The boards of DRI International and the DRI Foundation are comprised of some of the most dedicated and knowledgeable professionals in BCM and resilience, working together to make DRI an indispensable, inclusive, and diverse organization. In this ongoing series of interviews with the board members, you’ll learn more about them and why they’re passionate about the resilience community. We’ll be featuring two board members in upcoming issues of Drive.

Mike Morganti
Michael J. Morganti was the Client Training Manager for FM Global, Norwood, MA. Before his retirement, he was responsible for managing the delivery of customer training presentations and seminars on a range of Property Loss Control and Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery topics to current and prospective FM Global customers.

How did you first come into the BCM/resilience field?
My employer, FM Global, insured Digital Equipment Corp (that was WAY back in computer history!). They suffered two losses that impacted their entire organization; they asked us to help them become more prepared. We put together training that turned out to be “basic BCP”! I became certified by DRI a few years later and then developed a class on Risk Evaluation for DRI and was the instructor for that class.

Why did you accept a position on the DRI Board?
I was originally on the DRI board because I was the Chair of the Certification Commission (then known as the Certification Board); the Chair of the Certification Board had a seat of the DRI Board. When I left the Certification Board, I was reelected to a permanent seat of the DRI Board.

What is your proudest moment or most valuable contribution as a DRI board member?
My proudest moment as a Board member was being elected Chairman.

What new responsibilities or skill sets do you think resilience professionals should take on? Understanding risk and working closely with risk management.

What words of wisdom do you have for resilience professionals?
Expect the unexpected…and remember: “Man plans, God laughs!”

What’s one interesting or unique thing that we should know about you?
My family moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio at the end of my junior year of high school. Since I spent my entire early education with these kids, the bond with them was too strong. I have gone to all the reunions of that class instead of the Ohio senior class. Most of the classmates from the PA school don’t remember that I didn’t graduate with them; one even reminisced about what we did on commencement night…couldn’t convince him I wasn’t there!