By Nick Ortner
The cross-section of articles in this edition of The Independent Consultant continue to build on the themes of “service” and “change” that the Entrepreneurial Actuaries Section (EAS) has embraced moving through 2014 and beyond:
SERVICE: This quarter, we particularly serve the education and development needs of entrepreneurial-minded actuaries and related professionals with the following articles:
- Suzanne Bates and Scott Weighart investigate “executive presence”—that recipe of temperament, competencies and skills that influences others, achieves desired results, and helps take your career to the heights you have in sight.
- Carlos Fuentes provides insight on effectively communicating—and how to eliminate ineffective communication—in his article on business writing and speaking.
CHANGE: How is the entrepreneurial world changing and responding to change? Two strong examples of the world’s evolution are presented in this quarter’s issue of The Independent Consultant:
- Michael Frank continues his exploration of the new ground being broken by the actuarial science program at Columbia University, with his summary of Columbia’s “invasion” of Bermuda.
- Our interview with Minaz Lalani, founder and managing principal of Lalani Consulting Group, provides a more complete picture of another entrepreneur who, in blending his expertise and vision with a successful corporate past, has adapted to the changing world and built a strategic, actuarial and risk management consulting business.
Involvement in the EAS can take many forms—as a speaker for EAS-sponsored sessions/webinars; as a newsletter recruiter or author; as a Friend of the EAS Council to assist where council needs fit your talents, potentially building into a broader position on the council itself; or in roles that you may define and mold to your skills and availability—to grow your network in a meaningful way and enrich your own professional brand in a low-risk, potentially high-reward environment.
We continue to also be very interested in new options for enhancing the value of EAS membership. Please contact any EAS Council member with ideas, questions and interests in volunteering. Our Web page remains a dynamic source for ongoing activities and information:
Nick Ortner, FSA, MAAA, is sales vice president for the Group Markets practice of National Guardian Life Insurance Company in Madison, Wisconsin, and current chair of the EAS. He may be reached at 608.443.5280 or njortner@nglic.com .