Description: This is an interview with Prakash Shimpi who talks about enterprise risk management, research and development. From News Direct, September 2005, Issue No. 51.

Description: This article is a short summary of an essay on using microeconomics and Embedded Value concepts in evaluating direct marketing programs.

Description: This article discusses agent-driven direct mail marketing, the economics of this approach, and how to obtain agent buy-in.

Description: This article discusses Promotional Cards, how they have become an integral part of so many direct mail marketing programs, and how new technology offers new options for these cards.

Description: This article discusses the benefits of online insurance sales and how it is another form of direct marketing.

Description: The 5th Annual Product Development Actuary Symposium welcomed more than 200 participants to the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois June 29-30 for an intensive day-and-a-half seminar. The program was once again co-sponsored by the Product Development Section, Reinsurance Section, Actuary of the Future Section and the Marketing and Distribution (formerly Nontraditional Marketing) Section. From News Direct, September 2005, Issue No. 51.

Description: Welcome to our first full year as the Marketing and Distribution (MaD) Section. As the incoming chair, I’d like to thank the section council for their ideas and energy as we expanded the scope of the section and positioned the section as the key thought leaders regarding the distribution and delivery of insurance products. From News Direct, January 2006, Issue No. 52.

Description: Another year has flown by. It’s already 2006–and the Marketing and Distribution Section is beginning to make itself known. As Council Chairman Van Beach and outgoing Section Council Chairman Rob Stone state elsewhere in this newsletter, marketing and distribution is simply an expansion of our focus. From News Direct, January 2006, Issue No. 52.

Description: This article looks at the question, Should the direct mail marketer sell products until the point at which the cost of the NEXT sale exceeds the marketing allowance for the product or until the point at which the AVERAGE cost of all sales exceeds the marketing allowance for the product?

Description: As the outgoing chair of the Marketing and Distribution Section, I want to thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this section’s leadership. It has been an exciting year to be closely involved with all of our section activities. I especially want to thank the other council members for their help with all we accomplished this year: Van Beach, Ian Duncan, Chris Hause, Nancy Manning, Brian Louth, Jeanne Daharsh, Juliet Sandrowicz and Leonard Mangini. These are the people who have helped make decisions, and they continue to volunteer their time to lead our efforts. From News Direct, January 2006, Issue No. 52.