Society of Actuaries' New President Takes Office

S. Michael McLaughlin, a principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP, will seek to expand awareness of the actuarial profession's preparedness to provide solutions to some of the insurance industry's most pressing challenges.

The Society of Actuaries' (SOA; Schaumburg, Ill.) new president S. Michael McLaughlin assumed his role at the recently concluded annual meeting of the Society, held in Boston. According to a SOA news release, McLaughlin will focus on enhancing communications with all stakeholders, which includes members, candidates, employers and recruiters throughout North America, as well as expanding awareness of the actuarial profession's capacity to deliver solutions to some of the most pressing business issues facing the insurance industry.

"I am excited for the year ahead, and I am honored to serve the SOA and its members to strengthen the profession and to seek new opportunities for growth," McLaughlin comments. "Actuaries are well-equipped to manage risk and work closely with employers to navigate through their business challenges and the eventual economic recovery.

McLaughlin's background and passion in the area of risk management was at the forefront over the past two years as he played a major role in establishing the SOA's Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst (CERA) credential, according to the news release. As the SOA's first new credential in nearly 60 years, the CERA credential encompasses the skills, training and knowledge in enterprise risk management that are actively sought after by employers and clients. The SOA is working closely with other actuarial organizations internationally to ensure the CERA is recognized as the definitive global risk management credential.

Based in Chicago, Illinois, McLaughlin, a principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP, is Deloitte's global and U.S. leader of life actuarial practices and has directed actuarial practices for more than 20 years. McLaughlin's previous experience includes serving as executive vice president and chief actuary of AXA Financial Inc., as well as the national director of Ernst & Young's life/health insurance and actuarial services practice. McLaughlin is a CERA, a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries (FIA), a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA).

"Mike McLaughlin has the expertise and the desire to lead the SOA during a year in which risk management will continue to be a central issue for nearly every organization imaginable," says Greg Heidrich, executive director of the SOA.

Anthony O'Donnell has covered technology in the insurance industry since 2000, when he joined the editorial staff of Insurance & Technology. As an editor and reporter for I&T and the InformationWeek Financial Services of TechWeb he has written on all areas of information ... View Full Bio