Podcast appearances and mentions of Jon Montgomery

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   As the 2010 Winter Olympics gold medalist in men's skeleton, Jonathan “Jon” Montgomery became a national icon, renowned for his spontaneous and exuberant celebration. Since 2013, Jon has hosted The Amazing Race Canada, captivating audiences nationwide. His career highlights include winning his first World Cup race in 2008 and earning two silver medals at the 2008 FIBT World Championships. Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, Jon continues to inspire through his passion for sport and community. Jon recently keynoted the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 in Vancouver, where he took the audience along on his journey to Olympic history. RIMScast Host Justin Smulison was in the audience and was inspired by Montgomery's story, which revealed the parallels between risk management and sports and competition.   To help close out 2024 and usher in the winter, Montgomery joined RIMScast to discuss his risk philosophies, highlighted by the ups and downs of training and competition. Justin and Jon discuss Jon's victory at the 2010 Olympics followed by his failure to qualify for the 2014 Olympics. Jon reveals where he fell short and how he turned this failure into a life-changing habit of learning lessons from every setback. Jon comments on the differences between individual risk-taking, and risk professionals applying more risk-aware thinking. Jon talks about journaling his wins and losses in life. Jon credits his team for everything he achieves, from the Olympics to Amazing Race Canada. Jon shares how a misunderstood training program challenged him to his limit but built him up for the 2010 Olympics. Jon's secret sauce is his curiosity and his desire to chase the best-informed guesses. Jon recommends stacking habits to make short-term goals become long-term commitments.   Listen in to hear Jon's take on the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 and what he experienced there. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS. [:14] Member registration for RISKWORLD 2025 is now open! General registration opens on December 4th. Visit RIMS.org/RISKWORLD. [:25] About this episode, coming to you from RIMS headquarters in New York. We will be joined by Olympic Gold Medalist, Host of The Amazing Race Canada, and recent RIMS Canada Keynote, Jon Montgomery! [:49] The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Workshop will be held on December 17th and 18th. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Course will be held from February 4th through the 6th, 2025. [1:08] Links to these courses can be found on the Certification page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:15] RIMS Virtual Workshops! Elise Farnham of Illumine Consulting recently joined us here on RIMScast. On December 17th and 18th, she will host “Captives as an Alternate Risk Financing Technique”. [1:30] Gail Kiyomura of The ART of Risk Consulting, will host the “Fundamentals of Insurance” virtual workshop on February 19th and 20th, 2025. [1:41] This is the last week to sign up for “Managing Data for ERM”, hosted by Pat Saporito on December 12th. Registration closes on December 11th. [1:52] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found through RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes. [2:08] Interview! My guest today is one of my favorite RIMS Keynotes from 2024, the 2010 Winter Olympics Gold Medalist for Men's Skeleton, Jon Montgomery. He's an icon in Canada. He's known since 2013 as the host of The Amazing Race Canada, captivating audiences. [2:27] He's an all-around great guy. His keynote at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 inspired me. We are catching up now to close out 2024 with a little extra inspirado! We will discuss his risk philosophies and how our listeners can apply these philosophies to their lives. [2:58] Jon Montgomery, welcome to RIMScast! [3:09] Jon Montgomery is an Olympic Gold Medalist. You may also know him as the recent host of the RIMS Canada Conference 2024. Jon is calling into the interview from his home office. Justin found Jon to be very personable after his keynote address at the conference. [3:49] Jon says his experience was awesome. The best part was connecting one-on-one with people, and putting a medal around folks' necks. Not everybody is going to remember what you say but everybody will remember how you made them feel and a moment you shared. [4:27] Jon gets a charge out of meeting folks and finding out who they might know in common. He says in Canada if it's more than a couple degrees of separation, one of them has been living under a rock. [5:13] Jon saw that folks at the conference were genuinely engaged and happy. The level of positivity was the connecting element from person to person. He could feel the energy. It felt like folks looked forward to these opportunities. People were familiar with one another, like family. [5:36] Jon saw that people look forward to these conferences to be among friends, as well as to learn and network. The level of familiarity was tangible. [6:26] Jon likes to assess risk, by whatever metrics he uses, and he loves to compete against the best, whatever he gets to be a part of.  [6:51] Jon talks about measuring the risks of skeleton against the potential rewards. Whatever the perceived risks were, he pushed them to the side for the opportunity to represent my country, which carried much greater weight. He downplayed the risk in pursuit of that reward.  [7:27] In hindsight, we might lie to ourselves on occasion about risky endeavors because of that proverbial dangling carrot. Jon would have played any sport that would have him. Skeleton had a shorter bench than the national team in hockey, or even speedskating, or downhill skiing. [7:55] When Jon first saw skeleton, he was compelled. Having tried it one time, he was hooked. He loved the experience of being on the sled. He didn't think too much about what would happen to him but it seemed safer than hockey with all its variables, which he grew up playing. [8:33] In skeleton racing, you go down a frozen chute. There are no right angles and everything is pretty smooth. It just has a great deal of speed. Once Jon got his brain wrapped around that, he was comfortable in that arena. [8:55] Jon learned that the sport places incredible pressure on the brain. That was glossed over in the pursuit of representing Canada. Some of the athletes got concussions and had to work through them. Jon's wife was profoundly affected by participation in skeleton racing. [9:18] Jon says they are where they are today because of that row to hoe and the dark days that followed after she left the sport and Jon retired four years later. [9:40] Could risk professionals push some risks to the side with a similar outcome or is there a different approach to apply in their roles? Jon suggests risk professionals not turn a blind eye to the outcomes. As an individual chasing a dream, there has to be some of that. [10:05] Jon says if he focuses solely on the risk, it might detract from his capacity to react and take advantage of a situation and opportunity. If you're dwelling on what could go wrong, you're missing things right in front of you that might swing the pendulum in the other direction. [10:32] As a risk professional, you work to mitigate that negative outcome. For what's at stake as a risk professional, Jon would not advise turning a blind eye to outcomes. For the public, dwelling on what can go wrong will lead to some of those outcomes. What we focus on grows. [10:57] If you perpetually focus on the negative and what could go wrong, you will attract it. Focus instead on what you want to have happen. Justin and Jon discuss the law of attraction where thoughts become things. Justin watched it on streaming instead of reading the book. [12:40] Jon keeps track of his hits and misses, but he doesn't do as much journaling as he thinks he should. When he does journal, he is proud that he wrote of his successes to be reminded of them later. He finds journaling to be a great tool to be leveraged. [13:32] Jon says nobody should expect not to experience disappointments. As a parent, Jon has had to realize that his reactions are natural, even if he would have preferred to react a different way. [13:58] The conversations that are had afterward are humanizing, when he admits not having had the patience the situation warranted. Jon talks of building conversation around expectations, realities, and disappointments, moving forward with purpose. [14:22] One of Jon's most disappointing experiences was falling short of making the 2014 Olympic team. As the defending Olympic champion, he failed to qualify for the 2014 Games although he was stronger, faster, and more prepared. He had tried to create a better sled. [15:43] In skeleton racing, your sled needs to be intertwined with every fiber of your being. You have to know how it will react to the smallest impetus. If you haven't had the time to become one with your sled, you are at a disadvantage. Jon didn't have the time to perfect his sled. [16:18] Jon fell just a hair short. It was wildly disappointing. The feeling in the pit of his stomach was palpable. Today, Jon is so glad it happened to him. What he took away from it was that he realized he had pushed people away who could have helped him in his project. [17:37] Jon had spent a lot of time, money, and effort on this project and he thought people just wanted to be part of it. He pushed against collaboration. He made himself a man on an island in a solo pursuit. He couldn't reach the necessary expedited rate of development alone.  [18:12] If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, you've got to go together. Jon applies that lesson to everything he does today as an entrepreneur and in business. He knows he can't do it singly. The lesson has stood him well since he moved on from the disappointment. [18:43] As you move away from a failure, if you focus on the lessons you learned through that pursuit, that's always going to be a win. You'll either get the victory or the lesson. In either case, it's a W! [19:10] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! On December 5th, we have “Predictive Strategies to Detect Electrical and Machinery Failures”, presented by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD company. [19:25] On Thursday, December 12th, OneTrust returns to deliver “Staying Vigilant: 7 Practical Tips for Ongoing Third-Party Risk Monitoring”. [19:35] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [19:47] RIMS is now accepting nominations for all awards other than Risk Manager of the Year 2025. The submission deadline is Monday, January 6th, 2025. To receive a RIMS award, all winners must be active members and in good standing. [20:07] These awards are the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chapter Leadership Award, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award, the Volunteer of the Year “Heart of RIMS” Award, the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award, the Chapter of the Year Award, the Rising Risk Professional Award, the Risk Management Hall of Fame, and the Cristy Award. [20:44] You can find more information about the awards through the About Us page of RIMS.org or the link in this interview's show notes. [20:52] Nominations are also open for the Donald M. Stuart Award which recognizes excellence in risk management in Canada. Links are in this episode's show notes. [21:04] Back to the Interview!  [22:02] As the tip of the iceberg, the visible part of Amazing Race Canada, Jon stands on the shoulders of a juggernaut of a team. When you saw Jon at the Olympics, going down the mountain on the crazy carpet with rails on it, you didn't see the team behind the athlete. [22:27] Jon's team was made up of coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, and team leaders. All of these people feed into a moment. [22:40] When that moment becomes visible to the masses, the capacity to see the team for the individual isn't present but everybody who has done something that they can be proud of knows full well what goes into a result. [23:22] Jon's public speaking skills developed in tandem with his pursuit of athletics in high school. Jon and a buddy were student council co-presidents. They spoke in front of their peers at student assemblies. There is no more angst-inducing group to speak to than teen peers. [24:26] Jon became an auctioneer. He shares a sample of his auctioneer chant. He was often asked to MC weddings and events. He learned to be himself on a grand stage. When a beer was thrust in front of him, he was himself. It led him to develop his career, rather than auctioning. [27:31] Jon has a great deal of anonymity in a bar although some speak of offering him a beer. His favorite beer is wet and free. When offered, he will chug it. [29:01] Due to misunderstanding an article on training, Jon found himself overtraining in squats, lifting twice what was suggested. It caused him to break down, physically, emotionally, and mentally, spending hours at the gym to get 100 reps done. [30:17] On day 10, Jon fell short, being unable to do 100 squats with 200 additional pounds on the bar than he had had on day 1. He looked at the workout again and found he had done almost 100% more work than was required. There was no amount of energy he didn't expend to do it. [31:11] It dawned on him that he never would have made it that far had he known the truth. He wouldn't have put forth that amount of work if he hadn't believed it was possible. That belief that others had done it was compelling and propelled him far past his self-imposed limitations. [31:39] Almost completing the doubled workout made Jon realize that things are only out of our reach if we put them there; if we use self-limiting verbiage like “I can't,” or “We're going to fail.” Confidence is the key, whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right. [31:59] That experience in the gym made Jon realize that if he was going to be good at skeleton racing, he was going to have to continue to develop his legs, his glutes, his quads, and his core, and also his confidence; his capacity to believe that he could be a 2010 national team skeletor. [32:22] Jon had to believe he had the same opportunity and chance as every other athlete out there to win a medal; to win the gold medal. [32:31] All he could do was execute and be the best version of himself on the day that mattered and not worry about anybody else. If he did that, he would put himself in the best possible position. Jon was 30, turning 31. His training had made him strong. He peaked at the Games. [33:12] Jon's last push on his last run at the Games was his best. He needed that fast start time to compete with the two fastest pushers in the world. [34:12] Justin and Jon discuss not drinking alcohol on days you train. Jon says how we manage something inherently unhealthy is an individual thing. Your capacity to recover after having alcohol is reduced. Jon calls drinking a balancing act. You have to weigh things. [36:42] Jon talks about getting deep sleep and REM. He wears an Oura Ring to track his sleep. His metrics are different when he's had alcohol. Jon cherishes his sleep. [37:50] Jon says when you stack habits, your capacity to change short-term interests into long-term commitments is so much more bolstered. [38:33] Jon Montgomery's secret sauce is curiosity. He has a great deal of gratitude for having a curious mind. It's hard to teach or coach curiosity. Curiosity can be nurtured when you recognize it in your children and others. Jon's curiosity leads him to chase best-informed guesses. [39:37] Jon never holds anything so dear to his heart that he would die on that front. He is open and willing to have his mind changed about stuff. He's plain about what he knows right now. [39:49] Jon, it has been such a pleasure to have this one-on-one time with you for RIMScast. This past year, 2024 RIMS Canada had their best lineup of keynotes with you, Kevin Vallely, Jay Kiew, and Jody Wilson-Raybould. You all were fantastic and there was a lot to take away. [40:14] It resonated with me so I wanted to keep you at RIMS a little longer to get some more of those nuggets of wisdom. [40:39] Jon invites you to get your submission tapes in for Amazing Race Canada. Casting is still open. Jon will be the host for as long as they will have him! If they can him, he'll follow them on the road and sneak into shots! They do the show for men's health awareness. Donate online. [41:19] Special thanks again to Olympic gold medalist Jon Montgomery for joining us here on RIMScast. If you missed his keynote at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024, be sure to look for him on the road as he delivers several more at other events. [41:33] Be sure to follow his adventures as the host of Amazing Race Canada, which is gearing up for its 11th season, brought to you by CTV. Learn more about him at JonMontgomery.CA. [41:47] More RIMS Plugs! The RIMS App is available to RIMS members exclusively. Go to the App Store and download the RIMS App with all sorts of RIMS resources and coverage. It's different from the RIMS Events App. Everyone loves the RIMS App! [42:22] You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in our show notes. RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [43:07] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [43:25] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [43:42] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [43:56] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [44:03] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Mentioned in this Episode: RIMS DEI Council RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) NEW FOR MEMBERS! RIMS Mobile App RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring Valerie Fox!  Nominations open for RIMS 2025 Awards! (Through Jan. 6, 2025) Nominations for the Donald M. Stuart Award RIMS Webinars: “Predictive Strategies to Detect Electrical and Machinery Failures” | Sponsored by TUV SUD GRC | Dec. 5, 2024 “Staying Vigilant: 7 Practical Tips for Ongoing Third-Party Risk Monitoring” | Sponsored by OneTrust | Dec. 12, 2024 RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep (Virtual)Dec. 17‒18, 2024 | 9:00 am‒4:00 pm EST — Register by Dec. 10. “Managing Data for ERM” | Dec. 12, 2024 & March 12, 2025 “Captives as an Alternate Risk Financing Technique” | Dec. 17‒18 “Fundamentals of Insurance” | Feb. 19‒20, 2025 See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops” RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Exploring Risk in Extreme Environments with Kevin Vallely”, RIMS Canada Conference 2024 Keynote “Change Management and Strategy with Jay Kiew, RIMS Canada Conference 2024 Keynote” “Live From Vancouver! with Maryam Salmasi, Fred H. Bossons Award Winner 2024” “RIMS 2024 Rising Star Chelsea Andrusiak” (SKRIMS Vice President) “Supply and Bike Chains with Emily Buckley”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer “Alliant's P&C Outlook For 2024” | Sponsored by Alliant “Why Subrogation is the New Arbitration” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyclone Season: Proactive Preparation for Loss Minimization” | Sponsored by Prudent Insurance Brokers Ltd. “Subrogation and the Competitive Advantage” | Sponsored by Fleet Response   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® RIMS Events App Apple | Google Play   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Jon Montgomery, 2010 Winter Olympics Men's Skeleton Gold Medal Winner and Host of Amazing Race Canada   Social Shareables (Edited For Social Media Use): The best part of a gig is the opportunity to connect one-on-one with people in their space, and getting to put a medal around folks' necks. Not everybody is going to remember what you say but everybody will remember how you made them feel and a moment you share. — Jon Montgomery   I like to assess risk, on what metrics I use, and I love to compete. I love to stack myself against the best, in whatever it is I get to be a part of. — Jon Montgomery   When I saw skeleton for the first time, I was compelled, from a visual standpoint. Having tried it one time, I was hooked. — Jon Montgomery   When the moment of competition becomes visible to the masses, the capacity to see the individual's team isn't present but everybody who has done something that they can be proud of knows full well what goes into a result. — Jon Montgomery   That belief that others had done this doubled workout was compelling and propelled me far past my self-imposed limitations. It made me realize that things are only out of our reach if we put them there. — Jon Montgomery   I am a curious dude. It's led me to chase best-informed guesses for what we know today. I am open and willing to have my mind changed about stuff. Here's what I know right now. — Jon Montgomery  

