The WAMMA

Wally Meneray Memorial Award for Excellence in Risk Underwriting

The WAlly Meneray Memorial Award for Excellence in Risk Underwriting (The WAMMA) was created by the members of the Receivables Insurance Association of Canada to honour the memory of an exemplary risk (buyer) underwriter.

Winners of the award must have demonstrated a determined work ethic and extensive knowledge of the receivables insurance industry, must have contributed to the training/best practices/mentoring of Receivables Insurance employees, influencers and users and must have used their skills to protect insureds while at the same time encouraging and enabling sales growth for those insureds.

Know someone worthy of this award? Nominate them.

The 2024 WAMMA

Nominations for the 2024 WAMMA award are now open. You can find the WAMMA nomination form here. To submit a nomination please download and complete the form, and email it to the address on the form. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday May 10, 2024. The Winner will be announced at the RIAC Board Meeting in June.

THE 2023 WAMMA Winner

Zach Spencer: Vice President, Head of Risk Underwriting, Coface Canada

Zach Spencer has been a consistent champion of the Canadian and global markets, providing an expert understanding of clients across all verticals and how the global economy impacts the ability to provide coverage. His proactive approach to risk monitoring, through portfolio reviews based on risk indicators identified through macro-economic and sector information, helps to significantly reduce losses. Zach’s impressive intellectual background – certified CFA, FRM, CIM – makes him a leading expert in Risk. Zach is a student of his craft and has developed an expertise that is recognized by his colleagues. He helped develop an underwriting approach that balances the policyholder, broker and insurer’s interests. Prior to joining Coface, Zach was a Trade Credit Insurance policyholder and advocate of credit insurance. Congratulations to Zach who has been named the winner of the 2023` Wally Meneray Memorial Award for Excellence in Risk Underwriting.

THE 2022 WAMMA Winner

Justin Chapman: Senior Risk Underwriter, Trade Credit, Intact

Justin has been working in trade credit for just a few years and he has developed into an excellent risk analyst in a short period of time.  He has a strong ability to communicate with buyers and obtain information to approve credit requests. During the pandemic he conducted calls outside regular business hours with people in different time zones to get real time understanding of the potential risks of supply constraints and port congestion. He also sought out alternative solutions in lieu of customer visits to gather the necessary information to build significant credit capacity for a new client. His approaches to understanding and evaluating risks have benefited all parties. Justin graduated from the University of Plymouth, England with a Bachelors of Science in Business Economics and Masters of Science in Financials. Congratulations to Justin who has been named the winner of the 2022 Wally Meneray Memorial Award for Excellence in Risk Underwriting.

Justin (centre) is with Intact’s Fred Trembinski Director, Trade Credit (left) & Jay Rampersad, V.P. Trade Credit

THE 2021 WAMMA Winner

Dorothy Verwey: Vice President & RIC Director, Euler Hermes

Since 2001, Dorothy has kept a keen eye on Euler’s Risk portfolio while keeping a focus on policyholder needs. This was demonstrated during the COVID-19 Crisis when many Risk actions were taken which couldn’t have been easy.  Dorothy graciously accepted broker phone calls during COVID, helping them understand decisions and sharing what was needed to get the limits back.  When provided with the necessary information, she overturned decisions without hesitation. Dorothy is down to earth, principled, fair and practical in her approach. She is admired by colleagues who see her as a mentor. 

Congratulations to Dorothy who has been named the winner of the 2021 Wally Meneray Memorial Award for Excellence in Risk Underwriting.

THE 2020 WAMMA Winners

Savita Nanda and Jamie Webb are certainly deserving winners for 2020. Demonstrating great resolve, in very short order they were able to resume full service to their policyholders and Atradius following the untimely passing of Wally Meneray who was their revered colleague and Senior Manager. But even beyond that, they assumed leadership roles guiding those policyholders and Atradius through unprecedented COVID times…. stepping up and succeeding in incredibly trying circumstances.

Each year RIAC will accept nominations for this annual award which will be presented at the RIAC Annual General Meeting in June. If you would like to nominate someone please complete the Nomination Form.


Wally Meneray

Wally Meneray had been engaged in the Receivable Insurance industry both as an insured and as an underwriter since the early 90’s. As an insured (credit manager for Sharp Electronics of Canada) Wally quickly came to appreciate the value of the product and guided his company to becoming one of the largest policyholders in Canada covering domestic sales. As the receivables insurance market grew in North America, so did Wally’s reputation, both north and south of the border and so it was inevitable that he was snapped up by a credit insurance underwriting company. That reputation acknowledged his incomparable work ethic, his superior intellect and his dedication both to fairness and to his moral compass – a reputation that followed him throughout his career and was acknowledged by both colleagues and competitors alike.