Minutes of the 1996 Risk Theory Society Meeting

The 1996 meeting of the Risk Theory Society was held on April 26 - 28 in Madison, Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin. The program consisted of nine papers presented by 14 people (16 co-authors in total with 1 unable to attend). Six of the presenters were new members (Shaun Wang, Stephen D'Arcy, Richard Gorvett, Joan Lamb-Tennant, Richard Phillips, and Virginia Young), the remainder being current members (David Mayers, Martin Grace, Scott Harrington, Greg Niehaus, Arthur Snow, Keith Crocker, Sharon Tennyson, and Mark Browne). Mark Browne hosted the seminar and handled the local arrangements. Christian Gollier, President of the 1996 Seminar, chaired the meeting.

After the 1996 Seminar there are 59 members. The membership increased by six as indicated above and decreased by eight (Eric Briys, Patrick Brockett, Han Chang, Michel Levasseur, Paul Thistle, and Anil Shivdasani). J. David Cummins and Buddy Steves became life members at the 1996 meeting. 18 members must attend the 1997 meeting to retain their membership (James Barrese, David Cather, Richard Butler, Lee Colquit, Anna De Waegenaere, Georges Dionne, Louis Eeckhoudt, James Garven, Anne Gron, Arthur Hogan, James Ligon, John Marshall, Norma Nielson, David Nye, Michael Ormiston, Kathy Petroni, Harris Schlesinger, and Mary Weiss).

Christian Gollier chaired the business meeting. The 1995 minutes were approved with minor modifications regarding a discussion during the 1994 meeting that was inadvertently left out of the minutes. This discussion centered on the vote held in 1994 to promote electronic dissemination of the papers presented at the meeting. Authors were asked to send their papers to James Garven or the RTS secretary (electronically or on diskette). Martin Grace, on behalf of Michael Smith who was unable to attend, read the treasurer's report. Michael Smith reports that there is a healthy reserve. Reminders were made to all presenters that travel reimbursement from RTS is possible by sending requests to Michael Smith. Only North American travel is reimbursable and only one presenter per paper is able to obtain reimbursement. A copy of the treasurer's report for 1996 was presented to the members.

The 1997 RTS will be held at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and will be hosted by Jim Ligon and Harris Schlesinger. The members voted to have the 1998 meeting of the Society at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. Jim Treischmann will handle local arrangements.

The election of officers produced: President - Martin Grace; Secretary --Mark Browne; Treasurer - Michael Smith. Christian Gollier becomes Past President and will select the papers for the 1997 meeting of the Society along with Grace and Browne.

Submitted by:

Martin F. Grace
Secretary, 1996 RTS