Broadcasting and Building Bridges with Mark Romig - RIMScast | Lyssna här

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.

In this episode, Justin interviews Mark Romig about a wide variety of topics, including International Podcast Day, September 30th, Mark's journey as an NFL announcer for the New Orleans Saints, having picked it up from his father Jerry, who announced for 44 years without missing a game, and facts about the great City of New Orleans and its deep and rich history, including Cajun culture and cuisine. RISKWORLD 2027 will be held in April in New Orleans. Mark shares tips on food to enjoy and culture to experience in the city.

Mark offers his opinions about the ISO 31000 risk framework and its adaptability and flexibility across industries. He shares his insights on hosting a podcast and letting guests tell their stories.

Listen for Mark's observations on what makes a great risk manager.

Key Takeaways:

[:01] About RIMS and RIMScast.

[:16] About this episode of RIMScast. This is our special International Podcast Day episode. We are delighted to be joined by Mr. Mark Romig.

[:38] Mark calls the games for the New Orleans Saints and is the host of The Mark Romig Show, which you can find on the Love NOLATV channel on YouTube.

[:47] Ahead of RISKWORLD 2027, being held in his hometown of New Orleans, we will discuss local cuisine, why New Orleans is such a great place for RISKWORLD, and his ERM philosophies. But first…

[:59] Webinars: On October 1st, Brown and Brown make their RIMS Webinars debut by discussing "The Future of Captives: What Risk Managers Should Think about Now."

[1:12] Global Risk Consultants will return on October 8th to present "The 2027 Risk Agenda: 10 Engineering Priorities Risk Leaders Should Act on Now."

[1:22] On Oct. 15, Verisk Maplecroft will lead the session "Beyond the Horizon: Turning External Risk Into Decision-Ready Insight."

[1:31] On Oct. 22, Zurich returns to tell us all about "Cybercrime, Fraud and AI: Real-World Threats and Practical Defenses for Business Leaders."

[1:42] Origami Risk returns on October 29th to present "Managing Insurance Programs at Scale: What Complex Portfolios Require."

[1:51] On Nov. 5th, Riskonnect returns to deliver the session "Signal Over Noise: Smarter Risk Analytics." Visit RIMS.org/Webinars to register.

[2:01] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today!

[2:19] RISKWORLD 2027 will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, from April 18th through the 21st. Registration opens on November 4th. Visit RIMS.org/RISKWORLD to register.

[2:32] Our guest today is one of the top ambassadors of New Orleans. I'm talking about Mark Romig, best known as the announcer for the New Orleans Saints. He does the play-by-play, and as you will hear from this International Podcasting Day episode, he's got the broadcasting voice.

[2:51] We will discuss why New Orleans is a perfect location for RISKWORLD 2027 and how RISKWORLD attendees should prepare for such a fantastic destination. We will discuss Mark's broadcasting legacy and what it takes to host his show, and his interview style and methods.

[3:12] We're going to learn about his risk management philosophies. It's all going to be in this episode of RIMScast. Justin explains that this episode was recorded at lunch at Louisiana Joe's, in Oceanside, New York, dining Cajun to get into the spirit of RISKWORLD 2027.

[3:45] First, Mark has a special thank you: "I want to thank the great folks at Louisiana Joe's for hosting Justin today, and I'll have to put my order in. Do you all do take-out?"

[4:00] Interview! Live from Oceanside, New York, Mark Romig. Welcome to RIMScast!

[4:16] Justin is recording from his favorite restaurant, Louisiana Joe's, in Oceanside, New York. He has the St. Charles Chicken Sandwich. Mark would like to reach through the screen and take some to New Orleans. Justin says this is a hopping place. It's great!

[5:03] Mark says he will be at RISKWORLD 2027 in New Orleans. Mark suggests meeting Justin there at one of the many New Orleans restaurants.

[5:37] Mark's father, Jerry Romig, was in broadcasting for many years. He became well known in the community by being the Saints announcer for 44 years inside the Superdome and before that at the Tulane Stadium. He never missed a game for 446 consecutive games.

[6:21] Mark picked it up after his father retired in 2013, so this is his 14th season with the Saints in the Superdome. There has been a Romig voice in the stadium for 58 years. Jerry and Mark both have a deviated septum that gives them the same tonal quality.

[6:54] Mark emulates Jerry's first-down calls. That's his homage to his Dad, to keep that same call going.

