By Eric P. Harding
I’m sitting in my office in the Academy’s headquarters on M Street NW in Washington, D.C. It’s October 10, five days from when we go to press…and 10 days from the 10-year anniversary of my start date with the Academy.
My, how time flies.
In that time, I’ve learned—about the public policy initiatives the Academy undertakes each year in the name of establishing and promoting financial sustainability of public programs like Medicare and Social Security; about actuarial professionalism, which provides the infrastructure that supports public trust in the profession; and about the eye-popping multiplicity of the Academy membership, a strength on display in every issue brief, webinar, and magazine article the Academy produces.
In my decade here, I’ve had the privilege of watching up close the tireless work of the Academy’s many volunteers, contributing to critical discussions on public policy and professionalism. As an editor, my role has been to ensure these important stories reach the broader audience they deserve, and I’ve been continually inspired by the depth and breadth of what our members do.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue shaping how we share the Academy’s work, finding new ways to connect with our members and the public. The future holds many challenges, but also immense opportunities for growth and influence—and I’m honored to play a part in telling that story.
This issue is largely focused on professionalism. We start with our cover feature, “Safeguarding Self-Regulation” (page 14). The actuarial profession enjoys the privilege of policing itself (understanding that actuaries’ work must, of course, follow applicable laws).
What does that mean? And what responsibilities do individual actuaries have in maintaining this important trust?
For our second feature, we’re reprinting an important new paper from the Academy’s Committee on Professional Responsibility: “Actuarial Professionalism Considerations for Generative AI” (page 20). GenAI is the hottest technology around; what do actuaries who deploy this new tech need to know to make sure they stay on the right side of the professionalism standards they hold dear?
“Risk, Rates, and Reality” (page 30) explores the topic of actuarial soundness as it pertains to Medicaid capitation rate development. With so many players in the mix, how can all stakeholders ensure that appropriate practices have been followed? (Hint: Stick to the standards.)
This issue also features capsules from the Academy’s 2024 class of Rising Actuary Award recipients (page 38). These nine up-and-comers share their thoughts on mentors, communicating in the office, next-gen technologies, and more. Be sure to check out this roundup—the future of the profession is in good hands.
And don’t miss the special report we have on page 48, “Exploring Risk”—a roundtable with four chief risk officers. They provide a peek behind the curtain, divulging what risks they’re watching most closely, how to “see around corners” … and how actuaries are uniquely qualified to identify and mitigate risks, now and into the future.
