In each November/December issue of Actuarial Review, we take time to recognize a member or group of members who have made exceptional volunteer contributions to the CAS over the year. In this issue, you will meet members of the Actuarial Professional Analysis (APA) Task Force, who have taken on the challenge of putting together a comprehensive evaluation to validate or redefine the importance of various content areas for P&C actuaries. As you will read in the story, these volunteers are committed to contributing 20 hours of work per month toward the ongoing project!
That kind of commitment got me thinking about the volunteers in my life who make such a huge difference in what we contribute to the actuarial community through our publication. I asked one of our Actuarial Review Working Group rockstar volunteers, CAS Fellow Rob Kahn, why he spends countless hours reading and editing and writing content for our publication. His reply: “Self-expression coupled with a desire for appreciation.” That is what we at the CAS aim to do — show appreciation for all the hard work our volunteers put in to keep this organization going.
According to the latest CAS Quinquennial Survey, over half of our members have volunteered in the last five years. More than half of volunteers (53.6%) are satisfied with their overall experience volunteering with CAS, and 17.7% are very satisfied. It was of note that we received 52 comments from those who were satisfied or very satisfied, describing common themes of reasons to volunteer such as networking/working with other volunteers or staff (60%), giving back to the organization (27%) and achieving personal goals (12%).
Volunteering with the CAS is beneficial to both personal and professional growth. It strengthens the actuarial community, enhances leadership skills and expands industry knowledge. Volunteers contribute to advancing the profession, shaping CAS initiatives and fostering collaboration, ensuring the organization’s continued relevance and success.
In addition to the focus on volunteerism, you will find a cover story by CAS Fellow Rachel Hunter on issues surrounding telematics and privacy. Our “Meet the VEEP” column introduces you to our Vice President-International Keith Berman, who gives the inside scoop on how the CAS is growing globally.
