It’s difficult to express how humbled, excited, and challenged I am as I begin my term as president of the CAS — humbled by the stature of my predecessors in this role, many of whom I am fortunate to count as friends and mentors; excited because the actuarial profession continues to grow globally and the CAS enjoys a reputation as the global leader in the P&C and risk management actuarial disciplines; and challenged by increasing competition for talent from other actuarial organizations, nonactuarial disciplines, and the rise of AI. Above all, I am incredibly optimistic about the future of the actuarial profession, the CAS, and our members.
The CAS Board of Directors has adopted a strategic plan that features a compelling vision for the future, with five well-defined strategic priorities to make that vision a reality. If you have not yet fully digested the CAS Strategic Plan, I highly recommend you take the opportunity to do so (CAS_2025_Strategic-Plan.pdf). While CAS staff and volunteers will continue to energetically pursue the entire plan over the next two years, I am particularly focused on three important projects we will pursue this year.
Brand Refresh: The CAS last updated its brand assets and messaging in 2013. In today’s fast-paced world, it is critical to keep our image and messaging on point and tailored to effectively communicate with each of our key stakeholder groups. The way we present ourselves to employers, potential candidates, regulators, universities, and the general public needs to be specifically tailored to resonate with each group. That is what the brand refresh effort is all about. This effort has been underway for some time, and we expect to share more updates in the coming months.
Preliminary Exams: We need to address challenges with the structure of our preliminary exams to better align with the needs of university students, faculty, and career changers, thereby placing us on a level playing field with our competitors and equipping future actuaries with the skills they need to be successful. Currently, the CAS requires candidates to complete Exams 1 and 2. In the United States, these requirements are most commonly fulfilled by completing SOA exams P and FM, which are controlled and administered by the SOA. After completing these exams, university students face a choice to sit for a third SOA exam or the CAS MAS I and II Exams at a time when they may not have determined whether they wish to pursue the SOA or CAS credentialing pathway. This places an unfortunate burden on students as they weigh which exams to pursue and on faculty as they strive to guide their students through the process. In light of this, one of our key initiatives in the coming year involves a review of preliminary exam requirements, based on the results of our Actuarial Professional Analysis, to determine what changes we may make to ensure our pathway remains accessible, competitive, and attractive to new candidates, while maintaining our high standards and meeting the needs of employers and the profession.
A word of caution seems appropriate here, as any possible changes to the exam content outlines, particularly at early stages, can feel disruptive to students, candidates, faculty, and employers. Rest assured, we are not pursuing a specific predetermined solution that we plan to implement immediately. Rather, we are undertaking a thoughtful assessment and sense-testing alternative solutions, and any potential changes will be thoroughly evaluated and communicated well in advance of any future implementation date.
CAS Website: Building on our brand refresh, we will be undertaking a refresh of the CAS website, and I am pleased to share that this work is already underway. As you know, the CAS recently implemented a modern Association Management System and CAS Portal to better support e-commerce transactions and management of membership and other data. The CAS Portal implementation addressed critical cybersecurity and data privacy concerns, but more needs to be done to meet member needs. The new website will incorporate modern technology, enhanced search capabilities, and additional features members have been asking for. We will be using member and candidate survey data and website feedback in our development process. While timelines for a project of this nature are always fluid, we hope to begin the rollout later in 2026, which will also allow us to incorporate changes in branding assets and messaging as the brand refresh is implemented.
During my term as president-elect, I had many opportunities to meet with members and leaders of other actuarial organizations, CAS Regional Affiliates, university students and faculty members, regulators, and employers of CAS members. Across all of these stakeholder groups, respect for the CAS organization and its members is evident. Individual members of other organizations who practice in the P&C arena universally regard the CAS as the global leader in P&C actuarial knowledge, and many have even expressed a desire to become a CAS member, if that were possible without “starting over” on the CAS pathway. We are investigating the possibility of various “on-ramps” to the CAS for career changers and experienced P&C practitioners with other actuarial credentials–and these conversations simply reinforce to me the strength of the CAS brand among P&C practitioners — something our brand refresh efforts can undoubtedly build on.
The other unique aspect of the CAS that was reinforced by these interactions is the comparatively high engagement level of CAS members, as demonstrated in both volunteerism and CAS event attendance. We enjoy a remarkable record of member volunteerism, with nearly 30% of CAS members volunteering in some capacity in 2024. Attendance at CAS meetings and seminars is also significant. In 2024, total attendance at 38 live events approached 30,000 — that’s more than two events per member!
As I begin my tenure, I am keenly aware of just how special the CAS is and how fortunate I am to be a member, let alone a leader, of such a unique organization. I also feel a certain amount of responsibility to ensure the CAS retains the characteristics that make it so unique. I am incredibly grateful for the trust placed in me to serve as CAS president, and I will do my part to ensure the CAS remains respected, vibrant, and strong.