With trades flying left and right, Donnovan chats with famed NFL agent Leigh Steinberg on how agents help players navigate the world of getting traded, and what the relationship is with front offices at this time of year (2:34). Afterwards, Donnovan is joined by former CFL kicker and Grey Cup champion Dan Giancola, who is the author of 'Be That One: Why Does It Have To Be Someone Else, Why Not Me?', detailing the triumphs of his own life and tells people that they can be anything they want, no matter how big the obstacle (20:42). Plus, Donnovan chats with Olympic gold medallist and now-television host Jon Montgomery, who has partnered with Movember to raise awareness around men's health issues (38:07). The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin Smulison interviews Kevin Vallely,  an explorer, architect, mentor, and author, about his early life, his career, his risk philosophy, and a hint of his upcoming keynote speech at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024, from October 6th through 9th in Vancouver, B.C.   Listen in for the steps to building the skill of resilience. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:15] About this episode of RIMScast, coming to you from RIMS Headquarters in New York. Today we will discuss strategic risk management with architect and world-renowned adventurer, Kevin Vallely, who will also be one of the RIMS Canada 2024 keynotes. [:43] First, let's talk about RIMS Virtual Workshops. The full calendar of virtual workshops is at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. August 15th kicks off the three-part series, Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management. Other dates for the Fall and Winter are available on the Virtual Workshops full calendar at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. [1:07] Let's talk about prep courses for the RIMS-CRMP. RIMS will host its own RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep on July 30th and 31st and on August 7th and 8th, a RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep along with Utah Valley University. [1:22] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep course will be hosted along with George Mason University on December 3rd through 5th, 2024. Links to these courses can be found on the Certification Page of RIMS.org and in this episode's show notes. [1:38] Registration is open for the 48th Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference. It will be held from July 30th through August 3rd, 2024 in Naples, Florida. The link is in this episode's show notes. [1:53] Registration opened for the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 which will be held from October 6th through the 9th in Vancouver. Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca to register.  [2:06] Exhibitor's space is still available at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024. This is your chance to get in front of risk professionals from around the world. To learn more about how to become an exhibitor at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024, click the link in the show notes. All RIMS regional conferences information can be found through the Events page at RIMS.org. [2:29] The first of two guests today, Aaron Lukoni, is the Manager of Risk Services for Emergency Management in British Columbia, and the National Conference Chair for the RIMS Canada Council. Aaron is making this cameo appearance on RIMScast to tell you what's coming up for the RIMS Canada Conference 2024. This may be the best RIMS Canada Conference ever! [3:01] Aaron Lukoni, welcome to RIMScast! [3:32] Aaron Lukoni is a Manager of Risk Services for Emergency Management, British Columbia. She handles wildfires, floods, and national events. She is a professional problem-solver for the Province of British Columbia. [3:52] By night, Aaron is the National Conference Chair for the RIMS Canada Council. Eight years ago, she started on a subcommittee. She has a passion for volunteering. Aaron will be hosting the RIMS Canada Conference in Vancouver B.C. from October 6th through 9th, 2024. [4:51] This RIMS Canada Conference will be great. It's in stunning Vancouver! It will be a dynamic program filled with insightful presentations and interactive thought leadership sessions. There will be a huge exhibitor hall and amazing networking opportunities! There will be extra Plenary sessions with coverage of risk management critical topics. [5:46] There will be expert speakers and a diverse lineup of educational sessions to allow attendees to dive deeper into their areas of interest. There will be something for everybody at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024! [6:22] The keynotes are Kevin Vallely, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Jon Montgomery, and Jay Kiew, our guest on RIMScast Episode 296 (Check it out!). The speakers will highlight emerging trends from technological advancements and regulatory changes to evolving best practices and leadership considerations, all to motivate and inspire you and set the tone for the conference. [9:37] Thank you, Aaron! We look forward to seeing you at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 in Vancouver, from October 6th through the 9th. [9:45] Our next guest is an explorer, architect, and author. He is Kevin Vallely, who is renowned for his adventurous spirit and compelling storytelling. He holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest unsupported trek to the South Pole and has led numerous expeditions around the globe. [10:06] He's the author of Rowing the Northwest Passage, about an unprecedented journey through one of the world's most challenging environments. In 2025, he will trek to the Arctic in a way that no one has ever done. We're going to hear about it and his risk philosophies for strategic risk management, with a preview of his RIMS Canada Conference 2024 keynote. [10:40] Kevin Vallely, welcome to RIMScast! [10:50] Kevin is in Vancouver today, and it is hot there this July! It's 35 Celsius or around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He enjoys the heat. [11:53] Kevin has been undertaking major expeditions for almost three decades. It started when he was a child, one freezing February night in Montreal. He was nine years old and his brother was five. They were separated from their parents in a department store, and a security guard put them out on the street instead of finding their parents. Kevin's brother cried to go home. [13:31] At that point, Kevin, being the big brother, started the journey home with his little brother. Finding landmarks, he got to a familiar street and followed it for several hours, stepping into apartment buildings on the way to warm up, and made it home to their relieved parents and police searching for them. [14:22] That had been the riskiest and most uncertain moment in Kevin's life and he effectively overcame it. It was an empowering moment. It wasn't long after that, Kevin had this dream to ski to the South Pole, which he did, thirty-five years later. [14:47] Having been thrown into an unsettled and risky situation he didn't want to be in, and overcoming it, Kevin realized he was good at pushing through and coming out the other end, having successfully taken care of his brother and himself. It was an aha moment and the beginning of his adventuring career. [15:22] There is no adventuring degree. You just put yourself out there. The degree is that you survive and succeed. People who don't succeed in that world either deal with very bad consequences or their expeditions fail. Having broken the Guinness World Record to the South Pole is indicative that Kevin is doing something right. He has many expeditions under his belt. [15:50] A successful adventurer understands how to deal with risk, effectively manage it, and move forward. Kevin is a member of The Explorer's Club, based in New York. It's an elite club. [16:39] An adventurer always has to adjust. On September 10, 2001, Kevin and a teammate were summitting 10,000-foot-plus volcanoes in Java and Indonesia, two Muslim countries with very friendly people. Then September 11th happened and in a short time, Kevin and his teammate were not wanted. [17:39] They were warned by the Canadian Embassy to get out of the country but they kept going. They began to see this change. Then someone tried to drive them off the road, cursing at the “Americans.” Police officers told them to be very careful and recommended they leave. So they made an adjustment and left. [18:09] Kevin has been back to Indonesia a number of times since, and he says it's the most wonderful country with the most wonderful people. But there was that moment in history when they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and they knew to get out. Their appearance as Westerners was held against them with hostility. It was vital to adjust and leave. [19:25] Resilience is a fundamental facet of every occupation. Studies indicate that resilience is as important as whatever it is in your job that you are doing, in terms of career success. Resilience is a skill you can build, develop, and train. Push yourself and build that strength with small things so when something big happens, you can deal with it. [20:11] The three Ps of resilience are a strong sense of Purpose, Partnership with a team, and Perspective on the situation. Be conscious of these three things all the time to build your resilience. [21:32] It's RIMS plug time! Webinars! Servpro will make its RIMS Webinars debut on August 8th with Hurricane Preparedness in 2024: Innovations and Strategies to Protect Your Organization. On August 27th, Riskonnect returns to discuss How To Successfully Deploy AI in Risk Management. [21:57] On September 12th, Hub International returns to deliver the third part of their Ready for Tomorrow series. It's titled Pivot and Swerve Staying Agile During Shifting Market Dynamics.  More webinars will be announced soon and added to the Webinars page. Register at RIMS.org/Webinars. Webinar registration is complimentary for RIMS members! [22:23] The RIMS ERM Conference 2024 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Boston, Massachusetts. The agenda is live and soon we will have a call for nominations for the ERM Award of Distinction. I'll have that link up soon in an upcoming episode. [22:43] Review your organization's ERM program, and if you feel it was successful and you have the numbers and the data to back it up, compile that information and get ready to submit your ERM program for the ERM Award of Distinction. [22:57] The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal is to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals; that is achieved in part by a collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the United States and Canada. The call for General Grant applications is open now through July 30th. [23:18] General Grant Awardees are typically notified at the end of October. The link to the application criteria is in this episode's show notes. [23:28] On September 12th, 2024, we look forward to seeing you at the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala at the Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Our recent guest from Episode 293, Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray will be our Honoree. Lilian is the Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Alliant Insurance Services. [23:54] Lilian will be honored for her valuable contributions to supporting the future of risk management and insurance. That was a great episode, so after you finish this one, go back and listen to Episode 293! [24:08] Let's conclude our interview with RIMS Canada Conference 2024 Keynote Kevin Vallely! [24:50] Kevin explains that team alignment and managing risk effectively together is all around communication. If you're not communicating, you don't know if you're aligned. [25:09] Before you head into a difficult situation, come up with some key principles to display when you're out there: your decision-making model, your guiding principles for this journey, your goals, and your definition of success, with all team members being on the same page with these principles throughout the journey. [25:38] Kevin explains how the key principles work in practice on the journey. [27:01] The decision-making process is to be determined and agreed upon by the members of the expedition before the journey begins. When things are happening quickly, you don't debate how to make a decision. You make the right decision when you need to. [27:57] Kevin compares architecture to adventuring. It's an uncertain landscape in many ways. Liability, creativity, and innovation relate to the wild as well as to architecture. The wild wisdom he learns on adventures helps his architecture and what he learns in architecture helps his expeditions. [29:56] Kevin went into architecture as a wonderful opportunity to express himself. He is doing contemporary modern homes. He has worked in every aspect of the business but has worked for himself for 13 years. His architecture is a passion project and he likes to do things that are a little bit different, with the risks that involves. [30:34] Kevin discusses some of the homes he has designed for clients. His clients become his friends as they work together for years from start to finish. The Bridge House is one he loves. His job is to create the client's dream space with his vocabulary. [32:01] Kevin's upcoming expedition for March 2025 is called The Coldest Journey in the World. They first tried it in 2022. It lasted two weeks, due to conditions that were colder than anticipated. It was too cold for the machines. After two weeks they recognized they were putting themselves in danger so they paused to rethink it and came back. [33:30] Their process now is innovative thinking, rethinking, and dynamically changing, based on the risk profile. The plan now is to go by ski and dog team. Dogs survive wonderfully in that environment. They love it, in coid worse than snowmobiles can take. They have a team of four traveling with two sets of dog teams. It's an Inuit and non-Inuit team coming together. [34:08] It will be a seamless, cross-cultural collaboration. They will be learning from one another in this environment. There will be a camera team, independent of them, for a period of time, as the camera team endures. Kevin is trying to push the boundaries of what is possible in that environment. No one has been there in that time of year. [35:00] Kevin is not looking for world records. This is a much more meaningful process for him. They are going to the Northern terrestrial edge of the planet, as far North as you can go before stepping onto the sea ice heading for the North Pole. They are going there and back on a 1,200-mile (2,000-Km) journey through the coldest, most hostile environment on the planet. [35:31] They will see things few people get to see, including lots of polar bears, wolves, and musk oxen. It will be fascinating to see how those creatures survive in that environment. They estimate the trip will take 45 to 60 days. Last year, on Baffin Island, they did a quick, two-week test journey. At one point it was minus 47 degrees Celsius with 110 Kph winds. [36:11] The temperature felt like minus 87 Celcius or about minus 125 Fahrenheit. Kevin bit into a Fig Newton, and his front tooth snapped off at the gum. He's getting an implant put in. It's cold and things get really brittle. It's a different world. The team understands the environment and has been in it. Someone who's never been in the environment could die quickly in it. [36:53] Kevin's team is able to push that boundary with their experience. For them, the risk is manageable and they know what to do when things don't turn out right. They adjust to that. [37:15] When you're out there, the first couple of weeks are nasty but then your body starts to adapt to using food to generate heat. When they skied to the South Pole, they ate 8,500 calories a day, taking a special lipase to digest the extra fat. Normally, the human body maxes out at metabolizing 5,500 calories. Kevin still lost weight. Extreme cold is the ultimat diet. [38:27] At the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 in Vancouver, Kevin will talk about a planned rowing journey, attempting to traverse the Canadian High Arctic in a small boat solely under human power, with all the risks associated with that and how to manage them, including things happening that you couldn't anticipate, and how you deal with that, [38:51] There's a lot of learning around risk management and also courage in that environment. There's risk in life. It's about having the right mindset, being courageous, and moving forward through whatever you are thrown. Kevin will use multimedia visuals with videos to illustrate his address. There will be opportunities for audience involvement. [39:54] That sounds like it's going to be great. We look forward to seeing you there. I really appreciate you making the time for us here today. We will see you at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 in Vancouver. Kevin Vallely, thank you so much! This has been a lot of fun! [40:08] Special thanks again to Kevin Vallely, for joining us here on RIMScast! He will be one of the conference keynotes, at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 in Vancouver from October 6th through the 9th. Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca to register. [40:25] By all means, check out KevinVallely.com. He's got some great stuff on his site. Learn more about that expedition scheduled for 2025. [40:34] Check out RIMScast Episode 296 with Jay Kiew for more insight from RIMS Canada Conference 2024 keynotes.  [40:42] It's Plug Time! The RIMS App is available to RIMS members exclusively. Go to the App Store and download the RIMS App with all sorts of RIMS resources and coverage. It's different from the RIMS Events App. Everyone loves the RIMS App! [41:16] You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in our show notes. RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [42:00] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [42:17] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [42:33] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [42:54] Thank you for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Mentioned in this Episode: RIMS Canada Conference 2024 — Oct. 6‒9 | Registration is open! RIMS Canada Exhibitor Opportunities RISKWORLD 2025 will be in Chicago! May 4‒7 RIMS DEI Council Spencer Educational Foundation — Grants Page — Apply Through July 30. RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center NEW FOR MEMBERS! RIMS Mobile App Florida RIMS Annual Conference — July 30‒Aug. 3, 2024! Spencer Educational Foundation — Funding Their Future Gala 2024 Kevinvallely.com   RIMS Webinars: Hurricane Preparedness in 2024: Innovations and Strategies | Sponsored by ServPro | Aug. 8, 2024 How to Successfully Deploy AI in Risk Management | Sponsored by Riskonnect | Aug. 27, 2024 HUB Ready for Tomorrow Series: Pivot and Swerve — Staying Agile During Shifting Market Dynamics | Sept. 12, 2024 RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming Virtual Workshops: Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I) 2024 — Aug 15 See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Jay Kiew, RIMS Canada Conference Keynote 2024” “DE&I Initiatives with Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray of Alliant Insurance Services”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer “Alliant's P&C Outlook For 2024” | Sponsored by Alliant “Why Subrogation is the New Arbitration” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyclone Season: Proactive Preparation for Loss Minimization” | Sponsored by Prudent Insurance Brokers Ltd. “Subrogation and the Competitive Advantage” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyberrisk Outlook 2023” | Sponsored by Alliant “Chemical Industry: How To Succeed Amid Emerging Risks and a Challenging Market” | Sponsored by TÜV SÜD “Insuring the Future of the Environment” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Insights into the Gig Economy and its Contractors” | Sponsored by Zurich “The Importance of Disaster Planning Relationships” | Sponsored by ServiceMaster   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RIMS-CRMP Stories — New interviews featuring RIMS Risk Management Honor Roll Inductee Mrunal Pandit!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® RIMS Events App Apple | Google Play   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Kevin Vallely, Lead Facilitator/Keynote Speaker/Expedition Manager of Peak Teams Global   Tweetables (Edited For Social Media Use): There is no adventuring degree. You just put yourself out there. The degree is that you survive and succeed. — Kevin Vallely   As an adventurer, you understand how to deal with risk; there's always a risk, but how you can effectively manage it and move forward. — Kevin Vallely   Adaptability is vital; this ability to adjust. You're always adjusting. I've done many expeditions over the years where things have gone sideways you didn't expect. You have to adjust. — Kevin Vallely   I'm not looking for world records. This is way bigger than that. It's a much more meaningful process and I could go into it in detail; I won't here. — Kevin Vallely    

