Description: The core of actuarial work involves assessing the present value of future liabilities. This requires us to make assumptions about the future. The future is inherently uncertain. Communicating that uncertainty to others is a major challenge for actuaries.

Description: The December 2013/January 2014 edition of The Actuary magazine—the Society of Actuaries’ flagship publication.

Description: In the U.S. in the late 1980’s, the Internal Revenue Service was taking steps to try to institute explicit boundaries for the actuarial assumptions being used in 'funding' valuations to determine the appropriate contribution levels for small pension plans. This article was written in the context of that environment, to defend the rights of actuaries to their professional judgement. The courts eventually supported this perspective.

Description: Leadership writing contest entry for Admirable Leader category. Lessons in the importance of speaking up from Alexander Hamilton.

Description: The objective of this statement of principles is to articulate the current understanding of the significant principles that form the scientific framework underlying all areas of actuarial practice. The intended audience includes practicing actuaries, researchers and others, such as representatives of standard-setting organizations. This articulation is not immutable and should be revised if changes arise in our understanding of the key concepts and phenomena relevant to actuarial science, or if a better expression of the ideas is developed. This statement is the culmination of an effort that begin with the October 1991 draft by the SOA Committee on Actuarial Principles entitled “Principles of Actuarial Science. After incorporating numerous comments, that statement was published in Transactions of the Society of Actuaries XLIV, 1992.

Description: This is a link to an article that describes the Competency Framework Self-Assessment Tool that measures your skill level for each of eight competencies. By using the CF and the Self-Assessment Tool you can identify areas where improvement is needed so you can focus your professional development to help further your career.

Description: President Gary Corbett cites the major issues he sees facing the SOA: education and examinations, research, actuarial principles, strengthening the profession, the future of the actuary/the actuary of the future, and employee benefits.

Description: This newsletter’s nominee for the most spectacular American at last summer’s International Congress is Prof. William S. Jewel1 of the University of California, Berkeley, who, as Mr. Hazelcorn reports in this issue, introduced the Congress subject, Generalized Models of the Insurance Business. Prof. Jewel encouraged actuaries to be receptive of, and tolerant towards, new methods, models, and paradigms.

Description: Cassie He and Linda Liu, two actuarial students invite Dave Pelletier, an actuary with 38-year experience to share with us his career experience and his insightful views on the future of the actuarial profession.

Description: The authors take up two questions: • How do I create my Personal Development Plan? • How will the Competency Framework tool help me design my future?