Risk Insurance Program Given Major Gift

Gerald D. Stephens, who earned his BBA in 1955 from UW-Madison in risk and insurance, has established the Gerald D. Stephens CPCU Chair and Program Fund in Risk Management and Insurance through a generous gift to the School of Business.

School of Business Dean Michael M. Knetter said, “Jerry Stephens' gift will be of enormous help to the Risk Management and Insurance Program in maintaining its place as one of the premier programs in the world.”

The gift is intended not only to provide support to a top educator and researcher in risk management and insurance—it will also support various student programs, including scholarships and participation at regional and national meetings, as well as risk and insurance research efforts.

In November, Professor Mark Browne, a noted expert in health care finance and risk management was named to the chair.

Stephens is the founder, past president and CEO, and current chair of the Board of Directors of the RLI Corporation, a multi-line property and liability insurer specializing in niche markets. He is past president of the Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters (CPCU), a leading industry/academic education organization.

While at UW-Madison, he was president of the Insurance Society (now the Risk Management and Insurance Society), the oldest student organization in risk and insurance in the academic world. The Risk Management and Insurance Program at UW-Madison was established in 1938.

Stephens, who is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the School of Business, received the Risk Management and Insurance Distinguished Alumni Award for 2003.