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin Smulison interviews Aaron Lukoni about the RIMS Canada Conference 2024, from October 6th through 9th in Vancouver, B.C.,  and IDEA thought leader Michael Bach about Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. Michael opens up on his perspective on anti-racism and inclusion, and how to slow down the swinging pendulum so good practices can take hold. He shares how organizations can start with a diversity committee, but eventually, it has to be a paid role to create change in the organization.   Listen in for thoughts on following the data instead of opinionated pushback. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:15] About this episode of RIMScast, coming to you from RIMS Headquarters in New York. Our topic is diversity, equity, and inclusion, and our guest is IDEA thought leader, Michael Bach. [:37] First, let's talk about RIMS Virtual Workshops. The full calendar of virtual workshops is at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. On July 23rd and 24th, our good friend, Elise Farnham returns to teach Claims Management. August 15th kicks off the three-part series, Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management. [1:01] Other dates for the Fall and Winter are available on the Virtual Workshops full calendar at RIMS.org/VirtualWorkshops. [1:10] Let's talk about prep courses for the RIMS-CRMP. RIMS will co-host the two-day RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep session on July 18th and 19th with Parima. RIMS will host its own RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep on July 30th and 31st and on August 7th and 8th, a RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep along with Utah Valley University. [1:31] The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep course will be hosted along with George Mason University on December 3rd through 5th, 2024. Links to these courses can be found on the Certification Page of RIMS.org and in this episode's show notes. [1:47] Registration is open for the 48th Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference. It will be held from July 30th through August 3rd, 2024 in Naples, Florida. The link is in this episode's show notes. All RIMS Regional Conferences information can be found on the events page of RIMS.org. [2:07] The DFW RIMS Annual Conference will be held on September 19th. Registration is open. Visit DFWRIMS.org. [2:17] Registration opened for the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 which will be held from October 6th through the 9th in Vancouver. Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca to register. [2:29] The first of two guests today, Aaron Lukoni, is the Manager of Risk Services for Emergency Management in British Columbia, and the National Conference Chair for the RIMS Canada Council. Aaron is making this cameo appearance on RIMScast to tell you what's coming up for the RIMS Canada Conference 2024. This may be the best RIMS Canada Conference ever! [3:01] Aaron Lukoni, welcome to RIMScast! [3:32] Aaron Lukoni is a Manager of Risk Services for Emergency Management, British Columbia. She handles wildfires, floods, and national events. She is a professional problem-solver for the Province of British Columbia. [3:52] By night, Aaron is the National Conference Chair for the RIMS Canada Council. Eight years ago, she started on a subcommittee. She has a passion for volunteering. Aaron will be hosting the RIMS Canada Conference in Vancouver B.C. from October 6th through 9th, 2024. [4:51] This RIMS Canada Conference will be great. It's in stunning Vancouver! It will be a dynamic program filled with insightful presentations and interactive thought leadership sessions. There will be a huge exhibitor hall and amazing networking opportunities! There will be extra Plenary sessions with coverage of risk management critical topics. [5:46] There will be expert speakers and a diverse lineup of educational sessions to allow attendees to dive deeper into their areas of interest. There will be something for everybody at the RIMS Canada Conference 2024! [6:22] The keynotes are Kevin Vallely, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Jon Montgomery, and Jay Kiew, our guest on RIMScast Episode 296 (Check it out!). The speakers will highlight emerging trends from technological advancements and regulatory changes to evolving best practices and leadership considerations, all to motivate and inspire you. [9:04] Thank you, Aaron! We look forward to having you back on RIMScast. I've got a full interview with Aaron on the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 Registration Page. Check it out there! [9:17] It's RIMS plug time! Webinars! Servpro will make its RIMS Webinars debut on August 8th with Hurricane Preparedness in 2024: Innovations and Strategies to Protect Your Organization. On August 27th, Riskonnect returns to discuss How To Successfully Deploy AI in Risk Management. More webinars will be announced soon. Register at RIMS.org/Webinars. [9:51] Webinar registration is complimentary for RIMS members! [9:55] The RIMS ERM Conference 2024 will be held on November 18th and 19th in Boston, Massachusetts. The agenda will be announced soon, as will a call for submissions for the ERM Award of Distinction. I'll have that link up soon in an upcoming episode. [10:14] Review your organization's ERM program, and if you feel it was successful and you have the numbers and the data to back it up, compile that information and get ready to submit your ERM program for the ERM Award of Distinction. [10:31] My next guest, Michael Bach, is a leader in Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, or IDEA. He has advised thousands of clients, served as the National Leader of DE&I for KPMG Canada, and was Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG International. He was named one of the 10 Most Influential DE&I Leaders Revamping the Future by CIO Views Magazine. [10:56] Michael was also honored as a Canadian Diversity Champion and Catalyst Canada Honors Human Resources and Diversity Leader. His best-selling books, Birds of All Feathers and Alphabet Soup, have received widespread acclaim. I am so excited to speak with him about all things IDEA and DE&I! [11:19] Michael Bach, welcome to RIMScast! [11:58] About Michael's name and Bach jokes. There is no known family relationship between Michael Bach and Johann Sebastian Bach. [12:50] Michael doesn't look at the work of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility as a social justice agenda but as a means to solve problems. How can Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility be applied to solve the challenges an industry faces? [13:12] Michael likes that the first letters of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility make the word IDEA. [13:56] Michael was brought up to recognize his privilege as a “cisgender white man” walking through the world with a level of access that wasn't experienced by a lot of people and that he had the responsibility to leverage that privilege to the benefit of others. He learned what that meant when he got into the corporate world and a variety of roles, and then his role at KPMG. [15:05] Michael realized that the organization was having challenges with talent retention and engagement and that the way to improve those things was through a focus on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility). Michael was head of Diversity for eight years. It was a new role at KPMG. He then became the Deputy Chief Diversity Officer for KPMG globally. [16:11] After two years, Michael moved on to create The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion and led that organization for 10 years. [16:50] Some employers understand that this is not a social justice agenda or about doing the “right thing”; it's good people management. It's a smart way to run your business. [17:16] Some organizations have done nothing about DE&I. Other organizations have dipped their toe in the water and backed away because of pushback from customers. You will always make some people unhappy. If your value statements mean anything to you, then a focus on IDEA should connect to those values and matter to you as an organization. [19:04] Michael talks about the approach TD Bank took with the LGBTQ market. They wanted to own the “pink dollar.” They spent a fortune sponsoring Pride festivals across the country. While some customers pulled away, TD Bank won a large percentage of the LGBTQ community. TD Bank is near the top financially in the country. [21:19] Michael does not think this is a worrisome time. He sees a natural progression of change. He brings up the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the United States. Canada has the Employment Equity Act of 1984. This isn't a new conversation and these aren't new problems that will go away quickly. [21:49] Some organizations are backing away and Michael thinks they will regret it because they will have higher voluntary turnover rates, lower engagement scores, lower productivity rates, and higher rates of safety incidents. The data proves that if you're not focused on the diversity of your people and good people management, they're going to leave. Your costs will go up. [22:39] The organizations that back away from IDEA are going to be at Michael's doorstep in five to 10 years asking for his help. The organizations that haven't taken their foot off the pedal will be crushing their competition. This work requires you to constantly have your foot on the gas pedal, or you will roll backward. [24:05] How do organizations today compare to how they were in 2019? Michael talks about 2020 with George Floyd and thousands of bodies of Indigenous children found in unmarked graves at the sites of residential schools across Canada. Those were pivotal moments when, for the first time, people wanted to talk about anti-racism. Those moments drive change. [24:56] Four years later, people are saying we don't need anti-racism. Governments are banning DE&I offices. Within a week after George Floyd was killed, Michael's phone at CCDI, where he was working, was lighting up with employers asking for help with anti-black racism. CCDI put out extensive training programs and policies. But the pendulum swings back. [26:18] Michael's goal is to keep the pendulum from swinging that far. We want it to swing slowly. That allows for the change to take hold. Right now, the pendulum has swung too far. Michael advises every employer to turn to the numbers before taking a step back from IDEA. Look at what the data tells you. [27:10] A recent study posted on CNN found that 76% of Americans believe in LGBTQ+ equality. Look at that number when you decide if you should be supporting a Pride festival. Use data to prove points. Do not use opinion. We have more data now that answers the questions. [28:54] Time for more RIMS Plugs! The Spencer Educational Foundation's goal is to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals; that is achieved in part by a collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the United States and Canada. The call for General Grant applications is open now through July 30th. General Grant Awardees are typically notified at the end of October. [29:22] The link to the application criteria is in this episode's show notes. [29:28] On September 12th, 2024, we look forward to seeing you at the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala at the Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Our recent guest from Episode 293, Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray will be our Honoree. Lilian is the Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Alliant Insurance Services. [29:53] Lilian will be honored for her valuable contributions to supporting the future of risk management and insurance. That was a great episode, so after you finish this one, go back and listen to Episode 293! [30:07] Let's conclude our interview with Michael Bach! [30:44] Diversity Committees are a great place for organizations to start in the IDEA world. You're taking a group of people from across the organization and giving them the reins of change. Institutional knowledge is important for this effort because you know how things happen in your organization. You don't have to be an expert in IDEA. [31:41] Committees need to be formalized and span the entire organization. Committees are working bodies, they are not governing bodies. You need people on the committee who can do the work. You want to consider every aspect of diversity on the committee and have somebody from every department and every area branch. [33:08] Make sure that you formalize the committee in such a way that they don't get out of control. Give them rules to follow so they know where they can draw the lines. What are the roles on the committee? How do people get on the committee? How are people recognized for their participation on the committee? What is their authority level? To whom do they report? [33:48] Some committees don't have that kind of structure and they go off the rails and do things that the organization desperately tries to undo. This could be a sponsored event that doesn't align with the strategy of the organization or education programs that HR doesn't know about. You have to put lines around the committee so they know what is out of their scope. [34:40] Connect the committee with all departments of the organization, such as HR, so the committee is working with them and not against them. [35:09] Eventually, an organization outgrows a volunteer-run committee. Make sure there is turnover on the committee to avoid burnout. At some point, you will have to hire someone like Michael to do the work. Work is done for pay. [36:35] Michael's thoughts on Pride Month, 2024. There are so many speaking events in June, that every July 1st, Michael says he just has to “wash the gay off,” because it is at such a high level. He is seeing something he's been hoping to see for some time: organizations that are recognizing they need to talk about the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community outside of June. [37:51] It's important to have designated months as visible symbols of inclusion to recognize communities, but people belong to their community all year, not just during one month. We need to be inclusive year-round. There is an extensive calendar of things that we could be celebrating so it doesn't become a thing where we change our logo for a month. Be broadly inclusive. [39:24] Special thanks again to the IDEA man, Michael Bach, for joining us here on RIMScast! For more information, visit MichaelBach.com, Thank you again to Aaron Lukoni for joining us here on RIMScast! [39:36] Be sure to register for the RIMS Canada Conference 2024 at RIMSCanadaConference.ca. Interviews with more RIMS Canada Conference 2024 speakers are on the way. [39:47] It's Plug Time! The RIMS App is available to RIMS members exclusively. Go to the App Store and download the RIMS App with all sorts of RIMS resources and coverage. It's different from the RIMS Events App. Everyone loves the RIMS App! [40:18] You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in our show notes. RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [41:01] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [41:18] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [41:34] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [41:54] Thank you for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Mentioned in this Episode: RIMS Canada Conference 2024 — Oct. 6‒9 | Registration is open! RISKWORLD 2025 will be in Chicago! May 4‒7 RIMS DEI Council Spencer Educational Foundation — Grants Page — Apply Through July 30. RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops — Next Workshop with PARIMA July 18‒19, 2024! RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center NEW FOR MEMBERS! RIMS Mobile App Florida RIMS Annual Conference — July 30‒Aug. 3, 2024! Spencer Educational Foundation — Funding Their Future Gala 2024 Spencer Educational Foundation General Grants MichaelBach.com   RIMS Webinars: Hurricane Preparedness in 2024: Innovations and Strategies | Sponsored by ServPro | Aug. 8, 2024 How to Successfully Deploy AI in Risk Management | Sponsored by Riskonnect | Aug. 27, 2024 RIMS.org/Webinars   Upcoming Virtual Workshops: Claims Management — July 23‒24 Leveraging Data and Analytics for Continuous Risk Management (Part I) 2024 — Aug 15 See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Jay Kiew, RIMS Canada Conference Keynote 2024” “DE&I Initiatives with Lilian Vanvieldt-Gray of Alliant Insurance Services” “Equality and the Risk Profession with Elisa Stampf” “Including Disability In DEI Efforts with Alycia Anderson” “RIMS 2024 Rising Star Chelsea Andrusiak” “Mental Health Awareness Month 2023”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: Partnering Against Cyberrisk | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) [Link will be sent on 7/15] “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer “Alliant's P&C Outlook For 2024” | Sponsored by Alliant “Why Subrogation is the New Arbitration” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyclone Season: Proactive Preparation for Loss Minimization” | Sponsored by Prudent Insurance Brokers Ltd. “Subrogation and the Competitive Advantage” | Sponsored by Fleet Response “Cyberrisk Outlook 2023” | Sponsored by Alliant “Chemical Industry: How To Succeed Amid Emerging Risks and a Challenging Market” | Sponsored by TÜV SÜD “Insuring the Future of the Environment” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Insights into the Gig Economy and its Contractors” | Sponsored by Zurich “The Importance of Disaster Planning Relationships” | Sponsored by ServiceMaster   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RIMS-CRMP Stories — New interviews featuring RIMS Risk Management Honor Roll Inductee Mrunal Pandit!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® RIMS Events App Apple | Google Play   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guests: Aaron Lukoni, Risk Management Consultant, Ministry of Finance, British Columbia Michael Bach, IDEA Thought Leader   Tweetables (Edited For Social Media Use): I handle a lot of wildfires, floods, national events, and things like that. I am a professional problem-solver for the Province of British Columbia. By night, I am the National Conference Chair for the RIMS Canada Council. — Aaron Lukoni   Thought leadership is the backbone of the conference and with more keynotes, we have more opportunities to spotlight pioneering research, innovative strategies, and success stories. — Aaron Lukoni   I don't look at Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility as a social justice agenda but as a means to solve problems. I look at the challenges in an industry and ask how Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility can play a role in addressing them. — Michael Bach   If your value statements mean anything to you, then a focus on IDEA should connect to those values and should matter to you as an organization. — Michael Bach   This is something I don't share with people a lot, but I am gay almost every day of the year. I take the high holidays off, for obvious reasons. I'm going to be gay in October. I'm going to be gay in January. — Michael Bach  

