Description: How to get more out of your employees by monitoring their 'Tensions'. The employee's tensions may be either too high Stress or too low Apathy. This article tells you what to do in either case.

Description: A preview of the Society of Actuaries’ 2010 Health Meeting, June 28-30, at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida.

Description: Interview featuring Andrew Lin the SOA’s youngest FSA to date.

Description: This article explains the changes made to the Expanding Horizons Newsletter.

Description: Feature article discussing the new SOA stipend awards and featuring interviews with the first recipients.

Description: Presidential address about changes in the actuarial world.

Description: This is an article by outgoing Society of Actuaries President, Bruce D. Schobel, reflecting on the Society's accomplishments over the past year and looking ahead at its future plans.

Description: Article discusses how to set your goals by asking 2 questions 1What do I want? and 2 What is important to me? These questions will help you to set your goals and make these goals more achievable.

Description: The objective of this article is to provide an overview of the research mission of the SOA, its inner workings, major efforts, funding and its unique qualities.

Description: This is a 2006 draft of SOA Accreditation of Academic Actuarial Science Programs that was offered for review and comments. From Actuarial Research Clearing House, 2006.

Description: This paper examines the Australian actuarial qualification process from the perspective of what makes a good education system, and notes that there are a number of constraints imposed by the profession that impair the quality of students’ learning outcomes. The paper goes on to suggest how these pitfalls might be avoided in the interests of providing future actuaries with an opportunity to develop the attributes they will need for their professional careers. From Actuarial Research Clearing House, 2006.

Description: Discusses a major campaign to change the image of the actuary.

Description: This article looks at five reasons why the new image campaign will succeed. From Reinsurance News, February 2005. Article from Re-news, February 2005

Description: Three industry actuarial experts respond to pre-submitted and from-audience questions regarding the future of the valuation actuary, and statutory and GAAP accounting issues. Session 30OF of the 2005 Valuation Actuary Symposium.

Description: The image campaign for the actuarial profession is described. From Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 30, No. 3.

Description: This presentation is an open forum, session 11OF, from the 2004 Spring Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held May 19-21 in Anaheim, CA. The panelists note that defined benefit [DB] pension actuaries are finding themselves working in new and expanded roles in the new millennium, and discuss the answers to challenging questions raised by working in this environment, such as what additional training is recommended, and what the unique challenges and rewards are. The panelists look at the future with respect to the DB actuary, with respect to less traditional roles in that area as well as opportunities in the area of defined contribution plans. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 30, No. 1.

Description: This is a brief report on the trip that the author made with two other SOA members, Bruce Schobel and Jim Wiseman, to Almaty, Kazakhstan during the week of September 1, 2003. They were invited by the Actuarial Society of Kazakhstan [ASK] to conduct several seminars for their members and various government officials. The trip was financed by USAID through a grant to the Arizona-Kazakhstan Foundation. The topics of the seminars were pension/social security reform, role of the actuary in an economy, annuity pricing/ reserving and professionalism.

Description: 2003 Valuation Actuary Symposium, San Diego, CA. In this open forum participants' questions were addressed by experts in the field. Some of the questions: 1. How does actuarial practice develop with regard to questions about interim results and asset-adequacy analysis projections? 2. If the present value measures used in typical asset-adequacy evaluation include a favorable adequacy opinion, are there patterns of interim results that under commonly accepted actuarial practice would require additional reserves to be established? 3. What is the most extreme stochastic modeling that you have seen? How many scenarios on how large a block, on how complex a model, on how many PCs or what type of computer that ran for over how many days? 4. Is codification retroactive? Does it impact any previous reserving methodologies put in place on policies issued before codification was effective? 5. What are your individual views on whether the federal government should provide a backstop to group or individual life insurance to handle terrorism catastrophes? 6. What are your thoughts are on the move toward stochastic methods for setting reserves?

Description: Reflections of a Regulatory Actuary by Larry Gorski

Description: This report provides the results of the 2002 membership and candidate survey. Results of the research suggests four broad avenues for action: 1. Maintain and enhance the value credentials. 2. Assess member satisfaction periodically. 3. Establish a baseline for employer perceptions of the actuarial profession. 4. Apply results to the Balanced Score Card.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session number 26PD, from the 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 19-20 in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The Enron scandal is likely to result in a more transparent disclosure of balance sheet liabilities. The panelists provide a professional/legislative update and offer pragmatic tips to valuation actuaries about how to respond effectively to increased scrutiny. They discuss the Corporate Accountability Act and the increased oversight of the accounting profession that will result, and the implications for actuaries working in accounting firms. They emphasize the importance for actuaries to be aware of the higher standards of independence and the need to follow actuarial standards of practice. Discussion from participants is included.

