Rivers Risk Consulting

Six years ago, Marilyn Rivers’ birthday dinner was interrupted by a crisis—a lightning strike had hit Saratoga Town Hall, setting off a chain of events that would help shape her career. In the midst of the celebration, Marilyn—then the Director of Risk and Safety for the City of Saratoga Springs—was called into action. As town officials began to assess the immediate aftermath, all eyes turned to her for guidance. 

Thanks to her meticulous planning and expert strategies, the damages were minimized, avoiding a potential catastrophe. Today, Marilyn channels that same expertise into her own venture, Rivers Risk Consulting, where she helps businesses navigate the unpredictable waters of risk management.

Despite her impressive achievements, Marilyn never thought she would go into the risk management industry. Initially, she set out to be a science teacher, earning her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Clarkson University and her master’s degree in secondary education from Tufts University. She then began working at a local insurance company where she had an experience that motivated her to begin
a career in risk management. 

“An individual made the mistake of telling me that I did not know what I was talking about relative to an insurance issue,” Marilyn explained, “I decided then and there to undertake the very long road of obtaining my globally recognized credentials in Insurance and Risk Management.” 

Over the next few years, Marilyn spent hours working towards expanding her credentials and building an impressive resume in the risk management field. She earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) from the American Institute of CPCU. She also received her associate’s in risk management (ARM) and in claims (AIC) from Insurance Institute of America as well. 

“Those designations, coupled with my Bachelors in Chemistry and my Masters in Secondary Education, enable me to triage analytically – kind of like Columbo in risk,” Marilyn said. 

In addition to her educational development, Marilyn also has years of work experience adding to her credibility and expertise in the field. She worked for the City of Saratoga Springs for 20 years, during which she managed the city’s operations relationships with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies. She also helped create and implement employee health and safety programs and much more. Throughout her career, Marilyn’s passion for risk management has continued to grow. 

“Risk management is a tremendously rewarding profession. No one day is ever the same,” she shared, “Risk management is a wonderful four-dimensional spinning ball full of energy, ideas, and opportunity.
Learning how to effectively practice, mitigate, and manage risk enables us to seize opportunities as they present themselves, maintain a healthy and safe working environment, and cost-effectively conduct our businesses.”

As her career progressed, Marilyn achieved success at the national level. In 2007, she was nominated and chosen by the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) as the Public Risk Manager of the Year. That same year, her son was graduating from Virginia Tech— a campus that was recovering from the recent tragic shooting. 

Affected by the emotion from her son’s experience, Marilyn was able to channel those feelings in a positive way as she gave her acceptance speech to a full room of people in Boston. To this day, she reflects on that moment as a defining point in her career. 

“I asked for our profession to do better, reach higher and unite in the common goal of excellence in understanding and appreciating that our differences make us stronger. I received a very lengthy standing ovation and many new friends. My national journey began that day and has expanded across ‘the pond,’ as they say. To this day, I teach webinars, produce podcasts and provide education for public risk managers across the country. My PRIMA Family keeps me grounded and teaches me new risk ideas every day,” Marilyn shared. 

Her reputation and expertise led many people to call on her for help, even after a brief retirement in April, 2023. She realized that because she was still helping so many people, it made sense to start her own business. In July, 2023, Rivers Risk Consulting began, and Marilyn has loved continuing her work. 

“Folks don’t understand what risk is and often don’t find any value in its practice. That in itself is what makes risk management an amazing career. Each business interaction is an opportunity to change the course of business and governance in a positive way,” she said. 

When Marilyn helps any business, she always takes the time to learn about where they are currently and makes the most out of the resources they already have. She recognizes that every situation and business is different, and develops her plans accordingly. Going forward, she hopes to continue educating and helping people. 

“I hope to expand risk management educational opportunities nationally and internationally. I use LinkedIn as a teaching tool and get quite a lot of positive feedback when I take an issue and break it down for discussion so folks can begin to understand risk, how it’s mitigated, and the opportunities that present themselves in the most difficult of circumstances,” she shared. 

When Marilyn is not working, she spends a lot of her time volunteering, as she has a passion for helping others. She serves as the President of the Glens Falls Lions Club. 

“We are embarking on a new vision program for the underserved, working with the United Way on the ‘Kids with Packs Program’ and Family Services ‘Feet First Program,’” she shared. 

In addition to the Lions Club, Marilyn spends every Wednesday morning feeding and caring for the cats rescued by the North Shore Animal League. She also loves seeing her grandchildren and is very proud of her son. 

“He’s a super smart gent with a wonderful family. He now practices strategic risk management as the Chief Functional Engineer for Rolls Royce in Indianapolis. That in itself makes my risk journey the most rewarding of all,” she said. 

For more information about Rivers Risk Consulting, please visit: RiversRiskConsulting.com.