After a two year delay, The Amazing Race Canada is finally back on the starting line. Host Jon Montgomery returns and shares his thoughts with Season 8 set to kick off Tuesday, July 5 on CTV. Jon's love of Canada is genuine and infectious as you can hear on this podcast episode. The Olympic gold medalist addresses the challenges in re-mounting Canada's most-popular summer series after a two-year pandemic pause.Jon also talks about some of his favourite teams from past seasons as well as the destinations, both foreign and domestic, he enjoyed visiting the most. This year's Race is, as it was on Season 7, run in Canada only, a wise decision or the ten new teams would probably still be trying to get past customs at Pearson.One thing that hasn't changed is the grand prize money: still a cool quarter million. Plenty of other prizes, too, including cars and flights.Listen in as Jon also tells what TV shows he's currently binging, the series he enjoyed the most as a  youngster and his favourite, all-time TV theme song -- which he even sings! It's always a blast catching up with Jon Montgomery.

Canada Day is here but it seems like the country has never been more divided. So, this year, is it possible to celebrate the country without recognizing its controversial past? Jeremy Bradley chimes in and thinks most Canadians don't feel as positive about their country as they did five years ago. Whether it was political leadership or how the country got through the pandemic (or both partnered with each other), JB thinks Canada is on a downward slope. Later, The Amazing Race Canada is back and host, Jon Montgomery, is on the line to talk about the reality competition show's new season. Jon talks about the charm of the country's diverse landscapes and people -- and why he thinks the Canadian edition is better than others around the world.Buff Boy Brewing Co. Need your daily - or hourly - fix of fresh coffee? Buff Boy Brewing Co. has unique blends from around the world. International tastes with the finest roasts at buffboybrewing.com Buff Boy Brewing Co. Need your daily - or hourly - fix of fresh coffee? Buff Boy Brewing Co. has unique blends from around the world. International tastes with the finest roasts at buffboybrewing.com

