In 1979, three members of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Atlanta Chapter were determined to carry on the legacy of the late Robert S. Spencer. A former RIMS president and champion of risk management education, Spencer helped create the Society’s professional development curriculum and establish a program to bring students to RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibitions. With large shoes to fill, the Atlanta chapter set out to honor Spencer’s memory with a scholarship fund that became the bases for what is now Spencer Educational Foundation. In 1980, Spencer Educational Foundation awarded three $750 scholarships. The Foundation has since become a moving force in risk management and insurance education, awarding nearly $4 million in scholarships and $2.1 million in grants since its inception. In 2008 alone, the Foundation granted more than $337,500 in scholarships and more than $150,000 in grants to students, practicing risk managers and universities.