URMIA DRM Award Winner Julie Groves

In the second installment of our three‑part mini‑series celebrating the 2025 Distinguished Risk Manager Award recipients, URMIA Matters turns the microphone toward one of its own: longtime host and newly honored DRM, Julie Groves of Wake Forest University. In this insightful conversation, Julie reflects on her unexpected path into risk management—from an English major to having three insurance folders dropped onto her desk, a moment that ultimately led her career in risk management. She shares how mentors, colleagues, and particularly the URMIA community shaped her professional journey; why collaboration and connection are essential for risk managers; and how involvement in URMIA helped elevate both her work and recognition within her institution. Julie discusses what the award means to her, the evolution of higher ed risk management, and the importance of being a steadfast, behind‑the‑scenes protector of campus communities. It’s a warm, reflective episode that highlights Julie’s impact, leadership, and enduring commitment to helping others succeed in the field. 

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Transcript

Michelle Smith: [00:00:00] Welcome to season seven of URMIA Matters, a podcast about higher education, risk management, and insurance, whether you are an URMIA member or supporter. Thanks for listening. Let's jump in. 

Welcome to season seven of URMIA Matters, a podcast about higher education, risk management, and insurance. In this mini-series, we shine a light on three people who have shaped and elevated our profession through leadership, innovation, and service. This special series is dedicated to those who have earned the URMIA Distinguished Risk Manager Award in 2025, the DRM. The URMIA Honors and Awards Committee selects nominations year-round and presents the award at the URMIA Annual Conference. This award isn't about a single project or a one-time success. It's a recognition of a long time, distinguished career in risk management, a [00:01:00] career built on professional excellence, service to peers and institutions, mentorship, innovation, and leadership through both calm and challenge. 

Okay. Each of our guests brings a unique journey. They've helped shape how we think about risk in higher education, built programs and processes that protect communities, guided colleagues, and rising risk professionals, and often quietly served as mentors, teachers, and builders behind the scenes. So, whether you're a seasoned risk professional, a newcomer, or simply curious about the human side of risk management, you're in for a thoughtful, inspiring conversation. Let's jump in.  

Miguel Delgado: Welcome back to the show. Julie, for those of you who are regular listeners of URMIA Matters, you know that Julie is a regular host, the regular host. One of the many reasons why she is a DRM winner this year of 2025. In fact, the podcast for URMIA was a brainchild of Julie's. So, Julie, how does it feel to be on the other side of the [00:02:00] microphone?  

Julie Groves: Oh, you know, I, I can talk to anyone, so I'm glad to be here today talking to you. And I, I will say it's a pleasure to finally reach the point where I am not called guest host anymore of the, uh, podcast. I think I'm just host now, so that's great. So, glad to be here, Miguel. 

Miguel Delgado: Yeah. Well, good, good to hear. So, obviously you had no idea that you were going to win this award, so what was the first thing that came to mind when you realized that they were about to say your name?  

Julie Groves: Well, you know, some people who were there in the room may not have realized it, but there was a little bit of a technical glitch. So, the minute Marje Lemon got up to start to present the first DRM award, my giant picture came up on the screen. And so, and then it was immediately taken down. And so that was actually helpful because it gave me a little bit of time to collect myself. And so, yeah, and you know, the nice thing is, is that I got to really listen to Marje's introduction and she did such a great [00:03:00] job. And so, it's just such an honor to be recognized with a DRM, I was very honored and privileged. Still am. So, it was a little bit of a surprise, but I think not quite the surprise they thought it was gonna be.  

Miguel Delgado: You know, I, uh, typically like to think of myself as being a decently observant person, but I totally missed that. I did not realize it.  

Julie Groves: If you weren't looking, like, if you were looking at Marje or if you looked at the person next to you for probably about two seconds, you completely missed it. But I was just watching her and then my picture came up and then it went down. So, don't feel bad. A lot of people didn't see it, so. 

Miguel Delgado: Well, good. Glad it wasn't too much of a spoiler. And gave you a few minutes to think about what you wanted to say.  

Julie Groves: Exactly.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah, and I totally agree with you. Just what a tremendous honor. I think when we. Sort of, I don't know that I've seen a, a physical list. I'm sure one exists somewhere, but just mentally, when I start to go through the people I know who have been recipients of the DRM, I mean, they're just people I, you know, at the top of my list in terms of just great people and competent risk managers and people that I aspire to [00:04:00] be like. So, I, I think it's really cool that you're part of that distinguished club now, so.  

Julie Groves: Well, yes, it's very humbling to be part a part of that group. I mean, kind of like you said, I mean, that's the awards luncheon is. Really one of my most favorite parts of the URMIA Annual Conference. I always loved to go to that and just see my colleagues, you know, be recognized for their hard work. And it's always fun that, that the fact that the DRM is a surprise is really always, that's a neat thing. And so, you always sit there and try to guess who they're talking about. And so, to be now one of the people that they have recognized with, that really, really is a truly an honor. So, I'm very appreciative of that. 

Miguel Delgado: Absolutely. Well, in that vein, can you tell us about your journey, where you started your path? And where you are now? And perhaps if there was a defining moment in your experience that you feel like led you here? 

