Published May 28, 2025
CAPTION: Thirty-one seniors in the ULM RMI program recently participated in the Harry Saunders Award Competition.
MONROE, LA – Seniors in the ULM Risk Management and Insurance (RMI) program recently participated
in the Harry Saunders Award Competition. A total of 31 students, comprising nine teams,
competed to develop insurance products, with the top three teams earning cash prizes.
Each student team was paired with an alumni mentor.
Dr. Christine Berry, the Kim Sledge Chair of Risk Management and Insurance in the
School of Management, organized the competition as part of her senior course entitled
“Surplus Lines and Reinsurance.” Berry describes “surplus lines” as a part of the
insurance market that insures risks that standard insurers are not willing or able
to insure, often because they are new or unique. “This course distinguishes ULM from
every other RMI program in the country,” said Berry.
For the competition, students developed an insurance “product” that insures a new
or unique activity or exposure in the modern economy. Berry notes that her students
in this course have been participating in this competition for over 20 years, but
this was the first year that teams were assigned alumni mentors. Each mentor is a
graduate of the ULM RMI program and has anywhere from 10 to 26 years of experience
in the insurance industry.
“This is an extraordinary exercise for students, not only because it forces them to
think about all aspects of the development of an insurance product from the ground
up, but also allows them to work closely with experienced alumni,” said Berry.
The winners of the competition were chosen by the alumni mentors based on factors
such as creativity, profitability, justification of need, and social and economic
benefit.
“Having the mentors in the competition really changed the level of focus and dedication
the students had this semester toward the project,” noted Berry.
The winners of the first-place prize and $750 were Tristen Cain, Sarah Knight, and
Timothy Mickle. Their product was to insure name, image, and likeness exposures for
college athletes. Their alumni mentor was Clint Nokes, SVP, RSUI Group, Inc.
The winners of the second-place prize and $500 were Jimmy Franks, Daylan Nailer, and
Ashley Warren. Their product insured professional liability for AI diagnostics used
in radiology. Their alumni mentor was Jennifer Hisaw, SVP, Amwins.
The winners of the third-place prize and $250 were Aaron Guidry, Caleb Medlin, Truc
Nguyen, and Joseph White. Their product focused on liability risks for sustainable
farming operations. Their alumni mentor was Heath Cunningham, EVP, Amwins.
The cash awards for the competition were fully funded by the generosity of Brad and
Shannon Moncrief through the Harry Saunders Award Fund. The Moncriefs established
the fund in 2021, naming it after Harry Saunders, a family friend and mentor who contributed
to Brad’s successful business, Sterling Surplus Underwriters. Brad, an alumnus of
the ULM RMI program, decided to pay it forward to his alma mater in accordance with
Mr. Saunders’ wishes. The Moncriefs collaborated with Dr. Christine Berry, and the
Harry Saunders Award Competition was born.
Dr. Berry added that some students from prior years of the competition have gone on
to specialize in the types of risks they focused on. “I am very proud of the teams
who competed this semester and I am grateful to all nine of the alumni mentors,” said
Berry.
Additional alumni mentors for the competition included Kyle Anderson, EVP, Amwins;
Ernest Finch, Market Manager, Forth Insurance; Lauren Hernandez, AVP, RT Specialty;
Brad Moncrief, Owner, Sterling Surplus Underwriters; Lynden Smith, AVP Underwriting,
James River Insurance; James Stephens, Branch Manager, Forth Insurance.
For more information about the ULM Risk Management and Insurance Program, visit https://www.ulm.edu/cbss/insurance/prospectivestudents.html
