RIMS 2025 Volunteer of the Year Neil Colclough

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From Military to Mountains: A Risk Manager's Journey

This chapter chronicles the experiences of a notable figure in risk management, celebrated as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year, as they share their transition from Texas to Colorado and the impact of their military background on their career. The conversation delves into the importance of personal responsibility in risk management, the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, and the values of camaraderie developed during their service. Additionally, it highlights their dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the profession and the vibrant opportunities for risk professionals in Colorado.

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Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

Justin interviews Neil Colclough, RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter President and 2025 RIMS Volunteer of the Year Award Winner, about his career path, how his Royal Marines service time helped steer his risk management path, and why he moved to Colorado. Neil tells of his years of experience in risk management, his risk philosophy, his DE&I philosophy, and how he feels about volunteerism.

Listen to learn the benefits of making your risk management career more fulfilling through volunteering.

Key Takeaways:

[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. RIMScast is a proud nominee of the 20th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards. We are nominated in the category of Government and Organizations, and we would appreciate your support. Help us win that award at PodcastAwards.com.

[:35] About this episode of RIMScast. Our guest today is the RIMS Volunteer of the Year Award winner, Neil Colclough. We will learn about his career and all the great work he has done for us at the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter.

[1:05] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! The next Virtual RIMS-CRMP exam prep, co-hosted by Parima, will be held on September 2nd and 3rd.

[1:17] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED virtual workshop will be led by Joseph Mayo on July 17th and 18th. Register by July 16th. Links to these courses can be found on the Certification Page of RIMS.org and through this episode’s show notes.

[1:34] RIMS Virtual Workshops! We have a day-long course on July 24th, “Risk Taxonomy for Effective Risk Management.” On August 5th, we have a day-long course about “Emerging Risks.” [1:47] We’ve launched a new course, “Intro to ERM for Senior Leaders.” This is a two-day course. The first two-day course will be held on August 12th and 13th and will be led by former RIMS President, Chris Mandel.

[2:02] The course will be held again on November 4th and 5th and will be led by Elise Farnham. RIMS members enjoy deep discounts!

[2:11] The full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode’s notes.

[2:22] If you tuned in to the recent episode featuring James Lam, you will know he is hosting a new six-module workshop for us, the “RIMS-CRO Certificate in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management”.

[2:36] The inaugural summer course is completely sold out! We are filled to the virtual capacity! Don’t worry, in the Fall, the bi-weekly course will begin on October 9th. Registration closes on October 2nd. A link is in this episode’s notes. Check it out and register today!

[2:55] Mark your calendars for November 17th and 18th for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is being built. Soon, we will distribute a Call for Nominations for the ERM Award of Distinction. I’ll update this episode’s show notes when that link is ready.

[3:19] Think about your organization’s ERM program or one you know of, and how it has generated value. We will have more on that in the coming weeks.

[3:27] RISKWORLD 2026 will be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 3rd through May 6th. RIMS members can now lock in the 2025 rate for a full conference pass to RISKWORLD 2026 when registering by September 30th.

[3:41] This also lets you enjoy earlier access to the RISKWORLD hotel block. Register by September 30th, and you will also be entered to win a $500 raffle. Don’t miss out on this chance to plan and score some extra perks.

[3:54] The members-only registration link is in this episode’s show notes. If you are not yet a member, this is the time to register at RIMS.org/membership.

[4:04] On with the show! Our guest today is Neil Colclough. He has been President of the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter since 2023. In 2025, he was named the Volunteer of the Year. A link to his profile in the Awards Edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine is in the show notes.

[4:24] Justin is stoked that Neil is joining us on RIMScast to discuss his well-deserved recognition and why he shares it with many other members of the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter.

[4:37] We’re also going to learn about his military career and how that shaped his risk career and his enthusiasm for volunteerism.

[4:45] Interview! Neil Colclough, welcome to RIMScast!

[5:00] Neil is incredibly proud of the RIMS 2025 Volunteer of the Year Award.

[5:16] Neil continues as the President of the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter until September.

[5:39] Neil has been in Colorado for 27 years. He left behind family, friends, and a job he loved to move to the Colorado Rocky Mountains to take advantage of the lifestyle the area offers. He wanted to be a semi-ski bum.

[6:25] Neil had to learn to ski in the military. He fell in love with the sport. He landed a job on Vail Mountain. He skied over 100 days a year for several years when he lived in Vail.

[6:51] Neil is from Stoke-on-Trent, England. As a kid, he wanted to be a soldier. He joined the Royal Marines for six years and travelled the world. He saw communities outside of the resort areas.

[8:10] Neil believes his risk management career grew out of his service. Public service is managing risk, considering what could go wrong at all times, and having a Plan B and C for those instances. It’s also not being risk-averse.

[8:33] His military service left him with the mindset that you can do anything, you just have to put the effort into doing it properly and give it your best shot. They all kept themselves incredibly fit. The risk of not being fit didn’t just impact you; it impacted the guys you worked with.

[9:17] Neil enjoyed the fitness routine in the military, going for morning runs with his closest friends.

