Legendary Canadian risk manager passes away

Susan Meltzer, a giant in Canada’s risk management community, has passed away, the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) announced Monday.

“Throughout her remarkable career, Susan was a passionate champion of the RIMS Ontario Chapter, the RIMS Canada Council, RIMS Global, and the broader advancement of the risk management profession,” RIMS 2025 President Kristen Peed says. “Her passing is a profound loss to the global risk management community.”

Meltzer served as RIMS’ global president from 1999-2000. She was a board member of the International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations (IFRIMA) from 2000 to 2010 and served as president from 2004-08.

Her risk management career began in 1975 and included roles at Bell Canada, SunLife Financial, and Aviva Canada.

In her last risk management role at Aviva, Meltzer led enterprise risk management across Aviva North America and was accountable for risk management in Aviva Canada. She retired from Aviva Canada as vice president of risk in June 2019.

Meltzer received RIMS Canada’s highest national honour, the Don Stuart Award, in 2001. A few years later, RIMS bestowed her with its highest global honour, the Harry & Dorothy Goodell Award, in 2004.

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RIMS recently inducted Meltzer into its RIMS Risk Management Hall of Fame at RiskWorld in May 2025.

“This year, I had the privilege of meeting Susan at the RIMS Canada Conference, where we honoured her as the newest inductee into the RIMS Risk Management Hall of Fame,” Pees recalled. “Her impact on the profession was far-reaching, and it was evident at the conference just how many of today’s risk leaders were touched and inspired by her generosity.

“Most memorable, however, was seeing the joy she shared with her family and friends, who joined her in Calgary to celebrate her career. It was clear how much they meant to her, and how important they were to her life.

“On behalf of RIMS, we extend our deepest gratitude for all Susan gave to this profession. Her legacy and the mark she left on all of us will not be forgotten.”

Meltzer was highly involved in risk management education.

She served on the CIP Society Council, the graduate society of the Insurance Institute of Canada. She developed and presented workshops for credits towards the RIMS Fellow designation. She also taught risk financing, risk control, and risk management at the University of Toronto. She was the Spencer Educational Foundation “Risk Manager in Residence” at a number of major universities in the United States and Canada.

Meltzer also served as a beacon for women entering the risk management profession.

“Beyond all her extraordinary career achievements, Susan was a role model for many women starting their insurance and risk management careers as, in the early years, she was one of just a few prominent Canadian female leaders in the industry,” says RIMS Canada Council chair Valerie Barber.

“She was an incredibly generous and compassionate person who devoted countless hours to helping others reach their goals and achieve their dreams. Beloved within Canada’s close-knit risk community, Susan’s contributions will continue to open doors for the next generation of risk management leaders for years to come.”

In Meltzer’s honour, RIMS has established The Susan Meltzer Scholarship Fund, intended to fund expenses for one Canadian risk professional to attend RIMS Canada Conference every year.

The RIMS Foundation for Risk Management plans to raise US$40,000 to support the scholarship. To begin fundraising efforts, RIMS will contribute US$10,000.

David Gambrill

David has twice served as Canadian Underwriter’s senior editor, both from 2005 to 2012, and again from 2017 to the present.