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Edition

2020 Board Member Candidate

John Dark, FSA 1979, FCIA
Co-operators Life Insurance Company





Election Message:        

In June of this year, I completed my 3-year cycle as Past-President, President, and President-elect for the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA). Prior to that I served 4 years as Secretary-Treasurer, 3 years as a Board member and 3 years as Education and Eligibility Council Chair.  For those efforts, I was honored with the CIA’s highest award; The Gold Level Volunteer Award. 

Our professional roles are under challenge from many in the insurance industry – data scientists, accountants, and others - seeking to perform roles we currently provide.  We need to convince our increasingly impatient exam candidates that our somewhat longer and more rigorous qualification process is both valuable and relevant to their careers.

The 2022-2026 SOA Strategic Plan is scheduled to be developed and approved by the Board during 2021.  Developing a cogent and relevant plan will be a major Board responsibility for next year.  I believe my perspective will add value to the plan.

I am proud to be an actuary and to having achieved fellowship in both the SOA and the CIA.  I have always had the greatest respect for the role that the Society of Actuaries plays – not only for actuaries in Canada and the United Sates, but throughout the world.  I believe as the most recent Past-President of the CIA, I can bring a unique perspective to maintaining an excellent relationship between the CIA and SOA.

Also, inclusion and diversity have become watchwords in our culture.  While the actuarial profession has been at the forefront of offering opportunities for anyone to develop themselves without unreasonable barriers, we can and must do more.  I believe that our profession will be substantially strengthened by doing so.

Finally, I would like to say thank you, to the over 539 members who supported my petition candidacy, allowing me to be placed on the ballot this year. 

 Brief description of current work:

During my 46-year professional career, I have spent time in Life, Health, Annuities, Reinsurance, Marketing, and Pensions, spending most of my time in Life Insurance.  Currently, I work as an internal consultant on special Corporate projects where my company experience and clear thinking are often the most valuable tools.

Primary Area(s) of Practice

Life Insurance

Bio:

I have spent the past 26 years as part of management at Co-operators Group, a multi-line Canadian insurer with over $40 billion in assets.  This time follows 20 years at Crown Life, which I joined immediately after graduation from the University of Waterloo, where I received my B.Math. in Actuarial and Computer Science.  

In my personal life I am married to my wonderful wife Cathy, and serve as a support system for two highly opinionated miniature schnauzers.  I thoroughly enjoy my hobby of horology, although for practical reasons I have divested myself of the majority of my collection of 500 antique timepieces – retaining only a few of my favorites.   In my spare time, I am an avid gardener and an aspiring woodworker (my major output so far – sawdust!!).