American Academy of Actuaries Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum

WASHINGTON — The American Academy of Actuaries marked its 50th anniversary with a gala dinner held on Nov. 12 at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, during its Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum held Nov. 12-13 in Washington, D.C. To commemorate this milestone, the Academy recognized charter members and past presidents of the Academy who attended the meeting, and released a commemorative book, a 15-minute movie, and an interactive online timeline highlighting the history of the Academy’s service to the public and the U.S. actuarial profession.

Speaking in the Great Hall of the museum during the gala event, Academy 2014-15 President Mary D. Miller said to the audience of nearly 300: “As we mark this Golden Anniversary, we celebrate the vision of the Academy founders and honor their commitment, as well as all of those who have labored since, to make the dream of a U.S. national organization that would provide the structure to accredit all actuaries in the United States a reality. We are all dedicated to the dual mission of service to the U.S. profession, and to serving the public interest through our objective public policy work. We’re able to celebrate this milestone because of the farsighted actuaries who preceded us.”

The Academy was founded shortly after 4 p.m. Eastern time on Oct. 25, 1965, with Henry Rood as its first president, after four U.S. actuarial organizations accepted a joint committee’s proposal to found the organization. The Academy had 1,466 charter members, and held its first annual meeting in Bal Harbour, Fla., on Oct. 31, 1966.

Today, the Academy’s membership has grown to more than 18,500 members, and the Annual Meeting and Public Policy Forum is its flagship annual membership meeting. During the meeting, the Academy formally conducts its business according to its bylaws, and it provides U.S. actuaries across all practice areas with practice-focused and cross-practice public policy and professionalism education programs.

Several prominent public officials spoke and will speak during the plenary sessions on Nov. 12-13. On Nov. 12, Adam W. Hamm, insurance commissioner of North Dakota, discussed “How State Regulators Address Cybersecurity,” and Richard Berner, director of the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Financial Research, spoke about the office’s work to improve the quality, transparency, and accessibility of financial information and provide analysis of threats to financial stability. On Nov. 13, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler and White House Council on Environmental Quality Deputy Associate Director for Climate Preparedness Samantha Medlock will participate in a panel discussion on the risks posed by climate change, including the evolution of extreme event risk exposure and the changing scope and severity of the economic threat posed by climate risk. Comptroller General of the United States Gene Dodaro will conclude the annual meeting program with an address on “The Sustainability of Government Programs.”

Learn more about the Academy’s 50 years and ongoing service to the public and the U.S. actuarial profession by visiting http://www.actuary.org/content/new-academy-anniversary-page.


About the American Academy of Actuaries
The American Academy of Actuaries is an 18,500+ member professional association whose mission is to serve the public and the U.S. actuarial profession. The Academy assists public policymakers on all levels by providing leadership, objective expertise, and actuarial advice on risk and financial security issues. The Academy also sets qualification, practice, and professionalism standards for actuaries in the United States.