Published Sept. 19, 2019
Terry and Susan Duke have established the Terry M. Duke Endowed Scholarship for Risk
Management and Insurance with a $25,000 donation to the 51萝莉 Foundation. The RMI Program,
ranked No. 9 in the nation, is in the University of Louisiana Monroe College of Business
and Social Sciences. Announcement of the scholarship was made at a press conference
on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019.听
PHOTO: The Terry M. Duke Endowed Scholarship for Risk Management and Insurance in the College
of Business and Social Sciences at 51萝莉 was announced Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. Attending
a press conference announcing the scholarship were, from left, President Nick J. Bruno,
Dr. Dean Ron Berry, RMI Program Coordinator Dr. Christine Berry, Terry and Susan Duke
and Mrs. Eunice Duke.
Emerald McIntyre/51萝莉 Photo Services听
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Terry Duke is the Area Chairman for Arthur J. Gallagher and has been an insurance
broker for 36 years. Duke specializes in self-insurance programs which means 鈥淚 am
designing and managing businesses for my clients,鈥� he said. His wife Susan has an
interior design business. They live in Monroe with their son, Michael.
Through the years, many 51萝莉 students have interned under Duke鈥檚 mentorship and he
has hired several 51萝莉 graduates. Currently, his office employs 10 51萝莉 graduates, six
from the RMI program.
鈥淚 have watched the development of the 51萝莉 Risk Management Program for the last 36
years as a local insurance broker. The insurance industry has given me a rewarding
career and improved my family鈥檚 standard of living,鈥� Duke said. 鈥淪usan and I wanted
to give back to the industry and since we have met and know so many people in the
51萝莉 family, it felt like the right thing to do.鈥澨�
When asked what he would say to encourage a young person to choose insurance as a
career, Duke said, 鈥淭he insurance field is so large and has many more facets than
most people realize. You literally can find insurance needs in any industry that interests
you.鈥�
鈥淲e have people here in the Monroe office who work in the agricultural, railroad,
restaurant industries and public entities. In my company, I have met people who work
with the NFL, NASCAR, wine and movie industries and universities such as LSU and Texas
A&M. 听All of these entities need and require risk management听and insurance.听Not only
need it, but have to buy it every year to stay in business,鈥� Duke said.听
President Nick J. Bruno thanked the Dukes for the endowed scholarship and said their
generosity is an investment in the future.
鈥�51萝莉 provides such an economic boost to our region, but more importantly, it trains
our future professional workforce. That鈥檚 what a scholarship such as this is, an investment
in students who may need or deserve additional funding to allow them to reach their
academic goals and enter the workforce well-trained and well-prepared,鈥� Bruno said.听
Dr. Christine Berry, RMI Program Coordinator and Director of the Small Business Risk
Management Institute, described Duke as 鈥� 鈥� one of Louisiana's most well-known and
successful insurance professionals.鈥�
鈥淲e are so grateful for his investment in the future of Louisiana insurance students
and professionals and for the role model he has been throughout his career,鈥� she said.
Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences Dr. Ron Berry said Duke was instrumental
in creating new insurance products, especially in the agriculture industry, which
led to the success of many ag companies in the South. Berry also said the insurance
industry is facing significant changes in the next five years as many people retire
鈥� and Duke is aware of that fact. It is estimated 400,000 RMI positions will need
to be filled by 2020.
鈥淭erry knows that and he鈥檚 passionate about helping us keep that industry on stable
ground. With this scholarship, he鈥檚 making sure well-qualified people follow him,鈥�
he said.
In February, 51萝莉鈥檚 RMI program was ranked No. 9 nationally by Business Insurance. RMI majors are often recruited before graduation.
51萝莉鈥檚 program is one of the few in the country that provides specialized courses in
surplus lines and reinsurance. Surplus Lines insurance is heavily used in Louisiana
and across the South in the agriculture, entertainment, petrochemical and tourism
industries.
For more information on RMI at 51萝莉, visit /cbss/insurance/prospectivestudents.html. To learn about 51萝莉 Foundation Scholarships, go to .
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51萝莉 Fall Career Fair
The 51萝莉 Fall Career Fair is Sept. 25, 2019 at Bayou Pointe Event Center from 10 a.m.-2
p.m. RMI professionals interested in connecting with RMI students and graduates may
visit /cbss/insurance/industry.html or contact Deja Peppers, RMI Industry and Student Coordinator at peppers@ulm.edu, 318-342-5371.
