Description: The author offers suggestions for selecting the subject of an article to write for publication. His advice is to include information about issues you have solved for your clients, but avoid writing about broad expertise that you know a lot about. Rather he suggests that “by focusing on specific, truly relevant problems, your readers will gain the wisdom of your consulting expertise.”

Description: This paper discusses the issues of an independent actuary providing product development, or more accurately sales development, services to a life insurance company. The author explores the process, and proposes “compensation to the entrepreneurial actuary who accepts the challenge of operating in a setting where true success is not measured by isolating theoretical profit margins or business sold, but rather focusing attention on the unfolding experience of what is hopefully to be truly profitable policies.” Instead of basing the actuary’s compensation on time spent, the author is suggesting compensation based on results.

Description: Editor's Note: In our last two issues (October 2006 and January 2007), we ran a series of articles contributed by Mary Whisenand that explained how to understand some of the common features and limits of professional liability insurance policies. Here we conclude that series with some other tips and checklists that can help professionals minimize their liability risk and evaluate their coverage needs and options for their remaining risk.

Description: Before I say anything else in my first section chair column, I want to mention how fortunate we have been for the leadership we have had during the two years I have been on the council.

Description: In this article the author provides guidance to owners of their own actuarial consulting firms, with respect to addressing issues around succession, control and ownership, and planning for retirement.

Description: Artlicle discusses the consequence of Overwhelm and how to overcome it.

Description: In this article, the section chair of the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section, ‘EAS,’ addresses the growth of the life actuarial profession. The author notes the significant growth in size of the profession in terms of membership, but cautions that calling us a growing profession on this basis only addresses the supply of actuaries, not the demand. The article then discusses current efforts to address the question of demand, noting that the EAS is in early discussions with other sections and the SOA staff to develop some measure of future demand for actuaries.