[7:54] Mark says there are many aspects of New Orleans that appeal to everyone. He believes that it is the center of culture in this part of the world for history, music, food, and architecture. New Orleans is very walkable. Everything is concentrated. You don't need to take long bus rides.

[8:34] Mark says, once you're in the central core of New Orleans, everything is within walking distance. The Morial Convention Center, where RISKWORLD will be, is right along the Great Mississippi Riverfront.

[8:51] Mark says New Orleans has hundreds of great restaurants and over 40 museums, including the National World War II Museum. People come for important meetings like RISKWORLD or just to come on vacation.

[9:30] Mark says the Morial Center has recently completed upgrades and renovations for over $600 million. It is one of the larger meeting facilities in the U.S.
[9:49] We keep saying, "New Orleans is built to host. We have all the technology. We have all the services. We have all the things that make a meeting complete in one place. It's very much a walkable city."

[10:18] Mark says New Orleans is charming. It's very hospitable. It's not uncommon to be walking down the street, and you may not know the person walking toward you, but that person's going to say, "How's your Mama?" or "How are you doing?" or "Good morning."

[10:31] Mark says we just enter into conversations with strangers because we're a very welcoming type of community. Everyone is welcome here.

[11:03] Mark talks about what you should be looking for on a menu in New Orleans. Red beans and rice is a staple, with sausage or ham, and the spices that go into it.

[11:25] Look for Creole foods like shrimp etouffee, crawfish etouffee, fresh seafood like trout, redfish, or any one of the great delicacies coming out of the Gulf, boiled, baked, sauteed, or fried. We have oyster soup, fried oysters, and charbroiled oysters.

[12:05] Mark says, "I'm making myself hungry now, watching you eat and thinking about food! As soon as this interview is over, I'm going out to have lunch." Justin says he's never had Louisiana-style oysters, but he will.

[12:34] Justin says RISKWORLD has a lot of international attendees, and RIMS has a very sizeable Canadian membership. Justin asks about the connection between French-Canadian Acadians and Louisiana's Cajun culture.

[12:54] Mark says a very important group of Canadians migrated down into Louisiana over 100 years ago from the Nova Scotia area and settled in the Southwest area of Louisiana. Many Louisianians take regular trips back to Canada to see family members still living there.

[13:28] There are parts of Louisiana that still speak Canadian French. It's a community outside of Canada that Louisiana has become to Canada. We love our Canadian visitors, and we look forward to hosting them.

[13:52] Mark says we have a strong French Consul General here. He mentions the Louisiana CODOFIL Program, which teaches students French in many Louisiana schools.

[14:16] Mark says the Cajun French has its own culture and its own joie de vivre, as well as its own food creations. Louisiana is one of the most international states in the U.S.

[14:52] Mark says you should not leave New Orleans without having café au lait and beignets. There are many places you can find those.

[15:00] You probably will want to try them at Café du Monde, right off of Jackson Square, along the Mississippi River. Get your order and then go sit by the river and watch that river traffic. It's a magnificent way to experience the Mississippi River.

[15:34] Mark says Jackson Square is the most historic part of New Orleans, with the St. Louis Cathedral, the second-oldest basilica in the U.S.

[15:44] Justin has been to Café du Monde, and he suggests you will need to build in some time for standing in line. Mark says the line moves pretty fast. He also says don't wear dark-colored clothing because the powdery sugar tends to go everywhere.

[16:07] A Quick Break! Many fantastic RIMS events are coming up in 2026. The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and this is a last call for registration!

[16:23] Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information.

[16:29] Save the dates: October 18th through the 21st. In Quebec City, we will be hosting the 50th Annual RIMS Canada Conference. Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information.

[16:42] Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, with a new episode every month.

[16:51] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. The agenda is live, and registration is open. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026.

[17:06] Let's Return to Our Interview with the Host of the Mark Romig Show, Mark Romig!

[17:21] This episode is coming out just before International Podcast Day, September 30th. Mark is a podcast host. This is the second RIMScast official International Podcast Day episode. Justin says, we're very glad that Mark is here.

[17:51] Justin asks how Mark puts his own stamp on announcing sports. Mark says you develop a certain way of bringing the fans into the game by punching certain calls. In calling the Saints games in the Superdome, the NFL allows the hometown announcer to punch certain things.

[18:13] Mark says he is a fan, but he has to be somewhat neutral. He took what his Dad did for 44 years, and he built on some of his calls. That was important. He has a couple of calls he developed himself. He thinks of his Dad as the GOAT, and he's keeping the seat warm.