Julie Groves: Well, when I was five, I looked up in the sky at the MetLife hot air balloon and I said, I wanna be a risk manager when I grow up. [00:05:00] That is not what happened. Actually, you know, as we know, because we've heard this quite a bit, I did not plan to be a risk manager. I did not plan to have a career in insurance. I have an English degree, and I knew that I didn't want to teach, but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, so I ended up getting a job in the trust department of a bank. 

And that eventually led to my job at Wake Forest. They created a new position for a trust administrator to handle all the trusts that came in after a capital campaign. And I got that position, which I was very excited about returning to my alma mater to work there. And then in about a year after I got there, they came to me and said, we are gonna need you to do insurance, 'cause the person who does it has too much to do. And they really put about three folders on my desk and that was about it. I didn't know anything about it. And you know, I mean, I've been in this role for a long time, almost 27 years. 

And so, not to date myself, but [00:06:00] you know, when I first started it was really, insurance was really kind of not a big deal. You had to file some claims and request some certificates of insurance and do some renewal applications and some other things like that. And so, you know, for the, for 10 years I did both of those things. So, I wore both hats. But, you know, risk management has gotten a lot more complex, especially in the last 10 or 15 years. And so, I finally went to my boss and said, listen, I need to just focus on risk management. And so, they moved the trust, they actually outsourced them. So, that, that was very, very helpful to me so that I could then just focus on risk management. But so, it was kind of a circuitous path, but I'm glad that I ended up here. 

And just to, to a point someone made once that, you know, nobody wants to be in risk management. But now I'm encouraged by the fact that there are actually students in college who are actually in risk management programs, risk management majors. And so, I'm very, I'm very encouraged about the future of risk management because it's gonna be, not that we're [00:07:00] not competent, but these people are so much smarter than I ever was. So, it's really great that we have these folks coming up behind us to kind of carry our work forward. So, I mean, I, I think. I don't know if there's really a defining moment that led me here. 

I will say that, you know, as far as what led me to URMIA, I have to give credit to my former client exec at Marsh, Chad Shields, who's actually now at Lockton, but not long after I had the three insurance folders dumped on me. He said, you know, you should check out URMIA. They're really great. They're specific for colleges and universities. And I, I had never heard of them. We, we weren't a member. And, and so, I checked it out and it seemed like it would be really, really helpful for me. And so, you know, and so the rest is history and I, I really have thanked him many times for that recommendation. Just because it's been, URMIA has been a tremendous asset to me as I've moved through my career.  

Miguel Delgado: Wow, that's quite a journey. So, for me, it sounds like the defining moment was the, or experience, was the folders getting dropped on [00:08:00] your desk?  

Julie Groves: Yes. Yeah. Well, yes. I didn't know it then, but yes.  

Miguel Delgado: And then the introduction to URMIA? Yeah, from, you say his name was Chad?  

Julie Groves: Chad Shields, that's right. Chad. Mm-hmm.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah. That's pretty impressive. And I loved your observation about just what we're seeing with the younger generation and students who. I have now realized that it's a, I mean, not just a possible career, but it's a very rewarding career. There's a lot of opportunity. Just by random chance, a couple weeks ago I happened to, I was waiting for the elevator to go up and meet with my boss and I waiting at the elevator and I, somebody walks up next to me, I look over, and it was the university president, president Jahanian. So, the two, it was just the two of us on the elevator. 

So, we chatted as we took the elevator up and he asked me what I did here, and I told him, and he said that, you know, your field has grown exponentially in, in the past several years. He said, you know, universities didn't used to have chief risk officers. And he said, I, I think it's great the work you do. And so, it was encouraging to hear even that the president of the university recognize the work that we do and the importance of the work. Mm-hmm. So. 

Julie Groves: Definitely.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah. I love that.  

Julie Groves: Yeah. [00:09:00] I, I agree. 

Miguel Delgado: So, when you think about your career, do you have someone or people that you credit with helping you? I know you mentioned Chad, but did you, or do you have a mentor who gets a shout out when it comes to, I guess, sort of reflecting on this disti, Distinguished Risk Management award? 

Julie Groves: You know, I think the great thing about our industry is that it's very collegial. I think people are always willing to help one another to share their knowledges, their jo, their knowledge, and resources. And if I need something, I could call somebody at a different brokerage firm who is a friend of mine, and they would share that with me. It's not like they would say, oh, you're not our client, so I can't give this to you. I think people are really always very willing to share, you know, their resources. There's no reason for people to reinvent the wheel. Right. And I think URMIA has been really especially helpful in that regard. And the relationships that I've made through this association have been really instrumental in my ability to do my job. 

I think in [00:10:00] particular, you know, Jean Demcheck has been incredibly helpful. I mean, she's sort of the grande dame of higher education risk management, and she's just been very helpful to me. I think Wendy Rosler at Marsh has also been really helpful to me over so many years. It's, it's really great to have these long-term people working on your team to help you kind of navigate the changes that seem to be coming faster and faster, you know, and these, they have very industry specific knowledge, the kind of knowledge that I can really never have. And so, it's just been very helpful to have them as resources.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah, absolutely. I think you started to answer this next question in some ways, but if you were to give other risk managers a bit of advice, what would it be? What is your secret that you think has helped you to be successful as a risk manager?  

