Description: President Smith's speech focuses on the need for actuaries to be better spokepeople and advocates for good sound improvement in social programs like Social Security, Medicare and Health Care reform.

Description: Preview of the May 2010 issue of Health Watch, with focus on the growing importance of actuaries, particularly in light of new developments in health care reform, clinical integration, enterprise risk management, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

Description: The author discusses a definition of an actuary that he suggested several years earlier, noting that the public has a right to know why we think we constitute a profession, and why it should care. The author’s definition is: “that professional who is trained in evaluating the current financial implications of future contingent events.”

Description: Feature article discussing the purpose of the SOA’s Reinsurance Section’s LEARN initiative.

Description: An actuary, Jim Toole, speaks out on racial disparities in infant mortality.

Description: An article from The Actuary that highlights Stephen C. Goss, chief actuary at the Social Security Administration, who was recently awarded the National Academy of Social Insurance's NASI first ever Robert M. Ball Award for outstanding achievements in social insurance. According to NASI, Goss exemplifies 'public service' at its very best. The Actuary asked Goss if he could give a little more of himself and answer some questions about his career, which, of course, he did.

Description: Describes the Actuarial Circles program, which was developed in order to improve the relationship between actuaries and the local media, and how it operates.

Description: Actuaries and the Actuarial profession have an obligation to act in the public interest. It is not enough to pass exams, keep current and do "good actuarial work.” Both Science and public service must be reflected in all of our activities...The intent of this article is to clarify what "acting in the public service” means for actuaries, particularly U.S. actuaries. It emphasizes the importance (necessity) of examining the "public interest" in everything we do ... and to warn the public where we have concerns. ...Acting in the public interest (a requirement for any profession or professional, is critical to the profession's future reputation and relevance.

Description: As the search continues for a solution to the U.S. Social Security system’s financing problems, the U.S. Congress is considering raising the normal retirement age for U.S. workers. The House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee heard testimony on Feb. 26, 1998 from Christopher Bone, chief actuary, Actuarial Sciences Associates, Somerset, N.J., Ron Gebhardtsbauer, senior pension fellow, American Academy of Actuaries, and Robert Myers, former chief actuary of the U.S. Social Security Administration and professor emeritus, Temple University. All discussed the impact of a higher normal retirement age. This article summarizes the testimony of these three actuaries.

Description: This is an editorial by the president of the SOA on the subject of how the world views actuaries.