Chairperson’s Corner

By Chris Smith

Actuary of the Future, July 2025

Hello, Actuaries of the Future!

As you’re likely aware by now, this will be the final edition of our Actuary of the Future Section newsletter. Later this year, the Actuary of the Future Section will give way to the Career Development Community as part of the transition from sections to communities. In order to facilitate this transition, your council has been hard at work alongside those of other sections and the SOA staff to lay plans for what a successful transition might look like. This process will continue throughout the summer, reaching its climax with the five Career Development-bound councils meeting in August for final preparations, before the ultimate roll-out of communities at the 2025 ImpACT Conference in Seattle this November.

Throughout this journey, a few thoughts have crossed my mind, and I wanted to take this (final) opportunity to share them with you in the hopes that they’ll inform your involvement going forward:

• Sections are going away: While it’s a convenient mental model to envision our section and others merging to form the forthcoming communities, there are risks — like over-focusing on those groups’ respective missions rather than that of the new one — inherent in that. Better to respect the past and how we got here, but acknowledge that it is just that, and focus on the future.
• Our organization is constantly evolving: While it may seem like this change is sudden, I can tell you from behind the scenes that it represents the culmination of effort from dozens (if not hundreds) of volunteers and SOA staff spanning half a decade. It truly takes a village to make something like this happen, and it’s been a privilege to be a part of that process. Many thanks to all involved for their tireless work to help the Society maintain its status as the pre-eminent actuarial organization globally!
• This is a fresh start: In her book How to Change, Katy Milkman explains what is known as the “fresh start effect,” wherein new beginnings have been found (scientifically proven, in fact!) to provide a strong jumping-off point for effective personal growth. Have you been curious about volunteering with the SOA but apprehensive about getting on a train that’s already well in motion? Congratulations — here’s your perfect opportunity.

As the sun sets on the Actuary of the Future Section, I look back fondly on my time as a council member, knowing that we made a difference for those who will follow our footsteps into the profession. I look forward to the opportunity to continue doing so as a member of the Career Development Community, and hope you’ll join us as we embark on this next chapter of our journey to pave the way for the next generation. For now, have a great summer, and thanks as always for reading along!

Yours in service,
Chris Smith

This article is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Neither the Society of Actuaries nor the respective authors’ employers make any endorsement, representation or guarantee with regard to any content, and disclaim any liability in connection with the use or misuse of any information provided herein. This article should not be construed as professional or financial advice. Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries or the respective authors’ employers.

Chris Smith, ASA, MAAA, (the final) chair of the Actuary of the Future Section Council. Chris can be contacted via LinkedIn or at Christopher.Smith3@mercer.com.