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CAS Profile: Jason Nikowitz

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My name is Jason Nikowitz.  I have an associate degree from Harper College, a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University, and a master’s degree from North Central College.  I currently work at Zurich North America as an AVP Actuary and Team Lead.  Prior to transitioning to actuarial work, I taught high school mathematics for five years.  I am a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS), a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), and a Certified Specialist in Predictive Analytics (CSPA).

Why would you recommend a career in the insurance industry to current college students?
A career in the insurance industry can be rewarding experience that combines applied analytics and problem solving in a way that benefits society.  Risk is an unavoidable part of life, and at its core the insurance industry quantifies that risk in a way that motivates businesses and individuals to reduce and mitigate their exposure to it.  It provides a method for those participating in risky endeavors to pay their fair share.  In exchange, insurance companies promise to provide support and indemnification if said risk manifests into a tangible loss.  Actuaries are the backbone of the quantification of risk; without them insurance companies couldn’t confidently keep these promises.

Why did you become an actuary?
While I loved teaching for five years, I decided I wanted to pursue a career that offered more opportunities to apply higher levels of mathematics and problem solving.  To be honest, I was also drawn in by the exam process.  I consider myself a life-long learner, so to be able to switch to a career that supported a formal learning process like the exams do was a big plus.  Icing on the cake was that I could apply my programing skills as well, which was something I had been developing as a hobby.

What drew you to a career in property and casualty insurance?
Property and casualty insurances interested me specifically because of the unique products they offer and challenges they face in analyzing and supporting these products.  There’s so much to learn in this industry, and it seems the possibilities are only increasing.

What can students do now to prepare for a career in the industry?
Specifically, students can explore the exam process and, after preparing adequately, even attempt an exam.  The exams aren’t everything, but they are a big part of the early stages of this career so it’s important to be on board with them and the commitment they’ll entail.  In general, they can work on building their math, statistics, and analytical skills.

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CAS Profile: Jim Arns, ACAS, MAAA

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University: The University of Iowa

Current Employer/Title: Deloitte Consulting LLP – P&C Actuarial Senior Manager

Why would you recommend a career in the insurance industry to current college students?
Insurance is an industry with a lot of opportunities. Almost every individual and business in the US is required to have insurance. Insurance provides piece of mind to ensure individuals and businesses can operate while being protected in the event of a loss. Within insurance, actuaries fill not only actuarial roles but roles within Underwriting, Claims, Finance, and I have even seen Marketing! Actuaries within Insurance are highly appreciated and leveraged!

Why did you become an actuary?
In High School I began to explore careers. I knew I was good at math and wanted a career that incorporated math. I explored Accounting, Finance, and Actuarial Science. In looking at the different paths, Actuarial Science stood out to me. It was known as one of the top professions and allowed for a lot of growth. To this day, I do not regret my decision.

What drew you to a career in property and casualty insurance?
The variety of work. If you think about the actuarial world, Health actuaries work on Health Insurance, Life actuaries work with Life insurance, and Retirement actuaries deal with Retirement, P&C does everything else. One day you can be working on Personal Auto, the next day Workers’ Compensation, and the day after, Asbestos & Environmental. The variety of P&C Insurance will always ensure you will never be bored!

What can students do now to prepare for a career in the industry?
Keep current on issues impacting the industry. One thing I stress to my staff is to not only understand what clients are doing but what macro issues exist that can affect them. This will help you become a future leader!

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CLRS

Attend CAS Student Program at the Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar in St. Louis, MO!

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CLRSThe Casualty Actuarial Society is offering an in-person Student Program at this year’s Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar (CLRS) in St. Louis, Missouri on September 20, 2022. The event will run from 8:45am to 3:45pm. Members of CAS Student Central are invited to participate in this FREE one-day program!

CAS Student Program Attendees Will:

  • Learn More About the CAS, Reserving, and the Property and Casualty Industry
  • Network and Connect with CAS Members
  • Attend Professional Concurrent Sessions and Student-Specific Sessions

Registration is open to members of CAS Student Central. Students who are not yet members can easily sign up online, and then register to attend the event. There are a limited number of spaces available, therefore any students that register after we have reached capacity will be placed on a waiting list.

There is no cost for students to register to attend the CAS Student Program, attendees are only responsible for transportation and lodging (if applicable).

If you have questions, please contact CAS Candidate Engagement Manager, Stephanie Litrenta, at slitrenta@casact.org.

Location:
Marriott St. Louis Grand
800 Washington Avenue St.
Louis, Missouri, USA, 63101

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Students at 2022 CAS Spring Meeting

CAS Hosts Student Conference at the 2022 Spring Meeting

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The CAS hosted students from seven universities at the Spring Meeting in Orlando, FL for a one-day Student Conference. The program, which began in 2013, has been a sought-after opportunity for university students interested in pursuing a career in actuarial science. The day offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the property and casualty (P&C) career path by attending an introductory session on the CAS and the P&C industry, professional concurrent sessions and networking activities with CAS members and mentors.

The response to CAS Student Programs has been overwhelmingly positive. Students appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the CAS and the property-casualty field. One student stated, “learning from the mentors and establishing connections with other students was extremely valuable.” They were also excited to get complimentary professional headshots taken!

