1. HOLDING SLIDE

2. Philadelphia Actuaries Club
JEREMY BROWN, FSA, MAAA
SOA President
It is a pleasure to be here. Before I begin, here’s a little more about me.
I am currently president of the Society of Actuaries.
Full disclosure – I am retired. After working for almost 39 years, I retired last Spring.
Before college, I learned about the profession from my neighbor who was a regional sales VP for a big insurer in town. He told me that actuaries were good at math, held respected positions, did fascinating work, and were paid well. I was hooked in high school on becoming an actuary.
I graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an engineering school in Massachusetts.
Progressing quickly through the exams had a huge impact on my career success. Still in my 20s, I was running a business unit with several billion in assets. By my mid 30s I was the senior actuary at a major insurer and a member of the executive team.
I earned promotions to those positions because I continued to advance my knowledge of the Pension Investment business specifically. I also advanced my knowledge of the insurance business and my awareness of the needs of the market.
Actuarial skills were a building block for me. Applying those skills well in a business setting got me ahead of the game.
I worked at two other companies, one an insurer, one a national consulting firm. I would never have been able to get those positions without staying current and advancing my skill set.
ADVANCE SLIDE

3. What is an actuary?
In addition to exams, another challenge in being an actuary is describing to non-actuaries what you do.
[Have audience members raise their hand and tell you their definition of an actuary. Encourage students to offer their perceptions and how others perceive of the what an actuary does. Offer context to their answers – this will be a challenge for them to become comfortable as leaders in the profession.]
When someone asks we what an actuary is or does I tell them….[Give them your best elevator pitch]
[Advance slide]

4. Another Definition
An actuary is a professional trained in evaluating the current financial implications of future contingent events

5. Mission: Through education and research, the Society of Actuaries advances actuaries as leaders in measuring and managing risk to improve financial outcomes for individuals, organizations, and the public. Vision: Actuaries are highly sought-after professionals who develop and communicate solutions for complex financial issues.
How do these statements relate to professionalism?
Improves decision making
Benefit society
Trusted advisors
Ensure integrity
Support financial security
They distinguish us from others, and define what it means to be a professional

6. What Makes a Profession?
Advanced training or education
Widely recognized associations
Serving in the public interest in an objective fashion
Code of conduct

7. Professions with Longest History(1)
Surveying
Medicine
Actuarial Science
Law
Dentistry
Civil Engineering
(1) Perks, R.W.(1993): Accounting and Society. Chapman & Hall (London)

8. Advanced Training or Education
We have this one covered.
Our credential helps define us as a profession.

9. Widely Recognized Associations
Casualty Actuarial Society since 1914
Society of Actuaries since 1949 (ASA in 1889)
Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1965
American Academy of Actuaries in 1965
Our credential helps define us as a profession.

11. Serving in the Public Interest
What we do matters!
Public depends on us for the protection of:
Their retirement
Their health
Their personal and family financial security
Their property
Lines up with four main practice areas
Our public service is perhaps THE thing that drives public respect
Later talk about cases where these may conflict
Contrast with building airplanes

12. Strategic Plan

13. Our stakeholders include:
Candidates
Members Employers/clients
Policymakers
Regulators and
The Public
Most SOA Stakeholders are also YOUR Stakeholders

14. Code of Conduct
Applies to all actuaries – life, health, pension, casualty – that are members of any of the five US-based actuarial organizations
Effective January 1, 2001
Identifies the responsibilities that actuaries have to the public, to their clients and employers and to the actuarial profession
Actuaries will comply with this code; violators subject to counseling and discipline procedures
Actuaries also subject to conduct/standards prescribed by local jurisdictional actuarial organization
If in conflict with a law, laws trump
The slides that follow are my own interpretation and are not intended to be definitive.
The professionalism code was adopted by the five US-based actuarial organizations (SOA, AAA, CAS, CCA, ASPPA) on January 1, 2001.
The Precepts of the Code identify the professional and ethical standards with which an Actuary must comply in order to fulfill the Actuary’s responsibility to the public and to the actuarial profession.

15. Precept 1: Be Ethical
An Actuary shall act honestly, with integrity and competence, and in a manner to fulfill the profession’s responsibility to the public and to uphold the reputation of the actuarial profession.

