Description: The letter from the president provides highlights of the president’s accomplishments over the past year.

Description: As part of its research efforts, the Society of Actuaries frequently partners with other associations, companies and universities, and through the North American Actuarial Council (NAAC). This article discusses recent efforts and projects of the NAAC.

Description: Two previous issues of The Actuary reported on panel discussions, in two parts, about life reinsurance from the perspective of the reinsurers. This is the first of two parts on life reinsurance from the perspective of the ceding companies.

Description: Article provides a rigorous assessment of statements used in the sale of disability insurance, correcting such statements, and outlining what is believed to be the rationale for the statements pointing out where the errors occur.

Description: Linda M. Springer, FSA, MAAA, spent more than 25 years in the financial services industry in executive positions responsible for general and financial management and strategic operational planning. Springer is now the eighth director of the United States Office of Personal Management. In this interview, she discusses government life, on–the–job challenges and how her actuarial background has helped her progress in her career.

Description: Tensions arose between the Society of Actuaries [SOA] and the Casualty Actuarial Society [CAS] organizations’ leadership when articles in the May 1997 issue of the CAS newsletter suggested the SOA was trying to force a merger. This article describes how a meeting between SOA President, Anna Rappaport, and CAS President, Mavis Walters, led to an exchange of views that included the entire Boards of each organization and ultimately led to the members of both Boards demonstrating mutual respect.

Description: The article focuses on initiatives that are both planned and in place to better connect the Society of Actuaries with its actuarial candidates.

Description: The Canadian Institute of Actuaries (CIA) and the SOA are collaborating on certain types of research projects as part of a bigger initiative to enhance the support the SOA provides to Canadian members.

Description: In this article, the author recommends the book, 'Stop Managing, Start Coaching!' by Jerry W. Gilley and Nathaniel W. Boughton, to managers who believes in the potential of human capital and are willing to make some investment. The book emphasizes the importance of using coaching to achieve 'buy-in' from employees on managerial decisions. In this process, manager and employee develop a collegial relationship, which ultimately increases the self-esteem of the employee and his or her commitment to the job and the organization.