[18:48] Mark says his Dad would do the voice at home, talking about what happened at the game. He was on the local NBC affiliate for many years and developed his own tone. Mark says, even though we're from New Orleans, hearing his television voice a lot affected how we speak.

[19:21] Mark says, depending on what party he's at, he might kind of drift into a New Orleans accent, but at the stadium or on his podcast, he uses the voice you hear now.

[19:40] Justin says he often hosts the podcasts in the confines of his home, but when his kids hear him using the RIMScast voice, they tell him to stop doing the RIMScast voice. They hear it and think he's about to get angry. Mark leaves his voice at the Dome.

[20:37] Mark is also the stadium voice for the Bayou Classic and the All-State Sugar Bowl. He has his podcast, the Mark Romig Show, on the LoveNOLATV YouTube channel. Mark has had guests Bryan Batt from Mad Men, Coach Kellen Moore from the Saints, and other personalities.

[21:29] Mark says we try to keep things on the positive side and talk about current events people can participate in. He says we try to uplift in our show. Justin talks about Mark's mother appearing on the show. Justin says the show promotes goodwill.

[22:22] Mark says we're doing it on a regional basis. They were picked up by the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, reaching an audience along the Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama Gulf Coast.

[22:53] Justin talks about eating lunch and says the restaurant, Louisiana Joe's, is always hopping. As far as Justin knows, it's the only Cajun sandwich shop around him. There are a couple of crab places, but they don't hold a candle to Louisiana Joe's.

[23:44] Speaking of his podcast, Mark says if you bring on the right personality, you let them tell their story. Mark tries to minimize his involvement to give them time to speak about themselves and what makes them tick. He seeds a small question and lets them take it from there.

[24:16] Mark says he's learning so much. It's like going back to school when he's talking to these wonderful individuals about their work and their passion for what they do, giving them the space to be who they are.

[24:33] Mark looks at it as storytelling. In his tourism work, Mark tells the story. On his podcast, he enjoys his guests telling their stories.

[24:50] Justin said he had to learn early on to ask an open-ended question and just hang back and let the person open up a bit. Justin doesn't ask hard-hitting questions about current events; he asks about risk management.

[25:15] Mark says what RIMScast does is so important to the industry. It builds comfort so people can continue in their business and know they will be taken care of if anything should happen.

[25:31] Mark says in storytelling, people can find a lot in common if they just listen to people and understand where they're coming from. If I can build bridges, that's the key.

[25:45] Sponsorships! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. RIMScast is proud of its longstanding relationships with AXA XL, Global Risk Consultants, Alliant, Zurich, and more.

[26:06] Links to many of these episodes are in the show notes. RIMScast sponsorships can be bundled with whitepapers and webinar sponsorships.

[26:14] 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!

[26:27] Reach out to Ted Donovan at TDonovan@RIMS.org or reach out to Sales at Sales@RIMS.org. Let's find the best opportunity for you and your organization.

[26:39] Let's Return to Our Interview with Mark Romig!

[26:49] Justin turns the conversation to risk management. He asks Mark which framework he would recommend, between the COSO Enterprise Risk Management Framework, the ISO 31000 Framework, or ISO standards, generally.

[27:14] Mark would lean toward ISO 31000 because of its flexibility and its applicability across different types of organizations and risk environments.

[27:25] Mark says he likes that it provides the principles and a framework for integrating risk management into decision-making without being overly prescriptive about how an organization must implement it.

[27:37] Mark says that adaptability is particularly valuable because effective risk management must reflect an organization's strategy, culture, and specific risk profile.

[27:50] Justin says he finds that answer incredibly insightful and he had no idea Mark was so well-versed in risk management.

[28:01] Mark says, "Because we love RIMS so much, I am reading up and ready." Justin suspects Mark of tearing into the RIMS whitepapers at RIMS.org/RiskKnowledge. Mark says, "Gary LaBranche is a good teacher; let me just tell you that."

[28:18] Mark is friends with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche. In the 1990s, they both served on the International Board of Tau Kappa Epsilon, a collegiate fraternity founded in 1899. They served as International Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tau Kappa Epsilon

[28:50] Mark and Gary remained friends. Mark saw him last month in New Orleans at the international conclave for Tau Kappa Epsilon. They toasted their friendship.

[29:09] Justin says he saw Gary the night before this recording at the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

[29:26] Justin asks Mark how viable ISO 31000 remains as a Framework for organizations looking to establish a consistent enterprise-wide approach to risk management.

