Robert Meilander Appointed Chairperson of the Actuarial Standards Board

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2011 -- Robert Meilander will become chairperson of the Actuarial Standards Board (ASB) on Jan. 1. He was appointed to the post by the Council of U.S. Presidents, a committee comprised of the presidents and presidents-elect of the five U.S.-based actuarial organizations. Meilander, who is vice president and corporate actuary for Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, is currently in his second year as vice chairperson the ASB. He will succeed Albert Beer as chairperson.

For more than 20 years, Meilander was the lead actuary for Northwestern Mutual's disability income line. He moved into his current role in 1996 and is responsible for the valuation of liabilities, testing reserves, and actuarial aspects of corporate modeling, surplus management, and financial reporting. He became the company's appointed actuary in 2008 and took on the additional responsibility of forming actuarial opinions on the company's reserves.

Meilander is an active member of the American Academy of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries. He has served as a volunteer on the American Academy of Actuaries Life Practice Council and Life Capital Adequacy Subcommittee. As a volunteer for the Academy, Meilander made significant contributions in the development of the 2001 Commissioners Standard Ordinary (CSO) Mortality Table and to a project to recommend new capital standards for interest rate risk associated with life insurance products. Meilander earned a bachelor's degree from Drake University in 1973.

The Actuarial Standards Board independently establishes and improves standards of actuarial practice. It was established within and is supported by the American Academy of Actuaries. For more information, contact Andrew Simonelli, assistant director of communications for the American Academy of Actuaries, at 202.785.7872 or visit: www.actuarialstandardsboard.org

The American Academy of Actuaries is a 17,000-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.

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