The Bermuda Commercial Bank, with their presence in New Orleans this year, sends a message to their larger cross-town rivals that they too mean business.

The general manager, Ms Audette Exel, arrived today and the bank's global custody department general manager, Ms Sheila Dickinson, said BCB's presence was "an indication that we want to be more active in the international arena''.

"We also want to let the rest of the world know that there is another bank in Bermuda,'' she said.

That recognition will not come overnight, considering the substantial reputation that the Bank of Butterfield and the Bank of Bermuda are enjoying amongst exhibitors and other attendees. It is clear that they are recognised as global players.

But stealing the show, at least in the first few hours, was the Bermuda Government's booth, a simulated Bermuda cottage, complete with white roof.

Within the first hour, those working the Bermuda Station were swamped.

Was it Bermuda's substantial reputation which had people scrambling for attention to the exclusion of other exhibits? Not quite. While other exhibits featured free mugs, or golf tees, or coasters, the Bermuda give-away was a handsome canvas to be bag with bold blue lettering proclaiming "The Bermuda Bag'', complete with the Bermuda emblem.

They were hot items which were snapped up last year. Some people a year ago missed out on the 3500 limited edition. This year they took no chances, moving to the Bermuda booth early.

The Bank of Bermuda's executive vice president, Bill Thomson, who retires in October after 40 years, said the RIMS conference has grown substantially longer and much more sophisticated with new technology since he fist began attending in the late 1960s.

Bermuda's two largest banks began erecting their own exhibits for the first time just last year. Prior to that, they simply supported the Bermuda booth.

RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society) is the showcase for the expanding insurance market.

It is only right that the Bank of Bermuda should establish an autonomous presence. It is estimated by Mr. Thomson that 20 percent or $1.3 billion of the bank's $6.5 billion in deposits comes from insurance or insurance-related business.

The top banker said more needed to be done to expose schoolchildren to the insurance industry.

He said: "It would let kids know what it is all about. BIBA (The Bermuda International Business Association) is finally doing it. The truth is, it is surprising, Bermuda's success.

"People like to come to a stable politically peaceful climate, an attraction place, where they know the expertise is.

The Bank of Bermuda, partially because of its insurance connection, is poised to come away at the end of the financial year in June with record profits -- perhaps as much as $40 million.

Already it has announced a increase for the third quarter, took in $20 million in net profit for the first six months of the financial year.

The Bank is this year sharing its larger than average booth with the Bermuda Biological Station for Research and Development. The Bio Station had been unsuccessful in their attempt to get on the list of speakers, and now are expected to try again next year.

They are pushing the view that there is a closer connection than most think between science and industry. The Bio Station will seek to show how the scientists can better help insurers predict risks, such as storms.

They wish to host a seminar on global catastrophe and global change.

The joint Bank of Bermuda/Bio Station booth features a map as a backdrop that consists of a global visual composite, a picture taken by a satellite, showing the concentration of plans and temperature in the oceans.