Most of what a risk manager does is meant to go unnoticed: the injury that never happens, the claim that never gets filed, the hazard fixed before anyone trips over it. This summer, the City of Ocala made sure Richard Dennis’s work did not go unnoticed.
At the August 18 City Council meeting, Dennis, the City’s Risk Manager, was named Risk Manager of the Year for the North and Central Florida Territory by Public Risk Underwriters of Florida, Inc. (PRU). The award honors his commitment to excellence in risk management and the positive impact of his leadership on the City of Ocala.
Dennis joined the City as Risk Manager in November 2021, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the field. His career spans both the private and public sectors: he spent more than a decade in private-sector risk management before moving to public service in 2010.
That mix of perspectives shows in his approach. He pairs a business-minded focus on efficiency and data with a public servant’s focus on protecting employees, residents and taxpayer dollars.
Under Dennis’s leadership, the City has continued to strengthen its risk management, leaning on technology, improved processes, employee training and data-driven safety initiatives. Highlights include:
- New in-house tools for inspections and incident reporting, giving staff faster, more consistent ways to spot hazards and document what happens.
- Ongoing employee safety training that keeps prevention front of mind across departments.
- Enhancements to the City’s fleet safety program, focused on the vehicles and drivers that keep City services moving every day.
Public Risk Underwriters of Florida administers public entity risk pools and provides services including underwriting, loss control, marketing, accounting, excess insurance placement and claims oversight. PRU has been part of Brown & Brown, Inc. since 2000. Learn more at publicrisk.com.
For the City, this recognition is a reminder that a safe workplace doesn’t happen by accident. It takes someone thinking ahead, every day, so everyone else can do their jobs and get home safely. Congratulations, Richard.
