RISK PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR — 2019

Gilbert Sanchez
Safety and Risk Manager, City of Corpus Christi

Gilbert Sanchez has over 27 years of risk management experience, including claims and litigation management, safety, property/casualty insurance procurement, budget, risk financing, contract review/insurance requirement development and underwriting responsibilities. Gilbert started his risk management career with the City of Dallas as a Liability Claims Analyst and was subsequently promoted to Supervisor and then Liability Claims Manager. He handled and managed Self-Insurance Liability and Litigation Programs for the City of Dallas from 1992–1995. He also served as the Risk Manager for the City of Laredo from 1995–1999, where he developed their Drug and Alcohol Screening Programs, Return to Work and Workers’ Compensation Self-Retention Policy. Laredo was one of the first municipalities to hire an occupational health nurse for its Occupational Wellness and Workers’ Compensation Program, which evolved into a fully functional in-house occupational clinic. Thereafter he served as Risk Manager for the City of San Antonio Housing Authority from 1999–2002 and oversaw its’ Safety, Property, Liability, Workers’ Compensation, Insurance Procurement and Employee Benefi ts Programs. After he left the San Antonio Housing Authority, Gilbert worked for Trident Insurance Services as a Senior Underwriter for the large pool accounts until 2006. In 2005, he underwrote over $20 million dollars in new and renewed premium. He received a call from the City of Laredo and was hired to serve a second stint as Risk Manager from 2006–2015.

Currently, Gilbert is serving as the Safety and Risk Manager for the City of Corpus Christi overseeing an $11 million budget including Safety, Workers’ Compensation, Liability, Contractual Review, Property and Casualty Insurance Procurement (Tier I Property Program), Claims and Litigation Programs. During his tenure as Risk Manager for the San Antonio Housing Authority he was elected and appointed as a member of the National Housing Authority’s Risk Retention Groups (HARRG) for the Safety, Claims and Underwriting Committees. Gilbert was the youngest Committee Appointee at that time. He also served as a Director and then President of the Texas Chapter Public Risk Management Association from 2010 - 2018 and chaired the Communications and Education Committees. Currently, he is serving as Vice-Chair of My Texas Direct 504 Network.

previous honorees / Risk Professional of the Year:
2018 - Ida Wall, Alief ISD
2017 - Robert Warren, CRM, City of Arlington
2016 – Melissa Steger, UT System
2015 – Leslie Milvo, City of Austin
2014 – Norma Martinez, City of Sugar Land
2013 – Rick Stockton, CSRM, Klein I.S.D.
2012 – Kermit Falgout, Houston I.S.D.
2011 – Cecil Tatum, Northside I.S.D. (San Antonio)
2010 – Clark Adkins, Corpus Christi I.S.D.
2009 – Norma Carabajal Essary, CPCU, ARM, DFW International Airport
2008 – Gary Urban, City of Waco
2007 – Bill Tarro, Lubbock I.S.D.
2006 – Darrell Wells, City of Odessa
2005 – Robby Neill, City of Garland
2004 – Martha Rider, Fort Bend County
2003 – Ron Josselet, SORM
2002 – Robert Waggoner, City of Denton
2001 – Cheryl Johnson, Dallas I.S.D.
2000 – David Kester, Harris County
1999 – Alan Smith, Garland I.S.D.
1998 – Terri Richardson, Northeast I.S.D.
1997 – Leroy Hyltin, Jr., City of Waco
1996 – James Huckaby, Mesquite I.S.D.
1995 – Joey Page, City of Plano