David Hershey’s career has taken him through nearly every corner of the risk management profession. Starting with a foundation in accounting and auditing, he worked for an insurer, moved into brokerage, and ultimately built a distinguished career as a risk manager for organizations ranging from premier auction houses to international contractors and global enterprises. Along the way, he earned an impressive collection of industry designations, authored influential articles, received national recognition for risk management excellence, and became a respected voice within The Risk Management Society, better known as RIMS.
Yet for all of his accomplishments, David is most energized by teaching.
A CRM and Ruble Graduate faculty member since 2016, David enjoys delving deeply into complex topics and transforming them into practical insights that students can apply immediately. His accounting background and legal knowledge help him bridge the gap between theory and real-world risk management, allowing him to “translate” industry concepts from the end user’s perspective—where textbook answers and operational realities don’t always align.
What stands out most to David in the classroom are the moments when learners make a breakthrough. Whether it’s a risk manager, agent, or broker who finally understands a process they’ve struggled with for years, he finds tremendous satisfaction in helping professionals gain the clarity they need to better advocate for their clients and organizations.
His teaching style is shaped by decades of experience managing workers’ compensation, pollution liability, international insurance programs, and complex casualty exposures. Combined with his enthusiasm for continuous learning and industry engagement, David brings both credibility and practicality to every class.
For David, education is more than sharing knowledge. It’s helping professionals see familiar challenges in a new light and leaving them better prepared to succeed.
Connect. Learn. Own Your Potential.
Click below to dive deeper with David and other Alliance Faculty!
David Hershey, CRM, CPCU, ARM, CPSR, AMIM, CRIS, MLIS, TRIP
is the Corporate Risk Manager for Lexa International. Prior to joining Lexa, his experience includes the role of Risk Manager for Sprague Operating Resources (SLRP), and Sotheby Holdings, NYC (NYSE: BID) one of the world’s premier auction houses and Day & Zimmermann, a large international military contractor providing military base, nuclear and fossil fuel power plant maintenance / support services.
David is the President of the Massachusetts RIMS Chapter, Board Member of the NH CPCU, MA RIMS, and a Member of the Hartford Global Specialty Lines Advisory Council. He is a published author of several pollution coverage and insurance related articles such as Finite Risk, The Risk Management of Brownfields, Pollution Liability Coverage Loopholes, Maritime Employers Liability, Indemnitees, Additional Insured and the Insurance Certificate.
His accomplishments include being a finalist as the manager of the Workers’ Compensation Best Managed Workers’ compensation Program sponsored by National Underwriter and recipient of the 2014 Risk Management All Star and the Risk Manager Responsibility award by Risk & Insurance and Liberty Mutual.
Other notable accomplishments include instructor of insurance related courses and the Insurance Library of Boston and the Philadelphia Insurance Library. David is also an expert witness, past Board Member of RIMS External Affairs Committee, current member RIMS Standards & Practices Committee, 2009 winner of Zurich Award for largest decrease in WC claims, and co-author of RIMS Claims Handling Guidebook for Risk Managers. He is a current member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and proficiency in nuclear liability, munitions manufacturing and international coverage placement and coordination, large casualty, program agreement negotiation, risk financing and pollution coverage.
David earned his CRM designation with The Alliance in 2009 and has been a CRM and Ruble Graduate faculty member since 2016.