[29:41] Mark says ISO 31000 remains highly viable because it provides organizations with a common language and principles for thinking about risk but without prescribing a one-size-fits-all methodology.

[29:55] Mark says its real value is in helping risk management become integrated into decision-making and organizational processes, rather than functioning as a stand-alone exercise.

[30:06] Mark says the framework gives organizations a strong foundation while still allowing them to adapt their approach to their own strategy, their own culture, and their own risk environment. Justin agrees. Mark stresses adaptability and flexibility.

[30:54] Mark says the strongest risk professionals need a combination of analytical skills, business acumen, and communication skills.

[31:08] You have to be able to understand complex risks, then you have to translate them into language that business leaders can act on, and then build relationships across an organization so that risk management becomes part of everyday decision-making.

[31:26] Mark says, most importantly, you need curiosity. You have to keep learning. The environment changes all the time. The risk landscape is constantly changing. Keep asking the questions.

[32:07] Mark reads the newspaper every day. He's curious about not only what's happening in New Orleans and Louisiana, but also what's happening around the world. That allows him to communicate better when he's speaking with someone he's just met or someone in his office.

[32:25] Mark reads the newspaper for his own edification. He likes being in the know. He says a good risk manager is a curious person.

[32:55] Mark talks about risk management for the Saints. You start with the Senior Vice President of Finance, responsible for the safety and welfare of the business enterprise.

[33:18] The General Manager, Mickey Loomis, is concerned about the risk of the entire organization, as is the President of the organization, Dennis Lauscha, and Mrs. Benson, the owner. It's her club. It's her asset, and she's always concerned about the risks that are involved.

[33:38] The Assistant Equipment Manager makes sure that the equipment is in the best shape possible. And the Trainers; everyone has a role in the risk enterprise. Everyone should be aware that what they do affects the health and safety of the entire organization.

[34:03] Walt Leger, President and CEO, New Orleans & Company, is the uber risk manager. A lot of people have the responsibility. It all flows up to the top person, the President and CEO.

[34:29] Everyone needs to be aware of where they fit in the risk equation and do their jobs and lessen the risk.

[34:42] Justin says this has been one of my favorite episodes: International Podcast Day, with Mark Romig.

[34:54] Mark says about attending RISKWORLD 2027: I would ask people to do a little reading ahead. Those who have been to New Orleans know our deep history and the rich culture. If it's your first time, go to NewOrleans.com. It's a good one-stop shop for things about New Orleans.

[35:24] Mark says, read up on our musicians and our history, the architecture, and know that New Orleans is looking forward to welcoming RIMS back here. It's so important to our community to have you here. It's going to be a great, great session.

[35:43] Special thanks to the voice of the New Orleans Saints, Mr. Mark Romig, for joining us here on RIMScast for a very special International Podcast Day episode! I look forward to seeing him at RISKWORLD 2027.

[35:58] Check out the Mark Romig Show on @LoveNOLATV on YouTube. If you happen to attend a Saints game, tell Mark that you heard him here on RIMScast.

[36:07] Plug Time! 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.

[36:26] 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.

[36:42] 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.

[36:56] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org.

[37:08] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!

Links:

RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today.

RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Sponsorship Opportunities Available

RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Registration Now Open! | www.rims.org/ERM2026

RISKWORLD 2027 Registration

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Louisiana Joe's

Mark Romig Show | LoveNolaTV

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"The Future of Captives: What Risk Managers Should Be Thinking About Now" | Sponsored by Brown & Brown | Oct. 1, 2026

"The 2027 Risk Agenda: 10 Engineering Priorities Risk Leaders Should Act on Now" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants | Oct. 8, 2026

"Beyond the Horizon: Turning External Risk Into Decision-Ready Insight" | Sponsored by Verisk Maplecroft | Oct. 15, 2026

"Cybercrime, Fraud and AI: Real-World Threats and Practical Defenses for Business Leaders" | Sponsored by Zurich | Oct. 22, 2026

"Managing Insurance Programs at Scale: What Complex Risk Portfolios Require" | Sponsored by Origami Risk | Oct. 29, 2026

"Signal Over Noise: Smarter Risk Analytics" | Sponsored by Riskonnect | Nov. 5, 2026

"RIMS Advocacy Presents: Terrorism Risk Insurance Act and Program: An Update on Federal Developments" | Nov. 10, 2026

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