SOA and The Conference to Launch Joint Employee Benefits Spring Meeting in 2006

• Kim McKeown
• Marketing & Public Relations Program Manager, SOA
• 847.706.3528

Beginning in late spring 2006 The Conference (Conference of Consulting Actuaries) and the Society of Actuaries will introduce a new spring meeting that will feature in–depth seminars on topics critical to actuaries who practice in the employee benefits area (pensions and retirement systems initially). The former SOA Spring Pension/Health Meeting will focus exclusively on the health practice area.

"We strongly believe that a jointly sponsored spring employee benefits meeting best serves the needs of the pension actuarial community," said SOA President Elect Bob Beuerlein, adding that the combination of Conference and SOA volunteer resources will make for a stronger, more comprehensive program of half–to full–day seminars on issues of critical importance.

The in–depth seminar model was introduced at the 2004 SOA Annual Meeting and 2005 Spring Meeting. Because of the positive response, an in–depth seminar was also added to the 2005 SOA Annual Meeting (Enterprise Risk Management and Pension Finance).

While focusing on a mix of in–depth and single sessions on hot topics, the SOA/Conference Employee Benefits Spring Meeting will mimic the timing and location of the former SOA Spring Health/Pension Meeting, and both organizations will work to ensure that the new meeting doesn't conflict with the SOA Spring Meetings.

"The SOA is very excited about this collaboration," added Beuerlein, "because it enables us to focus on our unique ability to develop and deliver future–oriented programming that will help our pension members understand where the practice is going and how they can best prepare to remain relevant and even expand their influence."

Click here for a Q&A sheet on the new meeting that discusses the unique features of the meeting, in–depth seminars, the future of the SOA Spring Health Meeting, retiree health programming, and what's in it for Canadian actuaries.