From the President

by Robert A. Anker

The CAS, while certainly an organization of professionals, is equally an organization of volunteers. Volunteerism among members of the CAS has been and is remarkable in both impact and sustainability. It is one of the CAS’s defining qualities, as well as being a distinguishing characteristic. It is something about which to both marvel and worry.

My personal admiration for volunteers and volunteerism is nearly unbounded. Volunteerism represents the best in any organization. It actively demonstrates pride, commitment and loyalty. Through the years the huge efforts of CAS volunteers built our society and sustained it in great health. Enormous amounts of contributed time have allowed US to maintain a high quality education system, advance the profession, and build a full range of services to our membership, all at truly bargain prices.

How did we get here? How do we keep it going?

There seems to be no written history which documents the source of our profession’s volunteer spirit. In all likelihood it rose from a simple combination of need and the basic American volunteer character, but perhaps with a difference. It has recently been noted that CAS members actively volunteer in support of their profession and organization in far greater proportion than is true of members in other major actuarial professional bodies, typically at rates triple or greater. Why? The simplistic answer is because of a great sense of loyalty to and pride in our particular specialty. While that may be the case, there is more to the story.

There has been a notable willingness of our clients and employers to bear a major part of the cost of the efforts. I have had the personal good fortune to work for companies willing to grant the freedom and to underwrite the time and money to support professional activities. Twice in the course of my career I have had to pull back on my involvement due to demands of special circumstances at work. The reservoir of CAS people willing and able to step in and assume responsibilities made pulling back much easier. Both times, when the unique demands were past, re-engagement was readily and easily undertaken. We sometimes forget to thank those who allow us to be involved. The list can include employers, co-workers, family, partners, and potentially many others. Please give them the thanks they deserve.

At any point in time, more than a third of the CAS membership is active in the committee structure of the society. There are a number of advantages to our high level of involvement, not the least of which is that nearly every practicing member of our society is either directly involved or has regular contact with someone who is involved. Such coverage helps us all be more aware of and have in-put into the society and, as suggested earlier, pride in the organization and volunteerism are tightly linked and feed on each other.

Sustaining the traditionally high level of participation in the affairs of the CAS is becoming an ever greater challenge as our numbers increase. We will be able to sustain heavy involvement only if there is meaningful activity for our members. (I have yet to meet the actuary who can’t tell the difference between real work and make-work.) Fortunately, as our membership becomes involved in ever more areas of operation professionally and geographically, the areas in which we can provide service continue to expand along with the society’s administrative burden. Making the right choices for providing service and opportunities will continue to be a key to keeping our profession vital and our organization relevant.

So, when all is said and done, I believe we in the CAS need to continue to nurture and promote volunteerism at as high a level as is possible and meaningful. I am confident we will be able to rise to the challenge and, in doing so, continue in the great CAS tradition of constantly building a better future by building a better profession and better actuaries.