Hannover Re vice-president and underwriter Gail Martin has won the Bermuda Foundation For Insurance Studies annual Pink Shorts Award.

Ms Martin has served on BFIS committees since 2003, becoming a trustee in 2005 and a vice-president in 2009.

In making the presentation to her, BFIS chairman Michael Fisher said: “We wanted to recognise Gail for her service to BFIS which also includes helping on the BFIS booth at careers fairs, being a mentor and for her unswerving support of the Foundation.”

The Pink Shorts Award came about in 1996 when Michael Butt, who was at that time CEO of Mid-Ocean Re, was ‘persuaded’ to swim in the shark tank during a dinner at the Aquarium for a bet of one thousand dollars, to be donated to BFIS. By evening’s end, several thousand dollars had been raised, thanks to Mr. Butt in his elegant pink boxer shorts.

In 1997, BFIS held a fund-raising dinner also at the Aquarium and on this occasion, Brian O’Hara, was invited to emulate Michael Butt’s plunge, with a similar resulting donation to BFIS. Since then BFIS has given an annual award recognising someone who has ‘gone above and beyond’ for BFIS. Past recipients of the award include Mr O’Hara, Brian Hall, Mark Lima, Tracy Keill, Dr. Duranda Greene, Christopher Sposato, Dr. Scott Bradley, Julie Preece, Michael Fisher and Paul Simons.