David Zemla and Jon Montgomery from S&S Cycle join FDB to talk about the company, performance baggers, go carts  and we even weigh in on the new Sportster S reveal.Go here to join our DiscordVisit Five Dirty Bikers on social media!FacebookInstagram- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Visit the website: www.fivedirtybikers.com

Dennis Kirk  Presents ShopTalk. Jon Montgomery, of S&S Cycle, is in the hot seat with us tonight. S&S, the leader in performance […]

Jon Montgomery is best known as the beloved host of Amazing Race Canada as well his gold medal in skeleton from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and the jug of beer he carried through Whistler Village! Jon was born in Russell, Manitoba, and currently lives in Victoria, BC with his wife, Darla- also a Skeleton athlete—and their two beautiful kids. In 2016, Jon co-hosted the JUNO Awards with eight-time recipient Jann Arden. In 2016, he also received the Canadian Screen Award for Best Host of a Reality TV Series! An auctioneer by trade, Jon earned his automotive marketing degree from Georgian College. He uses his skills to auction cars to raise funds for charities including KidSport Canada, Canadian Olympic Foundation and Right to Play. We had a blast chatting about all things including Jon's Olympic career, that jug of beer, behind the scenes on Amazing Race Canada (especially since we competed on Season 4 and got to see him hard at work), and mindset lessons learned throughout it all. What a man! http://jonmontgomery.ca/

Join us as we chat with Canadian Olympic Skeleton Racer & host of The Amazing Race Canada about his journey through the Olympics, what it was like to represent Canada and the feeling that Vancouver brought. We also chat about his induction into the Manitoba Sports HOF and what it's like to host The Amazing Race Canada.

The following is a conversation with Russell Reimer.Russell is the founder and President of Manifesto Sport Management  - a company that offers pro athlete management, brand consulting, content production and major event bid strategy services. Taking inspiration from the movie Jerry Maguire and the famous Sport Manifesto as well as the real life sport agent  Leigh Steinberg - Russell has created and grown Manifesto Sport into  multi-million dollar sport management company.Russell has worked successfully with world leaders in sport for the past 18 years – including eight World Championships, nine Olympic Games, over 25 World Cups, the 2020 Calgary X-Games bid and the Calgary 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games bid. Russell also manages a variety of athletes including Blue Jays third baseman Vlad Guerrero Jr., X-Games & Olympic Gold Medalist , Brady Leman,  NHL Stars, Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs), Taylor Hall (New Jersey Devils), Shea Weber (Montreal Canadians), Carey Price (Montreal Canadians) as well as Olympic gold medalists Tessa Virtue, Jon Montgomery, Rosie MacLennan and Hayley Wickenheiser among others.  We sat down for a smooth cup of rose bros coffee  and talked about Building a sport management business, the intangibles that make someone successful, the value in having a good reputation, the importance of stories in marketing Olympic athletes and a lot more!Enjoy!Support the show (https://rosebros.ca/)

Are you missing The Amazing Race? Are you missing The Olympics? In the absence of both this Summer, we bring you an interview with The Amazing Race Canada host, and Olympic Gold Medalist from 2010 Skeleton, the one and only Jon Montgomery! How did Jon break into such an insane sport in his 20s, make it on Team Canada, and go onto win the Gold medal? How did he end up as host of The Amazing Race Canada, and what's the story behind him participating in all of the challenges in his intros? What controversial recent team did Jon change his take on after seeing the season air? How does Jon think he would fair as a contestant on the show? And what's the story behind Jon meeting his childhood hockey hero, and receiving a nice souvenir to remember it by? It's an interview too big for just one show, so start by listening here, cause this is one interview you will be happy to be U-Turned on.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In the absence of Tokyo 2020, we're here to bring you a huge series of athlete interviews to carry you through the Summer. Today we speak to Jon Montgomery, Skeleton Gold Medalist from Vancouver 2010. We talk to Jon about how he was able to break into the sport of Skeleton, and what it takes to excel in this insane and unique Winter sport. Jon breaks down his Gold medal run, and the memorable celebration that made him a household name. Jon also covers his experiences as host of The Amazing Race Canada, and what it was like to participate in 2018 as a commentator for CBC. Stay all the way to the end to hear the story about Jon meeting his childhood hockey hero Doug Gilmour, which needs to be heard to believe.

For those of us who thought ski jumping was the wildest sport at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, there was a surprise that had all us viewers on the edge of our seats.    Skeleton was on the official lineup, for the first time since 1948.    If you’ve never seen it before, skeleton involves plunging head-first down a steep, twisty ice track, atop a sled that’s barely more substantial than a cafeteria tray.   2002 was also the year Jon Montgomery discovered the sport of skeleton. In his early 20s at the time, the Manitoba-born Montgomery was visiting Calgary with his parents, saw a skeleton competition at Canada Olympic Park, and fell so deeply in love that he began competing himself, almost immediately. And eight years later, representing Canada on our Olympic skeleton team, he won gold, bringing awareness of this formerly little-known sport to an entire nation.    While Montgomery may have discovered his Olympic sport relatively late in life, sport is in his soul—and nearly two decades later, both he and his wife Darla Deschamps-Montgomery, a fellow skeleton racer, volunteer generously for sports-focussed charities including KidsSport and Right to Play, an international organization that works to provide opportunities for all kids to participate in sport and creative play.     Montgomery believes in pushing himself outside his comfort zone, an attribute that’s helped him succeed in widely diverse endeavours. This is his eighth year as host of The Amazing Race Canada, a role that won him a Canadian Screen Award in 2016. He’s also co-hosted The Junos with the iconic Canadian performer Jann Arden. He’s a father of two, an automotive auctioneer—and that’s not even the complete list.   Montgomery took time out of his busy schedule to speak with the Real Money Talk Podcast about his thoughts on what it takes to make it as an Olympian, how to overcome the financial hurdles, and staying motivated in life.   This Ratehub.ca podcast is brought to you by EQ Bank and the EQ Bank savings plus account   [0:00 - 3:12] Intro   [3:13 - 7:19] Money Mistakes - Apple computer repair, skating lessons, getting scammed and gouged   [7:20 - 9:06] The Jon Montgomery Story - Were you always interested in pursuing Olympics? His start as an auctioneer and in car sales and wanting to represent Canada on the world stage. You need passion.    [9:07 - 11:10] I thought it was a luge accident. I wanted to represent Canada. I saw Theo Fleury win a gold. Berating the French judge for collusion. TSN Turning Point.    [11:11 - 12:43] Are you a speed demon at heart? I wanted to try something hair brained and bananas. I went Sky Diving. I was seeking out challenges. I approached fear, pushed past it, and came to terms with it.    [12:44 - 14:39] If you fear something, you should move towards it. Yes, absolutely - wife, college, university, olympics - all were cause for pause. Overcoming inertia is incredibly difficult. To keep it moving is much easier. Gotta take the first steps. The experience in the world today, means we have to do it now, because it takes so much effort.    [14:40 - 19:10] You need money to pursue dreams. How did you fund your training and make ends meet? How did you survive? What would you tell future Olympians about funding? I’m lucky and privileged. My parents gave me a beat up car and saved for my education. I didn’t have the burden of student loans. My parents championed going to school. I wasn’t going to get a free ride. Take the risk of bestowing an education upon yourself. I had a trade that allowed me to find opportunities in sport. A bank will give you credit with an education.    [19:11 - 22:11] Debt isn’t bad, you need it to build credit. With kids of your own, will you pay for their education? You have to think about it now with RESPs. If you help people, you will get what you want. I never sold a car, I solved transportation problems. Hopefully there are scholarships. Our kids will be average and normal. Expecting otherwise is wishful thinking.    [23:12 - 26:22] What if your kids wanted to pursue the Olympics? What advice would you give about funding for Canadian Athletes? I’m opportunistic. Do it because you love it. Work towards it. Don’t do it for the glory, but because you love it. There are multiple rewards. Know your with, trying it and you’ll learn. Attitude shapes our lives. Perspective is everything. Attitude will determine success.    [26:23 - 27:09] Tyler’s friend is training his son to throw left handed to make the MLB. Let your kid have fun.    [27:10 - 31:45] Your attitude is always on display. Talk to us about your charitable initiatives Kidsport and RightToPlay. Being a part of something bigger than yourself is important. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. I failed to qualify for the 2014 Olympics. Sport is a right. Playing is a right. We need to be celebrated individually. That can happen in sports. Your place in society is created in structured organized sport.    [31:46 - 33:49] Sandra’s kid is able to take drama much better because of sport. School drama goes away because of being on a team. Perspective is everything. Sport is an outlet to realize life is multi faceted. It’s easier to not internalize the bad.    [33:50 - 37:39] Do you think all your experiences have helped you in your life now? Retrospectively, when you look back at everything is where you gain insights, that’s where the lessons are found. Martina and Phil from season 6 of Amazing Race Canada - out of their comfort zone - watching someone overcome adversity, you understand it much better. I revere people who push through the struggle.    [37:40 - 47:49] RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS  - What’s in your wallet? What’s your favourite book? Favourite sport to watch, play and - do you still skeleton? What are you binge watching right now? Have you seen Free Solo? What’s the biggest mistake a future Olympian can make? What does your billboard say?   [47:50 -  50:32] Financial tip for the week - You need to build an emergency fund. Here’s how.    [50:33 - 51:44] Outro

It's hard to not pay attention to what others are doing, and what they are achieving, especially when you work so hard to try and achieve, yet often you don't see the results you're ultimately looking for. Setting goals for yourself, having a support system, and compartmentalizing what is really going on with others are 3 big steps in helping you achieve what you want. No stranger to tough competition, he is the host of CTV's The Amazing Race Canada.Before this, he became one of Canada's most recognized Olympic Athletes when he won the Olympic gold in Men's skeleton at the Vancouver 2010 games, and then proceeded to make his mark in Canadian folk lore as he did his victory walk through the Whistler Village with a nice cold beer in hand. He has hosted the Juno Awards, and has appeared on Oprah. And his presentations unify the nature of what makes Canada great as a nation, with the power of individual self-efficacy; and the unwavering belief that you will accomplish that which you seek.On this episode of The MindShare PodCast, I am very honored to be joined by Olympic Gold Medalist, and Host of The Amazing Race Canada – Mr. Jon Montgomery, as we discuss 'How to Compete No Matter Who the Competition Is'. The MindShare PodCast is sponsored by KiTS Keep-in-Touch Systems, and is a Founding Member of the Industry Syndicate Media Network.Please subscribe, rate the show, and share your thoughts by leaving a review. You can also get more #MindShare on Facebook @MindShare101 and Instagram @davidgreenspan101. Check out YouTube #MindShare101, and http://www.mindshare101.com. While on my site, be sure to download your free copy of The 7 Ways To Communicate eBook. It will help you know how to deliver the right message to right audience across the right channel, so you can build more MindShare. If you would like to be a guest on the show, or know someone that should be a guest on the show, please get in touch anytime!   Remember, MindShare = MarketShare!

