Richard Underwood, pictured, is the new chairman of the Midlands Risk and Security Society.
He’s been chairman before, around the millennium, and has been attending since about 1990. He took in good part Professional Security’s joke that he wasn’t put off by being chairman the first time. “It’s a worthwhile job to take, it’s one I have enjoyed in the past and I hope to enjoy again. I think the MSRS is a useful body. It’s one of the few left that brings together people from different security backgrounds in an informal environment, and it’s a good venue for learning: we learn from our speakers and the different people who attend who often ask strange questions you would never have thought of yourself when you are trapped in your own discipline.”
Richard is a Birmingham-based chartered insurer and risk consultant for the insurer Aviva. He takes over from Kevin Horton who has been in the chair for three years. Mike Tolley of Cogent is secretary, and Steph Buckle treasurer.
Richard’s also a member of the RISC Authority (Risk Insight Strategy and Control), a technical security working group for UK insurers. The MSRS has a mix, from surveyors, monitoring centre people to installers and manufacturers, reflected in the speakers, who in the 2013-14 season ranged from doors to access control to vacant building alarms to lone worker protection. It’s also unusual as a group that’s not London-based. “We are open to anybody who lives and works in the Midlands area involved in the security industry – as long as it’s not criminal!” Richard said.
The Birmingham-based group which includes risk surveyors and private security people from across the Midlands region held its AGM and lunch on June 4 and resumes its monthly meetings in October. Members and possible speakers are welcome. For details of the society, visit www.msrs.co.uk.
