact in several areas which include active participation in our safety program on campus, consulting with faculty in the sciences, assisting facilities and maintenance with questions and concerns regarding hazardous materials, and acting as the primary liaison with our outside insurance carriers. Kathy Hargis fits exactly what we need."
Hargis comes to the position with more than 20 years experience in the field of risk management. She was responsible for formally initiating a Risk Management Department at First American Corporation, has worked as an underwriter in the insurance industry, has worked auditing businesses to determine where they have too much coverage and where they need less and has worked as a consultant for businesses to develop better business plans in the areas of risk management and insurance.
Hargis said she plans to impact Lipscomb University by taking current successes and working to ensure an even better, safer, more cutting edge business.
"I want to make sure that we're doing everything we can here at Lipscomb to make our campus and working environment the very best for our students, faculty, staff and neighboring community," Hargis said. "My plan is that we will continually be better than we have been in the past. I want everyone to see me as an advocate for them to come to with questions or concerns."
"What I love about this job is that no two days are the same, and I get to interact with people in every aspect of the university and campus school."
Hargis is working to develop a Risk Management Manual to serve as a resource for questions that come up on a daily basis. She is also providing training sessions, something that has been done in the past, but she hopes to do even more in coming days.
"My job is to help senior management understand the implications of choices they make, identify risks for the university, develop plans to lower those risks and work to implement those plans. This is typical for any university. When a business has buildings and a large number of people under its care, issues will come up. I hope to ensure that everyone is as careful as possible on the front end to ensure that avoidable issues never occur and to have action plans developed for what people can do to lower costs when inevitable issues do arise."
Prior to Hargis being hired as risk manager, Ellenburg was responsible for handling the duties of that office. However, he said that he has seen a rising need in the past few years to have someone specifically trained to manage those responsibilities led to the creation of the office.
"As the world and colleges and universities have become more complex, and as Lipscomb University has grown and become more complex, it has become essential to have professionals in many different areas who have specific expertise in their respective fields. Kathy brings that expertise to the table in the field of Risk Management. We are thrilled she is here, not only because she is perfectly qualified for this position, but also because she is just a fantastic person to work with."
For more information about the Risk Management Office, contact Hargis at 615.279.5661 or e-mail kathy.hargis [at] lipscomb.edu.