Jon Montgomery is a motivational keynote speaker and a Television show host. Prior to that he represented Canada for more than a decade in the sport of skeleton, winning gold at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jon shares his adventurous spirit, his zest for life and his philosophy of living life without regrets. Devon Harris is one of the top motivational Speakers in New York. He is an original member of the Jamaica bobsled team which competed in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. He was also the captain of and competed in the 1992 and 1998 Winter Olympic Games. As a corporate keynote speaker, Devon delivers highly customized presentations that are inspirational, motivational and educational. Tapping the same energy, determination, motivation and skills that enabled him to bobsled with the best in the world, Devon, as an international motivational keynote speaker is now sparking audiences of all ages to dream big and take their “game” to the next level.

Former Gold Medal winner at the 2010 Winter Olympic games Jon Montgomery joined The Sport Market on TSN Radio to discuss his memories of the legendary games, including his iconic beer celebration, as well his transition to media member with his role as Amazing Race Canada host.

Guests include: Jon Montgomery (2010 Olympic Gold Medalist Skeleton)

Jon Montgomery, host of Amazing Race Canada and 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist in Skeleton Racing, talks about growing up in a small town, his meteoric career, and the importance of believing in yourself.

Theo and Jon have a conversation about growing up in Russel Manitoba. They talk about their upbringings in a small town and the work ethic and dedication it takes to become world class athletes. They share their unique paths to winning Olympic gold medals for Canada in Hockey and Skeleton Luge.Jon Montgomery became a celebrated Canadian when he defied great odds to win the Gold Medal in Skeleton racing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics – beating out his closest opponent by 7/100th of a second. Jon celebrated his victory with his famous “beer walk” in Whistler BC – reflecting his zest for life, pride in being Canadian and love for great beer. He has gone on to become a compelling inspirational speaker and is the outgoing and engaging host of THE AMAZING RACE CANADA. http://jonmontgomery.caSupport the show (https://www.theofleury.life/contact-us)

Olympic gold medallist Jon Montgomery reflects on his success in skeleton and his induction into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.

9/11 was 18 years ago today. The boys found a crazy story from a survivor. Regina's Lauren Lavoie and her sister Joanne finished 3rd on the Amazing Race Canada. She talks to Chad and Ballsy about the show. Chad also screws up Jon Montgomery's name. Ram's Head Coach Steve Bryce weighs in on this weekend's Homecoming Game.

We're back to talk about another episode.... make that another TWO episodes of The Amazing Race Canada, and what a dramatic two episodes they are! Are Rossi and Colin any closer to agreeing on their feelings on Dave and Irina? What do we think of the On-Way? How did a non challenge at an antique store searching for a Bobble-head become the most entertaining challenge of the season? Why are cabs so hard to come by in Yellowknife? Why are we upset at other people being upset at cab stealing on the Race? Did any of the Express Passes get used correctly? Would we have done any better at reading Longitude and Latitude? Grab one of those free Cliff Bars you find on every street corner in Canada, and listen to us recap the latest 2 episodes of the show. Remember to keep the meter running until the entire recap is over.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's a full house as we bring you a panel of 5 hosts to talk about the epic finale of The Amazing Race Canada: Heroes Edition. Can Colin make a strong enough case in support of Courtney and Adam's win to convince Mallory that they were amazing? What makes Jarrod go on a Hulk like rant against Ben for spoiling part of the season? Did Rossi cheat to win the pre-season predictions game? Was Taylor's wipe out in the GT challenge the most painful looking accident in Amazing Race history? Are Dylan and Kwame still looking for the other 21 souvenir shops in Banff? How are Martina and Phil like Rupert from Survivor?Is alternatability a word? Coming to you live from a living room in Winnipeg, it's the final recap of the season. Download now and ALWAYS take notes. Meep meep.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's the saddest episode of the season as we bid farewell to the one of the all time great Amazing Race Canada teams. Is our disappointment over the elimination affecting our overall opinion of this episode? Is the disappointment causing Colin's 2 year old to sob uncontrollably in the background of this episode? How many of the 5 stages of grief does Rossi go through? Were the challenges a little too hard in New Brunswick? Did Adam ever manage to relieve his bladder? How upset is Jarrod that Ben managed to spoil this episode for him? And just how amazing (outside of helicopter piloting) are Martina and Phil? We're crying! We're crying! So listen now to hear one of the great reality show eulogies of all time as we talk about the penultimate episode of Heroes Edition.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

After a long stretch of episode in Canada the Amazing Race: Heroes Edition moves south as teams head to Mexico City. This leg gave us so many memorable moments including a nail-biting footrace, a captain hook sporting event, and an over the top telenovela scene. We share our thoughts on the lame messages from home, how lucky Nancy aka Karen and Mellisa got at the market, and how Martina really rose to the occasion. It also gave us the chance to talk about the teams having to wash off their face paint and hypnotize about one of the men having to perform as one of the women in the telenovela. We'll share our trick to download the episode now, its: sante sante benito benito.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

As the Amazing Race Canada Heroes Edition teams move on to P.E.I. we talk about all the province's most famous sites and exports, from a classic children's book to potatoes to...... well that's pretty much it. Why was it so hard to spot 40,000 potatoes? Were we able to unscramble the menus before the teams? How disappointed are we that nobody wanted to milk a goat or sniff soap? Who is Randall and why was he such a pushover as a judge? Do you know the word T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L? Do we know the word T-R-A-D-I-T-I-O-N-A-L? And what would drive all 3 of us to have a panic attack and take a penalty? If you're a fan of our show, or a fan of Eckhart the Mouse you owe it to yourself to download our latest episode now.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The remaining 6 teams on The Amazing Race Canada Heroes Edition are headed to Colin's hometown of Winnipeg. What are our theories for the final challenge of the season? Why are locals so hungry that they're ordering 6 meals on Skip The Dishes? Why can't people in Winnipeg pronounce the word 'Congratulations'? Was darts the wrong choice for a Face Off? Did Martina's memory accent come back this week? How was Adam able to make himself and Courtney disappear but not do a simple ball trick? How does Rossi keep making himself disappear during this episode? It's time for you to dance, dance, dance and download, download, download this week's episode, and be sure to wish Fran a very Happy Birthday.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're at the half way point of The Amazing Race Canada: Heroes Edition, and in Toronto's largest city.... or is it Canada's? How do public transit passengers rudeness vary in our hosts home cities? Can Adam relate any challenge to being a firefighter? What kind of trip requires packing a garden hose and cactus? What's with the food bank on the wrong side of the tracks? How was Rossi right all along about Taylor and Courtney? Even though we complained about too many dancing challenges why are we doing a 180 after seeing Dylan, Kwame and Mellisa vogue? Make yourself a nice cup of latte art, call up Delores from On-Star and listen to our latest recap now.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Bieber, Bieber, wherefore art though Bieber? The Amazing Race Canada teams are off to Stratford to do some good old fashioned Shakespearean acting, complete with slow mo of slow mo fighting and cheesy death scenes in what is without a doubt the best episode of the season. Who do the hosts pick as their favourite teams of the week? How did the Chevy Equinox product placement challenge end up some entertaining? How did Colin almost die in a pedal boat? Why were we so excited to see teams travel 2 hours in the wrong direction? Why does Rossi scoff at old school Amazing Race? Where do we all land in our opinions on Justin Bieber? And what are our Martina questions of the week? Download this episode now to hear our thought of the best episode of (or is it "ove") The Amazing Race Canada yet!★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're back with another double episode of The Amazing Race Canada that almost all of us have seen! Were the racers force fed a large breakfast before the pie eating challenge? What is it about the BC leg that felt "home-made" to us? What weekly segment are we giving Martina on our podcasts? Is it proper etiquette to knock first on a fairy door? Was it worth it to burn through express passes that close to a Double U-Turn? Why is Nancy scaring foreign taxi drivers? And what things have the hosts named after reality show contestants? It's time to pull up a chair with a nice slice of blueberry pie and some stinky fruit on the side for this double episode. Download now and be sure to tweet a photo of yourself "listening" to this episode.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We are back to cover The Amazing Race Canada for the first ever Heroes Edition. Colin is joined by Rossi and Jarrod to mostly talk about our love for Martina, who is already one of the greatest stars in Amazing Race Canada history. Why were the Dawson City challenges so flat and hard to follow? How uncomfortable do the excessive public displays of affection from Courtney and Adam make us? Does memorizing something in an accent really help you commit it to memory? What accent was Martina using? Will a career in barrel racing guarantee someone a spot on a reality show? What can we do to be labeled as Heroes as well? Be sure to download this episode now for the answers to all these questions. And don't forget to #DoItForPhil★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

If ever the Olympics delivered a perfect beer commercial, Jon Montgomery owns it. Fresh off his skeleton win at Whistler, on national tv, he had a hearty glug from a draft pitcher as he strode to collect his gold medal. Since then, capturing perfect moments has become Jon Montgomery’s specialty, showcasing Canadian beauty as host of the Amazing Race, and at these games, giving viewers a perfect understanding of skeleton racing. Jon and Kelly VanderBeek, host of PYC podcast, got together this week in PyeongChang.