[9:34] If Neil hadn’t moved to Colorado, he probably would have stayed home. He was focused on moving to the Rocky Mountains. He had been to the U.S. about 10 times before he moved. He moved in 1998.

[11:11] Neil says he is of the generation who “fell into” the risk management industry, versus going to school for a risk management degree. He was dragged reluctantly into risk management.

[11:28] Neil was asked four times to fill a new role in the corporate headquarters of Vail Resorts. He didn’t want to leave Vail, but he liked the person hiring him, and the offer made sense, so he joined the corporate office and did not look back. RIMS membership came with that job.

[11:58] At the time, Neil had no idea what RIMS was. He joined the Rocky Mountain Chapter in early 2008. He’s been a member of the chapter since then. He attended programming and social events. He progressed in the chapter.

[12:14] The operational experience he had gained in the military and from running the Security Team at Vail Mountain fed into the risk management function. It gives him a bit of a leg up when it comes to solving issues. His experience adds credibility with his internal clients today.

[12:40] Neil’s career has been a natural progression. He loves his job. He loves the people he does it for. It’s like a hobby. He’s genuinely interested in it.

[13:00] Neil loves being in the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter as a whole. He joined the board in 2018 with Incoming President Peggy Miller and Past President Emily Bloedel. The board was a great group of people. They have great, respectful discussions. There’s no negativity.

[13:49] As long as Neil has been a member of the chapter, that has always been the case. He says the board feels proud to be part of the chapter and to have a positive impact.

[14:09] Justin mentions that Emily Bloedel was a RIMS Rising Star recently. Peggy Miller is with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Justin met Peggy at the RIMS ERM Conference in Denver. Neil ran the DEI education session at ERM, and he did a great job.

[14:52] Neil says Emily Buckley is also on the board. They have a great pipeline of leadership to look forward to, and the future is super bright.

[14:58] Justin mentions there’s a lot of talent in Colorado. Emily Buckley was a guest on RIMScast last year for Specialized Bicycles on bicycle safety. Justin says, if you’re a risk professional looking for a place to move, start with Colorado and look up Neil!

[15:33] DE&I is a passion for Neil. He’s super connected to it. Justin and Neil discuss whether it’s helpful to speak the words Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion for people who may be less committed.

[16:53] You might lean on Inclusion a little more to help people understand that this is about making sure that everybody has the same opportunities.

[17:22] Neil is the RIMS Volunteer of the Year. The award used to be called the Heart of RIMS Award, but was rebranded to be more specific.

[17:57] Neil thinks that all RIMS chapters should have the succession of vice presidents and presidents built into their bylaws as the Rocky Mountain Chapter does. A lot of presidents have sat on boards for many years, and they struggle to recruit people to become board members.

[18:22] Volunteerism takes effort. If you’re taking an hour out of your day to do a podcast to talk about yourself, then you’ve got to make up that time somewhere else. If you’re doing chapter work during business hours, you have to have an employer who supports what you’re doing.

[18:54] You have to have family behind you, that gets it. You can’t just disregard your daily job duties in favor of volunteerism.

[19:09] Neil says, encourage chances to have an intentional succession plan for chapter leadership. Encourage people early in their careers to serve on boards, become leaders of the chapter, and shape the future.

[19:40] If you’ve just graduated from an RMI program and joined the workforce, you may not think you’re qualified to lead on a chapter board. Neil says, we want to hear from the future of the industry so we who are in it can prioritize what is going to be meaningful after we’ve gone.

[20:03] Reach out to younger people, let them know what a safe space it is, and give them the opportunity to serve.

[20:12] RIMS Events! The 49th Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held again at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida, from July 29th through August 2nd. Visit Florida.RIMS.org for more information and to register.

[20:30] The very first RIMS Texas Regional Conference will be held from August 4th through the 6th in San Antonio, Texas, at the Henry B. González Convention Center. Public Registration is open. The full conference agenda is now live.

[20:46] Don’t miss the post-conference workshop, the RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Course, available on site.

[20:52] This event is open to any RIMS Chapter member. If you are local to the area, you might consider becoming a RIMS member today so that you can get all the benefits and begin networking with your new RIMS Texas peers. Links are in this episode’s show notes.

[21:07] You can also visit the Events Page of RIMS.org for more information. We look forward to seeing you in Texas!

[21:15] A month later, we will be up North for the RIMS Canada Conference 2025, from September 14th through the 17th in Calgary. Registration is open. Lock in those favorable rates; Visit RIMSCanadaConference.CA. We look forward to seeing you in Calgary!

[21:34] On September 18th, the 10th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will be held at the Old Post Office in Chicago. Register at ChicagoRIMS.org.

[21:44] Also on September 18th, the Spencer Educational Foundation will host the 2025 Funding Their Future Gala at the Cipriani 42nd Street. Visit SpencerEd.org.

[21:57] On October 1st through the 3rd, the RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held in North San Jose at the Santa Clara Marriott. The agenda is live. It looks fantastic! Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and register today.

[22:12] Let’s Return to My Interview with the RIMS 2025 Volunteer of the Year, Neil Colclough!

[22:23] Neil joined Sage Hospitality Group in January 2025. He had spoken with his new boss about his role at the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter, and she was super supportive.

