Description: This article summarizes the October 11, 1973 meeting of the Actuaries’ Club of Boston devoted to a discussion on the education of actuaries. George L. Hogeman,Pesident of Paul Revere Life, noted that while insurance industry management was generally satisfied with the work of the actuary, there were a number of shortcomings of actuaries, including a reluctance to utilize new techniques and a lack of much needed communication skills. In a very articulate presentation, Denis W. Loring, Actuarial Associate at John Hancock [representing the actuarial students], expressed the consensus he had reached with his fellow students. They felt that management development training and an awareness of EDP constraints and opportunities were missing from the syllabus. He stressed the need to gear exam preparation toward problem solving and felt that the actuary should be much more in the forefront in developing research techniques. The E and E Committee members, rather than defending the existing educational system, added to the number of problem areas pointed out by prior speakers. Deficiencies in the syllabus were noted for underwriting, investment and finance, and marketing and advanced underwriting. It was felt that the effect of the insurance industry involvement in providing broader financial services should be considered in future syllabus changes.

Description: Writing tips for actuaries – skipping the usual guidelines you get in most books on writing. They represent a half century of personal successes and failures.

Description: How you can use your motivation and persistence to become an optimist.

Description: The April/May 2013 edition of The Actuary magazine—the Society of Actuaries’ flagship publication.

Description: Executive Coach Marcel Schwantes demonstrated that applying daily practices of Servant Leadership is really the best way to engage workers to perform at a high level, which will improve the bottom line. Here Schwantes returns to kick-off a six part series that delves deep into the best practices of what a servant leader is, and does.

Description: This session from the 1984 SOA Toronto Meeting addresses the changing role of the consulting actuary and the opportunities, problems, and rewards of becoming more heavily involved in the marketing of services and/or the management of a practice area. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 10, No. 4B

Description: Cassie He and Linda Liu, two actuarial students, invite Mark Freedman, the President-Elect of SOA to share with us his experience as an actuary, the challenges and opportunities facing actuaries and the outlook for the profession as SOA president.