Description: 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, Lake Buena Vista, FL. In this session the speakers provided speaking advice. They discussed how to: 1. Identify relevant and appropriate content and focus it at the proper level for the particular target audience. 2. Organize the presentation in a logical fashion that shows clarity, conciseness, and an appropriate introduction, body and conclusion. 3. Deliver the material in a dynamic manner that builds and maintains interest.

Description: This presentation is a panel discussion, session number 35PD, from the 2002 Valuation Actuary Symposium, held September 19-20 in Lake Buena Vista, FL. The panelists discuss integrating the risk management function within an enterprise, where the concept involves evaluating, monitoring, controlling, and mitigating risks across the entire insurance company. Topics include quantification of risk exposures, including insurable and financial risk, nonfinancial or operational risk, and modeling risk on a company-wide basis. They discuss how a company might go about setting up a risk management process and what companies are really looking to accomplish. They also discuss the Society of Actuaries goal to make risk management a regular part of actuarial practice through development and improvement of educational materials for actuaries, and through the advancement of the actuarial profession in risk management. Discussion from participants is included.

Description: A case study on starting the actuarial profession in a new location - in this case Kazakhstan.

Description: The last year in the 20th century was an important time for the Society of Actuaries. Central to the Society’s 1998-99 activities were the celebration of its 50th anniversary, consideration of the Big Tent concept for the profession’s future, finalization of its new education and examination system for implementation in 2000, and sponsorship of a wide range of scientific projects and seminars. This article provides a 1998-99 Society of Actuaries year in review.

Description: The author offers advice to an imaginary Fellowship Admission Course about group disability insurance. The speech is based on an article by Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune entitled “Advice, Like Youth, Probably Just Wasted on the Young” that became widely known as the “Sunscreen Speech” because of its central theme.

Description: 1999 SOA Annual Meeting, San Francisco. Presenters addressed the skills needed by actuaries to compete for business opportunities leading to advancement, and describe one company's approach to the issue. Skills discussed: 1. Communication. 2· Management. 3· Crossover . 4· General insurance knowledge. 5· Leadership.

Description: This article intends to provide some background on how and when the state variation issues came about, why these issues present a challenge to the valuation actuary, what seems to be the current practice in dealing with these challenges, and how these issues can be addressed more effectively and efficiently in the future. From Society of Actuaries Financial Reporting Monograph, M-AS99-1.

Description: The presenter examined the concept of customer intimacy as a way to maintain a viable position in a competitive market. He then develops the concept of customer intimacy as a way to maintain a viable position in a competitive market. Finally, he covers the information, product/delivery, organizational, and performance measurement strategies that a company should follow to achieve customer intimacy.

Description: From session 60PD at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999, Panel examines a range of issues surrounding the organization of the actuarial department of an insurance company.

Description: From session 77IF at the Spring regional meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 24-25, 1999, panelists explore the workings of the Actuarial Standards Board.

Description: Table of Contents for the May 1999 Spring meeting of the Society of Actuaries

Description: This open forum at the 1998 Valuation Actuary Symposium provides an opportunity for participants to raise issues or concerns that senior or chief actuaries face with focus on actuarial issues that may be of concern to company management.

Description: This session at the SOA 1998 Maui I Spring Meeting discusses issues related to the more direct involvement of actuaries on the asset side of the balance sheet.

Description: 1998 SOA Spring Meeting, Maui. The CEO of the ACLI provided his views on insurance industry issues and the role of the actuary.

Description: This is the table of contents to discussions published from the Washington, D.C. Meeting held October 26-29, 1997. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 23, No. 3.

Description: Discussion of Forecast 2000, the actuarial profession's public relations program.

Description: This article from SOA president David Holland, speaks to the need of the actuarial profession to consistently evolve with the needs of the 21st century.

Description: Presidential address at the 1996 annual meeting. The president encourages actuaries to broaden their scope and skills, develop the attributes he discusses and make a plan to redesign yourself.

Description: Presented at October 1996 Annual Meeting. This panel presents an overview of current and future employment trends in each area of the actuarial profession. Topics include: skill development, marketability and future opportunity positioning.

Description: This is the table of contents to discussions published from the Orlando Meeting–October 27–30, 1996. From Record of Society of Actuaries, Vol. 22, No. 3.

Description: This article reports on a meeting of the Finance Practice Area and the issues on which they are focusing.

Description: Highlights awards and honors dispensed to SOA members.

Description: This section contains biographies for authors with articles featured in the Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1995, Vol. 47.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA Boston Meeting covers topics and methods for better coordination between actuaries and investment professionals. The session will concentrate on the coordination of pricing, crediting, and investment strategies. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 4a.

Description: This session from the 1995 SOA New York City Meeting examines ethics from the standpoint of the actuary. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries, Vol. 21, No. 2.