Julie Groves: Well, I would say explore everything. You can get involved in things that look interesting to you. Certainly, URMIA, you know, attend virtual events, if you don't [00:11:00] have a budget to go to in-person events. But if you can go to the annual conference, it's just a great, great experience, you know, network, and make connections. 

Be sure to read the, as we used to call it, but now we can't, the listserv, you know, be sure to just look at that and just, you know, even if you don't know the people or you don't think it's, you know, really of really particularly applicable to you. Just look at what people's questions are and then, you know, look at what, how people are helping them out, you know, and I, I would say if you're newer in your career, try to find a mentor. I'm not putting a plug in for the URMIA Mentor program, but that's one good option. You know? And I think there are really other, there are other things to get involved in too. I mean, certainly there are other associations. There's RIMS if you really wanna be completely wowed by vendor, vendor displays, go to that. 

There are local associate that RIMS has local chapters you can get involved in. You know, [00:12:00] my broker and my carriers have events that I can attend. I just got done not a couple weeks ago with a policy workshop through FM, our property carrier, and that was just really great to kind of learn more about that and to make some new contacts and relationships there. So, I would just say get involved. In as many things as you can because that's gonna really pay off, you know, in the future. 

And I, I would also say find a group of peers to serve as a group, a sort of a support group, right? And I have a couple of those, and they're very, very important. You know, there are folks that you can reach out to and just say, this just happened to me, or has this ever happened to you? Or, what are your thoughts about this? So, you know, I think especially for someone like me who doesn't have a risk management department with other coworkers, it's really important to find folks who are in the same profession, who can, you know, be sounding boards and [00:13:00] can give you feedback when you need it. Because that's how I work better, is to try to be collaborative and it's so, you know, it's helpful to have folks to do that with.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah, that's great advice. Julie. I think, I mean, everything you said there was. Was spot on and I think will be very helpful for listeners. Is there any particular ways that you would think of that URMIA has helped you during your career? I know you've already mentioned URMIA several times. Are there any particular ways that you've leveraged URMIA or URMIA resources?  

Julie Groves: Well, I will say, I mean in a small way because of my involvement, but I do think at Wake Forest, URMIA is seen as an authority on higher education, risk management, and insurance. And so, it's kind of been a cyclical thing, but my involvement has elevated me in a way, but it's also elevated URMIA. That sounds strange. I know, but I think that. My work in URMIA and my recognition from URMIA has actually made the people that I work with take a step back and recognize that, [00:14:00] you know, I actually can do my job. 

You know, I mean, I, I think that, I told my boss a couple years ago that risk management is the kind of job where if I do it really well, nobody knows that I'm doing it. But if I don't do it well then, I would lose my job. So, it's sort of a situation where it's easy for people like us in these roles to be taken for granted, right? And so, we're just very steadfast. We're always there. We always do our job. And so, for external groups to say, Hey, this person, you know, we're recognizing this person with this or that, or, you know, I think it just really is a way to help Wake Forest and my boss and the people that I work with kind of step back and say, wow, oh, okay, yeah, we should, we should probably like, pay attention to that, you know? So, I think URMIA makes it easier not to be taken for granted.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah. That's a wonderful observation. I, I really think that's insightful. So, thank you for. For sharing that, and I, you know, I, I completely agree. You [00:15:00] know, sometimes it's like your job is to make sure nothing happens, which sounds weird, but that's right, that's ultimately the goal. Or to be prepared if something does, but.  

Julie Groves: Right, right.  

Miguel Delgado: Very good. Right. Well, last and final question, what's next? Any big goals or dreams that you want to undertake, either, you know, in your career or outside of your career?  

Julie Groves: So, that's a really great question. I'm not sure I have a great answer. So, you know, the message of my favorite book, the Great Gatsby, is that everybody has to have some sort of dream or goal to strive for. That's the whole point of that book. And so, I'm very content actually at the moment. And you know, I hope I can stay at Wake for the rest of my career, and I hope the stock market doesn't crash before, you know, I retire. 

So, I get money to travel. I mean, I'm not gonna be retiring anytime soon, but, you know, it's just little small, little, small, little hopes like that. I live in a house. That's almost a hundred years old, so I might throw a hundredth birthday party for my house. We'll see how, we'll see how that goes. But I just think my main goal [00:16:00] in life is always to be kind and helpful to people. And so, I just, I plan to continue that as long as I can, so.  

Miguel Delgado: Yeah. Well, that is wonderful. Well, Julie, it's been fantastic talking with you. Thank you for taking time to  

Julie Groves: Sure.  

Miguel Delgado: Speak to me. Thank you.  

Julie Groves: Good to talk to you, Miguel.  

Miguel Delgado: Thank you, Julie. 

Narrator: You've been listening to URMIA Matters. You can find more information about URMIA at www.urmia.org For more information about this episode, check out the show notes available to URMIA members in the URMIA Network Library.