Interacting with fellow actuarial science students from other universities and mentors is a valuable and gratifying experience for all involved and made the CAS Spring Meeting Student Conference an absolute success.

A big thank you to our eight mentors who participated in the program and welcomed the students into the CAS community!

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CAS is Hosting a Student Program in Orlando!

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The Casualty Actuarial Society is pleased to offer a FREE student program at this year’s Spring Meeting in Orlando, FL on May 17, 2022. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. University students interested in pursuing an actuarial career are invited to participate in this one-day program! 

CAS Student Program Attendees Will:

  • Learn More About the CAS and the Property and Casualty Industry 
  • Connect with CAS Members and Participate in a Speed Network Session 
  • Attend Professional Concurrent Sessions and Student-Specific Sessions 
  • Take Professional Headshots

There is no cost for students to register to attend the CAS Spring Meeting Student Program. However, attendees are responsible for any travel costs incurred including transportation and lodging (if applicable).

Registration is open to members of CAS Student Central. Students not yet members can easily sign up online, and then register to attend the event.  

There are a limited number of spaces available, therefore any students that register after we have reached capacity will be placed on a waiting list. 

If you have questions please contact CAS Candidate Engagement Manager, Stephanie Litrenta, at slitrenta@casact.org. 

The 2022 CAS Spring Meeting will be held at: 

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort 

1000 West Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8403
Main Phone: +1-407-939-1000 

Alexis Delos Reyes, University of Nebraska – Lincoln Actuarial Science Student shares her experience attending the 2021 CAS Annual Meeting Student Program:

“I had the amazing opportunity to attend the CAS Annual meeting in San Diego, CA. It was an unforgettable experience. By attending, I learned about the frontier of social media data and insurance and the thought process behind pricing niche products that have little historic data backing them.  

I am thankful for CAS Student Central for organizing a lunch where I had the opportunity to meet with 8 mentors that I can reach out to at any point in my career.

My conference experience would not be the same without meeting the other actuarial students from around the nation. I made genuine friends that I can’t wait to connect with again in the future.” 

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Registration Now Open for CAS Student Central Webinar: CAS Basic Education Update and Winning Tactics for Taking Exams in College and Post-Graduation

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We are hosting a free webinar on April 7 at 2:00 p.m. ET exclusively for members of CAS Student Central to provide an update on the latest CAS Basic Education requirements, and to offer tips and guidance on taking actuarial exams while in college and upon graduation.

Webinar Topics Include:

  • CAS Basic Education Requirements Including Recent Changes
  • Study Schedules and Tips for Balancing School Work
  • Dealing with Failure
  • Transitioning From a Student to Working Full-Time

Presenters will include Ken Williams, FCAS, CAS Staff Actuary, Harry Cheng, a junior at the University of Texas at Dallas, and Othon Hamill, a recent graduate and Actuarial Analyst at Homesite Insurance. Together they will share their insights and answer your questions over the course of the one-hour webinar!

 

 

 

Meet the Presenters

Ken Williams, FCAS, MAAA, Staff Actuary, Casualty Actuarial Society

Ken Williams is a Staff Actuary at the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS). Prior to joining the CAS, Ken spent 26 years with COUNTRY Financial Insurance Company. Ken has also been a lecturer in the Math department at Illinois State University for over 20 years. He is both a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS), and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA).

Harry Cheng, Incoming Actuarial Intern at State Farm, Junior at University of Texas at Dallas

Harry Cheng will graduate UT-Dallas in 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science. He has a passion for math and technology and completed the CAS Student Central Summer Program in 2021. Harry recently accepted an internship at State Farm where he will work as an Actuarial Intern.

Othon Hamill, Actuarial Analyst at Homesite Insurance

Othon Hamill graduated from Brigham Young University in 2020 with a bachelor’s in actuarial science. As an analyst at Homesite Insurance, Othon has been focused on reserving and financial analysis for commercial property and casualty lines. He is a current volunteer on the Candidate Advocate Working Group and published his first article in Future Fellows in March 2022.

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CAS Profile: Charles Lei, FCAS

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School: New York University 

Current Employer/Title: Vice President Actuary, Head of US Reserving at Ascot Group 

Why would you recommend a career in the insurance industry to current college students?
The insurance industry is exciting because insurance products are always changing to keep up with the world.  For example, we get to see how cyber risks or wildfire risks change year to year or even quicker.  Actuaries also play important roles in interpreting data to help insurance companies make good, informed business decisions. 

Why did you become an actuary?
When I was in college, I knew I wanted to be in a more quantitative career, and one of my academic advisors pointed me to actuarial science.  I liked how the exams provide an initial structure and career trajectory that I found helpful starting out.  I’ve also been able to make work/life balance a priority throughout my career.  For example, I’ve been able to balance an engaging career while also participating in rec sports leagues throughout the year.  

What drew you to a career in property and casualty insurance?
I’ve always found property and casualty insurance to be a little more interesting than life insurance because of the nature of the risks compared to the standard life insurance products.  We have uncertainty around loss frequency, severity, and timing.  

What can students do now to prepare for a career in the industry?
It’s become more and more of a necessity for actuaries to be comfortable working with large data sets, so I would recommend students take a computer or data science course if that’s available.  I would also recommend students try to talk to working actuaries.  Both actuarial societies have set up events and resources to help facilitate this, such as this month’s Be An Actuary events. 

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