Description: Imagine that the insurance purchase process is a bridge. The customer is coming from one direction and crossing the bridge and the insurer is coming from the other side. The point at which they meet is the transaction point. At one time, customers were willing to completely cross the bridge to get to the insurer. They knew that they needed insurance, and like any retail purchase, they would “travel” to make it happen. Today, the insurers are normally the ones “journeying” across the bridge. This is the future of insurance — useful, convenient, intelligent protection that does its best analytic and protective work on the client-side of the bridge.

Description: Considerations in contemplating becoming an entrepreneur.

Description: This article focuses on actuaries’ self-perceptions regarding their strengths and weaknesses and the implications of these perceptions on their effectiveness as leaders.

Description: This article stresses the importance of portraying a professional image in the workplace.

Description: We will demonstrate three analytical tools along with a sample case study showing how they might be applied to a fictional actuarial organization within ABC Life. The goal is to highlight how they might be applied to perform a health check of an actuarial function organizational design. This can measure effectiveness quantitatively via benchmarking how an actuarial function might stack up against the industry and management expectations. The tools and techniques are critical for actuarial leaders and managers but are also relevant to all actuaries, since we can all benefit from understanding how our individual work efforts fit into the bigger picture of an organization.

Description: An actuarial perspective on a book review of Biological Imperatives a book written by biologist Allan Chase. An interesting perspective which may be of interest as the United States evaluates its health care reform options.

Description: Feature article that is the third in a series that deals with the challenges and opportunities actuaries face as leaders.

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: Section member Greg Fann writes about his mid-career personal and professional reflections, paralleling the actuarial life experience with oceanic travel through the lyrics of the Jimmy Buffet ballad “A Pirate Looks at 40”.

Description: Part 1 of a 2-part series featuring interviews with four former SmallCo section chairs. The interviews shared their view of the value of SmallCo and of holding a leadership role. They also discussed the challenges of leading this section and gave advice for new section council members.