[22:48] The whole company understands the importance of risk management. They see the value of having me remain involved with RIMS at the chapter and society level. It was an easy conversation to have.

[23:18] Neil is over a total of seven people at Sage. He says this is rare except in well-established, large companies. This is Neil’s first experience with anything that comes close to that.

[23:56] Two of Neil’s team have been with the company for over 30 years. Another has been with the company for 11 years. That speaks volumes to Neil about the company culture and the investment the company makes in risk management. It was a huge attraction to Neil.

[24:18] Neil was previously with Inspirato, another hospitality group. It was high-end luxury travel where you would subscribe to a membership and get access to a portfolio of homes. One client was mad that they didn’t inform them that it was hurricane season when they were traveling.

[26:06] When Neil moved to Colorado, he went to a job fair for Vail Resorts in Denver. He was offered two jobs, one as a ski instructor and one with the Security Department, a seasonal job.

[26:24] When Neil showed up for work on his first day of training for the Security Team, it was October 19, 1998, the day of the terrorist arson at the Two Elk Lodge, the largest act of eco-terrorism in North America at the time.

[26:42] Neil’s job went from being seasonal to year-round. The department grew. He was promoted a couple of times fairly quickly. He had never ridden a snowmobile, but they put him on it, and he rode 400 miles a week on a snowmobile.

[27:12] With this experience, Neil understands the principles of emergency preparedness and response. He worked closely with the public sector in Vail and Eagle County. The local government and the ski resort have to work closely together to align in the same direction.

[27:31] Neil says they did some good stuff over the years to mitigate potential risks. A wildland fire was a big concern. They did mass-casualty incident drills with Vail Ski Patrol and the town of Vail.

[27:59] Neil lives east of Boulder. His office is in Denver.

[28:34] Neil says the award is not just one person. It takes a village. It takes a lot of people who think like you and have the same heart to make good things happen. He’s never volunteered at any event where he’s walked away feeling down and thinking it was a waste of time.

[29:00] A little can go a long way. If you’re thinking about ways to volunteer in the risk and insurance industry, the local RIMS chapter is a great vehicle to do that. You can contact Neil, and he can introduce you to some people he has networked with around the country.

[29:24] Volunteerism is so rewarding. It takes effort. You can’t just go to meetings. You have to put pen to paper in between meetings to take action on what you say you’re going to do. Neil battles constantly with the feeling that he’s not fully delivering on what he should be.

[29:45] You have to give yourself a little bit of grace when it comes to those times. People’s capacity ebbs and flows. Surround yourself with people who can pick up the slack when you have to step into your day job a little bit more at certain times.

[30:00] When you’re juggling the balls, just don’t drop the glass ones! Keep your responsibilities prioritized.

[30:13] Neil talks of DE&I sponsorship, advocating for somebody who’s not in the group. One way to do that is to ask if you can take a young professional along with you when you’re invited somewhere as a risk professional. Request that someone be at a meeting who wasn’t invited.

[31:02] That can create opportunities and give that person experience. It’s a simple act with a potentially massive impact.

[31:15] Neil, it’s been a real pleasure to speak with you again! I appreciate all your insight here. Congratulations again on being named the RIMS 2025 Volunteer of the Year. We’ve got a link for the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter in the notes. Locals, if you want to join, give Neil a shout!

[31:37] Neil says, I’ll get back to you eventually! There are about 200 professional members in the chapter through the Society, plus Chapter Associates and Student Members. There is a free membership for RIMS Affinity Partners, all of whom have been represented on RIMScast.

[33:06] Justin mentions again the RIMS Western Regional Conference; register at RIMSWesternRegional.com.

[33:17] Special thanks again to RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter President and 2025 RIMS Volunteer of the Year Award Winner, Neil Colclough. We appreciate him making the time for us. A link to the special Awards Edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine is in the show notes.

[33:35] Check out Neil’s profile as well as the other 2025 RIMS Award Winners. A link to the RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter site is in this episode’s show notes. Check out all the great work they are doing.

[33:48] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes.

[34:16] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let’s collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information.

[34:35] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information.

[34:52] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today’s risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more.

[35:08] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management.

[35:23] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org.

[35:30] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!

Links:

20th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards! Vote for RIMScast (Gov’t & Organizations)To vote for RIMScast, please sign up with your email, then select RIMScast on the pulldown under Government and Organizations. Thank you!

RIMS Risk Management Magazine 2025 Awards Edition

RIMS Texas Regional 2025 — August 3‒5 | Registration open.

RIMS-CRMP In-Person Workshop in Texas Aug. 6 & 7

RIMS 2025 Florida Educational Conference | July 31‒Aug 2 | Registration open.

RIMS Canada 2025 — Sept. 14‒17 | Registration open!

10th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum — Sept. 18 | Registration open!

RIMS Western Regional — Oct 1‒3 | Bay Area, California | Registration open!

RISKWORLD 2026 — Members-only early registration! Register through Sept 30!

RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP)

The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center

Spencer Educational Foundation 2025 Funding Their Future Gala — Sept. 18, 2025 in NYC!

Spencer Education Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Deadline July 30, 2025