Center for Insurance and Risk Management Opening in Nevada University

University of Nevada, Las Vegas announced the establishment of the Kerestesi Center for Insurance and Risk Management within the Lee Business School.

The center, made possible through a $5 million gift from the Nevada Surplus Lines Foundation, will advance faculty and student research in the areas of insurance and risk management.

The center was formally approved by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents during its quarterly meeting on June 9.

“This center will position UNLV as home to a premier academic insurance and risk management program located in the heart of one of the nation’s most diverse and fastest-growing communities,” UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield said in a statement.

UNLV affiliate professor Chris Utterback will lead the center. He helped establish the existing academic minor in risk management and insurance at UNLV.

The center’s initiatives will include:

• In addition to the existing minor, plans for the center include a specialized undergraduate degree program in insurance and risk management.
• Center staff will collaborate with insurance companies, risk management firms, and regulatory bodies to offer internships, externships, and mentorship programs for students.
• Center research will address challenges faced by the insurance and risk management industry.
• The center will host seminars, workshops, and conferences featuring industry experts, leaders, and policymakers.

The center’s namesake, Thomas F. Kerestesi, began his insurance career as a commercial lines underwriter with The Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. and the Royal Insurance Co. in Southern California. In 1974, he returned to Las Vegas to join his father, Frank, at the Cragin & Pike Insurance Agency.

Topics Education Universities Risk Management