2022 Board Member Candidate
Mark Shemtob, FSA 2016, MAAA 1982, EA 1984, MSPA 1987, FCA 2017
Retired F/T, actuarial consulting and financial planning P/T
MS Advisory LLC and Mark Shemtob Financial Planner LLC
Denville, NJ
Election Message:
I am honored to have been endorsed as a candidate for the 2022-2025 Society of Actuaries Board of Directors. The Society led by the Board has done an excellent job at keeping our profession vibrant, which is an ongoing challenge. I am confident that I possess the skills, vision, and passion to be among those tasked with maintaining our profession’s leadership in risk management.
Prior to becoming an actuary, I was a teacher. First with the US Peace Corp in Southeast Asia and then in New York City where I was raised. My first actuarial job was back in 1979. Forty years later I sold my pension consulting firm and significantly increased my volunteerism both within and outside our profession. I also increased my consulting with individual retirees to help them navigate retiree risk challenges. I believe that this type of individual consulting and defined contribution plan income challenges in the private sector is one of many areas where actuarial skills offer potential for increasing opportunities for our profession. This being among the strategic ongoing goals for the Board to address.
Other than during the first three years of my actuarial career I have managed and owned a small actuarial pension consulting firm with just two other actuaries. It was my extensive volunteer efforts within our profession that allowed me the opportunity to get to know and collaborate with many actuaries from all areas of practice and different companies and organizations. I believe this collaborative experience with actuarial peers, my tendency to be forward thinking, and dedication to engaging fully in my volunteer roles makes me an attractive candidate for the Board. I have also volunteered within our profession to address the impact of Diversity Equity and Inclusion concerns as well as Environmental Sustainability and Governance issues. These areas will be important elements within our profession’s future products, services, and outreach development.
I hope you will take the time to watch my video and read my Election Questionnaire that provides more detail regarding my background and thoughts for our future. Of course, feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have or just to chat.
Brief description of current work:
Consult in the establishment of business retirement programs and retiree financial plans by addressing investment, insurance, and other relevant risks. Significant time spent on volunteering within our profession’s organizations.
Primary Area(s) of Practice:
Retirement; institutional and individual.
Bio:
I am a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (Society), an Enrolled Actuary under ERISA, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries (Academy), Conference of Consulting Actuaries (Conference) and the American Association of Actuaries and Pension Professionals. Over a four-decade career I have provided actuarial and consulting services to employers with respect to a variety of retirement plans. I am an active volunteer with the Society, the Academy, and the Conference addressing retirement security issues by serving on many retirement related committees, participating in projects, engaging in publications on retirement security matters as well as presenting at conferences. I am a Certified Financial Planner providing consulting services to retirees on personal retirement strategies. I earned my B.S. in mathematics from SUNY Albany and a M.A. in mathematics from Columbia University. Please see the Election Questionnaire for more details on my background