Description: This article covers the experiences of the actuaries who participated in the Life Skills Inventory teaching session at the SOA annual meeting. From The Actuary, April 1995, Volume 29, No. 4.

Description: This is the Foreward to Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1995-96 Reports.

Description: This article provides a review of the 1993-1994 Year. 'This program year is marked by the profession using the firm foundation of actuarial science and the solid organization of the Society of Actuaries to reach out to new allies and technologies to capture its future. From The Actuary, December 1994 – Volume 28, No. 10.

Description: 1994 SOA Meeting, San Antonio. Table of contents From Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 3B, San Antonio Meeting of the Society of Actuaries on June 15-17, 1994.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, San Francisco. In this session the panelists led the audience through case studies that required the development of various difficult assumptions where experience is limited. The panel discussed the key issues and how they would go about developing each assumption.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, San Francisco. This session provided an overview on the following issues regarding solvency analysis: 1. Will the actuary perform a financial condition analysis or provide an opinion on solvency? 2. Will the analysis be for internal use only or for public reporting? 3. Progress on the SOA's Dynamic Solvency Handbook. 4. Dynamic solvency research. 5. Canadian experience with solvency testing.

Description: 1994 SOA Meeting, San Francisco. List of sessions and workshops with no written record. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 2

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, San Francisco. Table of contents from Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 2 of 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, San Francisco, May 26-27, 1994.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about identifying international opportunities, positioning yourself for those opportunities, determining skills needed, and comparing with skills you have.

Description: Table of contents from Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 1in Orlando on April 20-22, 1994.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session is about the actuary's developing role in regulating insurance worldwide.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This session discussed the SOA research structure and provided an update on projects and experience studies.

Description: 1994 SOA Spring Meeting, Orlando. This is a list of workshops and sessions from the 1994 SOA Spring Meeting at Orlando with no written record. From the Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 20, No. 1.

Description: This article is an update from the E&E committee on the improved E&E Systems. 'The Flexible Education System has given us the freedom to expand the course offerings and to innovate.'

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. Table of contents of 1993 SOA Annual Meeting held in New York on October 17-20, 1993 from Record of Society of Actuaries Vol. 19, No. 4B.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. This session was held before the passage of NAFTA. The participants provided their thoughts about its potential passage and associated implications from their three perspectives - US, Canada, and Mexico.

Description: 1993 SOA Annual Meeting, New York. List of workshops and sessions with no written record at the 1993 SOA Annual Meeting in New York. From Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 19, No. 4B.

Description: The author talks about how his company coped with the great flood of 1993 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Description: 1993 SOA Meeting, Quebec. This session was geared towards goal setting for actuaries who manage functional areas, departments, or divisions. Topics included: the reasons why goal setting and achievement are often ineffective, the key success factors in setting and achieving goals, and a proven methodology for setting and achieving goals.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. This session provided an overview of the insurance industry around the world. Topics included: 1. What does it take to become an actuary in foreign countries? 2. Professional Standards of Practice. 3. Disciplinary Standards. 4. Education programs supported by the SOA in developing countries.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. This is the list of sessions with no written record from 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, Boston. Record of the Society of Actuaries Vol. 19, No. 2.

Description: 1993 SOA Spring Meeting, San Diego. This is a list of sessions with no written record from the 1993 SOA Spring Meeting in San Diego.

Description: An article how the New Actuary of the Future Section Relates to the existing Futurism Section outlines the different functions of each and stresses he importance of both sections.

Description: This session from the 1993 Valuation Actuary Symposium addresses professionalism of the actuary.

Description: This paper shows at a relatively low cost, computer assisted instructional techniques can materially improve both classroom instruction and independent study. This discussion is limited to the material used in a Penn State mathematics of finance course. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1993, VOL. 1.

Description: Discussion of the current business environment, the profile of the actuary who can meet these needs, directions corporations will take in the 21st century, economic and demographic trends that will affect the environment and markets over the next decade. The panelists discussed the need to be pro-active in shaping the environment.

Description: In this “nontraditional” general session from the 1991 Annual Meeting of the Society of Actuaries, held October 20-23 in Toronto, the panelists, a “judge,” a “defendant,” and a “prosecutor” present a humorous “trial” to explore what the boundaries of “traditional” actuarial work are. A theme of the session is that some of what we call “nontraditional” is an expansion of traditional actuarial work, and that we owe it to our public to broaden our horizons. Discussion from participants is included. From the Record of Society of Actuaries, Volume 17, No. 4A.

Description: This paper presents a unifying non-Bayesian statistical method for incorporating prior information into the determination of probability distributions and other finite measures and develops the statistical properties of this method together with actuarial applications. A discussion of the paper follows. From Transactions of Society of Actuaries 1991, Vol. 43.

Description: This session at the SOA 1990 Annual meeting is about global dynamic - definition, effect on the actuarial profession, actuaries and insurers response to it.