If ever the Olympics delivered a perfect beer commercial, Jon Montgomery owns it. Fresh off his skeleton win at Whistler, on national tv, he had a hearty glug from a draft pitcher as he strode to collect his gold medal. Since then, capturing perfect moments has become Jon Montgomery’s specialty, showcasing Canadian beauty as host of the Amazing Race, and at these games, giving viewers a perfect understanding of skeleton racing. Jon and Kelly VanderBeek, host of PYC podcast, got together this week in PyeongChang.

The expression “just be yourself” may be a cliché, but every now and then, you meet someone that proves just how beneficial that kind of approach can be. Consider the case of Jon Montgomery…an Olympic gold medalist in 2010, he made headlines around the country for celebrating with a pitcher of beer. He’s since turned that confident, fun-loving persona into a successful run as the host of the Amazing Race Canada. We spoke to the man himself, and got his take on career changes, confidence, and how to be a good teammate. For more career advice, visit careers.workopolis.com/advice/ for job search tips, interviewing tricks, and much more.

We are at the end of The Amazing Race Canada for another season, and Colin and Rossi are back to break down every moment of action. We compare this finale, as well as the new winners to past seasons. There were waterfalls, rickshaws, scaling skyscrapers, and all the other great challenges you associate with Canadians. While Rossi picks out all of the most entertaining moments on screen, Colin was so distracted by finally being able to take part in the on screen polls to really care about what  was happening  in each challenge.  Be sure to listen to find out which polls Colin was able to manipulate on screen, as well as how he succeeded in making the West Coast look like a bunch of wimps. We also break down some of the best moments from the After The Race reunion show. Whether you loved the 5th season finale or just want to learn how to manipulate the system in on screen CTV polls, you must hear our final recap of the year.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We are one episode away from the finale of The Amazing Race Canada, and this is the episode that has it all. Drama, tears, fears, and Crokin-Curl! Colin and Rossi cover everything from the use of Alpaca's in Canada to the new hybrid sport of Crokicurl that has swept over at least 25% of those surveyed.  From there it's all about Korey finally emerging as a star, even if he was flirting with a random girl in a not-really-flirting kind of way. And are you afraid of cockroaches being poured all over your head? According to another recent survey more than half of Canadians, as well as 50% of our hosts this week share in that fear. The other 50% are too busy jumping trains to care. Download and listen to our recap now. We promise it will be the greatest experience you'll ever have until we see Alpaca's play Crokicurl.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Colin and Rossi are back to talk about all of the good and bad in episode 9 of The Amazing Race Canada, as the race lands in Regina, Saskatchewan. Colin can't resist but slam Saskatchewan more than Ben slams New Zealand, but finds more good things to say about the great TV comedy Corner Gas than anything in this episode. While your hosts struggle to figure out what the racers are even doing in the Detour and Road Blocks, they have the greatest debate on an orange juice squeezing challenge at an elementary school..... that's right...... a challenge that consists entirely of squeezing orange juice at an elementary school. Was that the high point or low point of a leg that takes place among horse auctions, canola oil, cans of Cambell's Chunky Soup and the best that Saskatchewan has to offer? Listen to our debates in this episode to choose a side. Don't forget to vote in the CTV poll of the week on the greatest poop related challenge in Amazing Race Canada history. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

It's time for you the listener to decide what is more entertaining, watching 3 teams of Racers get plastered for half of this leg, or listen to Colin try and host this episode 24 hours after having dental surgery?  On the race's latest trip out of Canada and into the great country of Panama, there are plenty of drunken flubs, Ivana jabs, and so many Panama signs that this could officially be the most confusing leg ever for the teams. Colin and Rossi also talk about the unintentionally creepy "pick up lines" to all the women in their Kuna's, along with all of the unintentionally bad polls that CTV keeps putting on screen. We even learn of Rossi's high school background that would make him a ringer in one of this week's challenges, and believe it or not it has nothing to do with getting drunk. So please particpate in our latest poll which asks the question Would you rather... A) listen to our latest recap B) have your race partner listen to our latest recap C) get loaded instead of listen to our latest recap, or D) get your wisdom teeth pulled instead of listen to our latest recap?★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Holy Guacamole we are back to cover another double episode of The Amazing Race Canada. We return to Canada's capital of Ottawa for all the double U-Turn drama, farting horses, and fence building stories from Karen and Bert. Colin also finds out what the perceptions outside of Canada are on Mounties, which are apparently half way between corny and cool. In episode 2 we travel to Newfoundland, which as everyone knows is the funniest province in Canada. Through bad avocado jokes, plenty of cruel Canadian heckling, Ivana stealing the show by doing nothing, and the single most uncomfortable cry since opening night of The Notebook, we cover what may be the most entertaining two episodes of the season. This is the recap so good it has even been endorsed by future sitcom star Johnny Mustard, so download now.... or have your race partner download instead.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We are back after a week long break to catch up on The Amazing Race Canada. We travel overseas this week courtesy of Sinorama to check out a 30 second guided tour of the Great Wall of China. Then it's off to Bangkok for the funniest silent puppet show in Thailand, along with a bunch of other checkpoints and challenges that seem strangely familiar. While Colin laughs hard at everything from puppets to 57 year old men falling off a surfboard, Rossi has next to no opinion on anything, unless it's how bad the on air poll topics are, or who reminds him of white paint. Would you rather relive Season 5's first double episode in podcast form, or maybe travel the entire world yourself with a free trip to the moon thrown in for good measure? We all know the obvious answer to that question.★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

00:00 - A father in Jasper, Alberta has been charged with assault for confronting some kids who were bullying his daughter and telling her to kill herself 37:23 - Becky Quinn, mother whose first child arrived 10 weeks early, and spent six of those weeks in the NICU at St. Boniface Hospital 55:16 - Winnipeg Blue Bomber defensive tackle Jake Thomas on the 'Break the Silence on Violence Against Women' presentations he and the Bombers are doing at various high schools throughout Manitoba 65:32 - Brett & Greg "out" one of our listeners for being a keyboard bully 74:19 - Mitch Rosset, Global News sports reporter -- A grade 10 student in Russell, MB started a petition to include Darren's picture on the town's welcome sign alongside Theo Fleury and Jon Montgomery. Darren is a Special Olympian with an extraordinary 57 medals! 81:15 - Texts on bullying 84:46 - World of Wheels ticket giveaway with more trivia on crappy shows from the 1980s, then, Global News reporter Keith McCullough on the escalating battle between the federal government on the province over a health care deal -- are the feds bullying Manitoba? 93:58 - Richard Cloutier & Julie Buckingham tee up THE NEWS.

Michael, Michelle & Anthony return to recap Hunted's third episode of the year. In this episode: Production have been tipping us off to things that happen before they air. Who gets the Dr Ricky Allen memorial punching bag role? Why should you always pack a diving suit? What was the real reason that Mikaela jumped in the canal last week? Who is getting a winners' edit? Is someone being misanthropic? Should Hunted go a bit Hunger Games? Why has Twitter been spoiling everything? What relevance to Jon Montgomery and Allan Wu have to why Michael wouldn't go on Hunted? Why "lonely and needy" applies to more people than you may think. Loose lips sink ships. Why Hunted is better than House of Cards. Why did Lolly need to go even more Bletchley Circle? Why did Nick have to meet up with his friend face-to-face? How did the Hunters get the copy of Nick's phone call? Why were the German Shepherds so ineffectual? Who is a hidden sponsor? What is Anthony worth? What can Survivor press pictures teach us about Hunted? Never log into Facebook while you're on the run! Should you ever contact an associate? Anthony critiques PowerPoints. Michelle wonders whether a ghillie suit ejection is necessary. And we lament the loss of another fugitive.

Michael & Logan return to recap Amazing Race Canada 4's seventh leg and visit to Kingston, Ontario. This week: We discuss more production generosity and speculate wildly about how they should screw with Racers next leg. Someone believes that TARC has gone a little Fort Boyard. Who is the Canadian Homer Simpson? How could the Double Express Pass be made harder to find in Season 5? There's a link to Amazing Race: All-Stars. We actually mention the new Devon Soltendieck for once. Our respective Toronto visits get compared. We open a feud with one of our blogger friends. One Racer has a surprising connection to a former American winner. A Detour confusion causes a tweet to Jon Montgomery. We discuss obvious edits. The ORG gets another mention, thanks to our dirty tactics. Canada's government is based entirely on gum. Who is the Canadian Debbie Wanner? F-words for pageant girls. Why one of the eliminees is especially badass. What is the state of play seven legs into the season? We create a Survivor-themed leg. Jane Eyre references impress Logan. We start a hypothetical Monty question list. Just how stupid was the Pit Stop location? Someone commits the most patriotic act on Canadian soil in history. And Logan gets a lesson on previous Amazing Race visits to Cuba in preparation for the next leg.

The Amazing Race Canada host Jon Montgomery chats with Jeremy Bradley about the upcoming season finale. Plus, JB talks about hot topics in the news.

It's attack of the reality TV show hosts as Mr. Hollywood interviews Big Brother Canada host Arisa Cox and Amazing Race Canada host Jon Montgomery. Lost Girl star Anna Silk is in the "Brushes With Fame" and comedian Shane Murphy gets put in the "Hollywood Hot Seat." Also a rant on celeb death hoaxes!"

BJ has a conversation with Jon Montgomery, frontman for legendary NYC rock band Street Punk.