American Academy of Actuaries Honors Rowen Bell With Farley Award

Long-time volunteer recognized for contributions on health care reform and financial reporting

WASHINGTON -- Nov. 8, 2010 -- The American Academy of Actuaries awarded Rowen Bell with the 2010 Jarvis Farley Service Award earlier today during its luncheon and annual meeting. Bell, the divisional vice president of actuarial forecasting for Health Care Service Corporation in Chicago, received the award in recognition of his service to the association and his efforts to provide policymakers with actuarial information related to health care reform and financial reporting.

"He is one of only a handful of health actuaries specializing in financial reporting matters, and as such, he has been instrumental in providing the actuarial perspective on financial elements in the health reform law, specifically the new medical loss ratio requirements," said Academy President Ken Hohman, who presented the award to Bell.

Bell currently is a member of the Academy's Risk Management and Financial Reporting Council and previously has been a member of its Health Practice Council. He also is the chairperson of the Academy's Financial Reporting Committee and of its Medical Loss Ratio Regulation Work Group, one of several work groups organized to coordinate the association's contributions on health reform implementation matters. Bell also served a term as a regular director of the Academy's board of directors from 2006 to 2009.

Before joining Health Care Service Corporation, Bell was a consultant in the Chicago office of Ernst & Young. During his career he also has worked for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Trustmark Insurance Company.

Bell became a member of the American Academy of Actuaries in 1999 and is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and earned two master's degrees from the University of Chicago—one in mathematics and another in finance and accounting.

The Academy also posthumously honored its first international secretary, Daniel McCarthy, with a Farley Award. It was the first time the Academy had presented the annual award to two actuaries in the same year.

The service award was established in 1991 in honor of Jarvis Farley, a charter member of the Academy. Farley was a highly respected figure in the actuarial profession who gave tirelessly to the association. The Academy presents the award to individuals who continue Farley's spirit of volunteer service to the actuarial profession.

For more information or digital photos from the Academy's annual meeting and luncheon, please contact Andrew Simonelli, assistant director of communications for the American Academy of Actuaries, at 202.785.7872. For more information on the American Academy of Actuaries, please visit: www.actuary.org.

The American Academy of Actuaries is a 17,000-member professional association whose mission is to serve the public on behalf of 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.

SOURCE: American Academy of Actuaries

Media contact: Andrew Simonelli, assistant director of communications for the American Academy of Actuaries, 202-785-7872, simonelli@actuary.org