Events
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Fall 2020 - In This Issue:
PARMA Member Spot Light
Meet Steven Schwartz, CSP

Tell me about how you became a risk manager?
My path to risk management has been circuitous at best. I started my career as a robotics engineer working in Silicon Valley.  After several years of robotics work, I was given an opportunity to transition into the role of a corporate environmental/ safety engineer. I found the area of safety engineering rewarding and after a couple years I accepted a job in the Pacific Northwest as a safety officer for a large park district which included overseeing two wildlife parks.  After a short time, I assumed the tasks of coordinating employee benefits, workers' compensation and the oversite of tort defense. With the new tasks came the title of Risk Manager.  Needless to say, the new title and associated duties cut into my play time at the parks. Eventually I found my way south to sunny California and the City of Fremont where I have had the pleasure of being Risk Manager for the past 14 years.

What are the rewards you experience professionally by being a PARMA member?
PARMA is great at facilitating the exchange of information between members.  Whether it is a chapter meeting or the annual conference, these events provide members the chance discuss "hot topics" and learn how other members are handling them.  PARMA has allowed me to network and has provided me with resources to manage risk practices in today's world. 

Ask Larry Column
 
Post questions to asklarry@parma.com and receive a timely answer from PARMA Board Director, Larry Costello.
 
Hey Larry, I just heard the annual conference will be virtual in 2021 due to COVID.  That's a bummer but understandable in the current environment.  Do you know if any of the six chapters in the state are still having any chapter meetings during this period of restrictions due to COVID?

That's a terrific question and yes, we're all a little bummed we're having a virtual conference in 2021 but I think you're actually going to love what we're putting together.  You'll still have opportunities to "attend" many sessions and if you can't make them in real time you'll be able to view them later because we're archiving all presentations.  We're also reducing the cost for attendees and providing terrific opportunities for you to visit many of our sponsors in virtual lounges where you'll be able to see their offerings and interact with them.  We're actually getting pretty excited for this conference.
 
In regards to chapter meetings, I can tell you that my chapter, San Diego / Imperial Valley, converted several or our already-scheduled in-person quarterly meetings earlier this year to virtual meetings and they were well received but we haven't had any since June.  And I know that the Southern California chapter is hosting a webinar on Sept. 24th.  Other than that I don't believe any other chapters are planning to host meetings for the rest of year (although that could change as the year progresses), mostly because PARMA is hosting a series of "COVID Conversations" webinars every week or two well into October with more possibly planned through the end of the year.  Upcoming webinars cover COVID topics such as Case Management, School Immunity for COVID, COVID Crossover Issues and COVID's Impact on Coverage.  You can see the full list as well as sign up by going to www.parma.com and clicking on Events.  This is where you'll also see if any chapters have any chapter meetings scheduled.
 
Hopefully next year we'll have COVID in the rear-view mirror and we'll be back to normal.  Virtual meetings and conferences and webinars are great but it will be nice to see everyone in person again.  Thanks for the question!
Susan Eldridge PARMA Conference Scholarship

PARMA's vision is to assist Public Entity Risk Managers in achieving success in their careers and to provide Public Entities with the support they need to make their Risk Managers successful. PARMA has designed a conference to provide quality education and training in all the aspects of risk management. To help assist in funding, PARMA offers scholarships for the conference from both PARMA as an association and through its chapters.
 
The Susan Eldridge PARMA Conference Scholarship is for eligible public entity employees.  The 2021 scholarship includes the registration for the virtual Conference.
 
Each chapter that maintains a specified amount in their chapter treasury may also award a scholarship. If you are interested in either of these programs, simply complete one application form online and your application will be considered for the PARMA or Chapter scholarships. You must be employed by a Public Entity to apply.  For more information, please click HERE.
PARMA is Accepting Nominations for its Board of Directors

The terms of four (4) PARMA Directors will be ending at the Annual Conference, the nomination committee has confirmed that three (3) incumbents will pursue re-election, with one (1) vacancy.  Nominations are now being solicited for the vacant position. Any public-entity PARMA member who is currently employed or is a lifetime member is eligible for nomination as a PARMA Director.
 
All Applications for Nomination must be received no later than by close of business December 1, 2020. Compliance with the filing deadline will be reviewed by the Nominating Committee for compliance with the selection criteria.
 
An "Application for Nomination as a PARMA Director" is available on the PARMA website. By hitting submit on this online form your completed application will be submitted to the Executive Director and directed to the Nominating Committee.  Please be sure to review the candidate criteria closely and that you meet that criteria before submitting your application.
 
Questions?
Please direct questions to Executive Director, Gloria Peterson at 1-844-GO-PARMA (1-844-467-2762) x104 or by e-mail at ed@parma.com.
 
The Nomination Committee will recommend the most highly qualified candidates to the PARMA Board of Directors and the membership at the annual conference in February 2021. The election of directors will follow the Nomination Committee report.
PARMA Chapters Seek Your Help

PARMA Chapters are seeking volunteers. Involvement can be at varying levels of time commitment, comfort level and responsibility. Simply reach out to your chapter officers to let them know more about your interest, talent and available time commitment and your chapter leaders will match you up with ways you can help.
 
Examples of volunteer opportunities include:
  • identifying a future chapter event speaker
  • hosting or organizing a networking event
  • holiday party decorating
  • making a connection with a potential sponsor
  • sharing membership growth ideas
  • being a new member ambassador
  • creating an event or membership promotion flyer
  • chapter event greeter
  • event setup assistance 
PARMA volunteers have one thing in common. They agree that by volunteering they received more than they give in the way of both personal and professional growth.
 
"Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."
 
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
If you haven't considered it, think about reaching out to your local chapter to learn ways that you can volunteer. You will be richer for it!
PARMA 2021 Annual Conference


Attendee registration will open by the end of this week. Stay tuned!
PARMA Calendar at a Glance
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