16. Precept 2: Be Qualified
An Actuary shall perform Actuarial Services only when the Actuary is qualified to do so on the basis of basic and continuing education and experience, and only when the Actuary satisfies applicable qualification standards.
General (IAA member member, 3 years of experience, familiar with law)
Specialty (Specialty track, or one year of relevant experience supervised and highest possible designation, or 3 years of supervised experience)
Specific (Basic ed on prescribed topics from correct organization or alternative basic self study)
10 cases in 2014 before ABCD

17. Precept 3: Follow ASOPs
An Actuary shall ensure that Actuarial Services performed by or under the direction of the Actuary satisfy applicable standards of practice.
Means an Actuary is subject to these even if not in AAA

18. Precept 4: Clear Communication
An Actuary who issues an Actuarial Communication shall take appropriate steps to ensure that the Actuarial Communication is clear and appropriate to the circumstances and its intended audience, and satisfies applicable standards of practice.

19. Precept 5: Identify Principal
An Actuary who issues an Actuarial Communication shall, as appropriate, identify the Principal(s) for whom the Actuarial Communication is issued and describe the capacity in which the Actuary serves.

20. Precept 6: Disclose Compensation
An Actuary shall make appropriate and timely disclosure to a present or prospective Principal of the sources of all direct and indirect material compensation that the Actuary or the Actuary's firm has received, or may receive, from another party in relation to an assignment for which the Actuary has provided, or will provide, Actuarial Services for that Principal. The disclosure of sources of material compensation that the Actuary's firm has received, or may receive, is limited to those sources known to, or reasonably ascertainable by, the Actuary.

21. Precept 7: Conflict of Interest
An Actuary shall not knowingly perform Actuarial Services involving an actual or potential conflict of interest unless
Actuary’s ability to act fairly is unimpaired;
There has been disclosure of the conflict to all present and known prospective Principals whose interests would be affected by the conflict; and
All such Principals have expressly agreed to the performance of the Actuarial Services by the Actuary.
Owning insurance company stock
Owning client stock
Commission compensation?
M&A?

22. Precept 8: Don’t Mislead
An Actuary who performs Actuarial Services shall take reasonable steps to ensure that such services are not used to mislead other parties.

23. Precept 9: Confidentiality
An Actuary shall not disclose to another party any Confidential Information unless authorized to do so by the Principal or required to do so by Law.
Airport discussions
Open laptop
Spouse

24. Precept 10: Courtesy and Respect
An Actuary shall perform Actuarial Services with courtesy and professional respect and shall cooperate with others in the Principal’s interest.
Note restriction to actuarial services

25. Precept 11: Advertising
An Actuary shall not engage in any advertising or business solicitation activities with respect to Actuarial Services that the Actuary knows or should know are false or misleading.

26. Precept 12: Titles / Designations
An Actuary shall make use of membership titles and designations of a Recognized Actuarial Organization only in a manner that conforms to the practices authorized by that organization.

27. Precept 13: Report a Violation
An Actuary with knowledge of an apparent, unresolved, material violation of the Code by an-other Actuary should consider discussing the situation with the other Actuary and attempt to resolve the apparent violation. If such discussion is not attempted or is not successful, the Actuary shall disclose such violation to the appropriate counseling and discipline body of the profession, except where the disclosure would be contrary to Law or would divulge Confidential Information.

28. Precept 14: Cooperate with ABCD
An Actuary shall respond promptly, truthfully, and fully to any request for information by, and cooperate fully with, an appropriate counseling and disciplinary body of the profession in connection with any disciplinary, counseling, or other proceeding of such body relating to the Code. The Actuary’s responsibility to respond shall be subject to applicable restrictions on Confidential Information and those imposed by Law.

29. Qualification Standards
American Academy of Actuaries standards apply to everyone practicing as an Actuary in the U.S., even if not in the Academy
General and Specialty track standards
Specific Qualification standard
General (IAA member member, 3 years of experience, familiar with law
Specialty (Specialty track, or one year of relevant experience supervised and highest possible designation, or 3 years of supervised experience)
Specific (Basic ed on prescribed topics from correct organization or alternative basic self study)

30. Professionalism and Emerging Opportunities
Banking
Health care efficacy
Predictive modeling
Energy demand forecasting
Human resources
Environmental sustainability
Does code of conduct / professionalism give us an edge?

31. Most Frequently Violated(1) Qualification Standard Provision
5. I, [Name], am [Position] for [Company]. I am a member of the American Academy of Actuaries [or other organization] and I meet the Qualification Standards of the American Academy of Actuaries to render the actuarial opinion contained herein.
Applies to All SAOs, not just PSAOs
(1) In my personal experience
Do you do this in your work?
If not, are you violating precept 2?
If you see others not doing it are you violating

32. Some Real Examples What if I make a mistake? Price optimization
Genetic testing
Using credit score to determine customer service
Exchange programs for ITM VA contracts
SPIA buyouts (12% discount!)
Predictive Modeling using proxies

33. Any questions?
Thank you. That concludes our session.