SOA Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating candidates for election in accordance with SOA policies and may establish guidelines for conducting elections consistent with SOA policies.
The annual nominations process starts each December, when the Board's Governance and Policy Committee and the Nominating Committee identify the skills and experience the Board needs, based on initiatives in the strategic plan and issues facing the SOA at the time. The Nominating Committee provides public notice to members of the upcoming election and the call for nominations.
Any SOA fellow can submit his or her name for election to the SOA Board of Directors or as president-elect. The Nominating Committee reviews all nominees once they apply. They obtain background information (e.g., volunteer history, discipline history, criminal background checks, etc.).
Nominees complete a questionnaire about Board service. They take part in an interview with members of the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee discusses all the possible candidates. This process takes several weeks and involves many hours of discussion. Candidate evaluation is based on a variety of factors including:
- The needs of the SOA;
- Their commitment to the profession and the SOA;
- Their ability to work well with others in a board setting; and,
- Their intellectual engagement with the issues currently facing the profession and the SOA.
The Nominating Committee presents a final ballot to the Board for approval. Once the Board approves, the Nominating Committee notifies nominees. Nominees are "endorsed" candidates on the final ballot for the members' consideration.
Nominating Committee Chair
Erin J. Knopf, FSA, MAAA, is a Senior Actuary for Global Bankers Insurance Group in Basking Ridge, NJ. She previously worked at Enstar Group Limited and HSBC.
Nominating Committee Vice Chair
Elaine T. Corrough, FSA, MAAA, FCA, is a Partner and Consulting Actuary for Axene Health Partners, LLC in Mulino, OR.
Nominating Committee Members
Kara Clark, FSA, MAAA, is a Principal at Oliver Wyman since January 2019. She previously was Senior Director, Outcomes and Analytics at Walgreens. She is based in the Chicago area.
C. Ian Genno, FSA, FCIA, CERA, is Director and Head, Mortgage Insurance Group for Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada in Toronto, ON.
Paula Hodges, FSA, MAAA, is Second Vice President, Associate Actuary at Ameritas Life Insurance since 2012 and is based in Lincoln NE.
Brian E. Pauley FSA, MAAA, is a Managing Director, Actuarial Services, for Evolent Health in Arlington, VA.
Michael B. Smith, FSA, MAAA, FCAS, is a Consulting Actuary based in the Jacksonville FL area since 2007.
Larry N. Stern, FSA, MAAA, is a sole-practicing, reinsurance intermediary and consulting actuary located in Charlotte, NC. His company name is Canterbury Consulting, LLC. Larry has 45 years life insurance industry experience.
Donna K. Weninger, FSA, MAAA, is Vice-President and Appointed Actuary for SCOR Global Life Americas in Leawood, KS. She has more than 20 years of experience as an life insurance actuary.
Interested in serving on the Nominating Committee? Fill out an expression of interest form.
Nominating Committee Member Criteria
The Nominating Committee is composed of nine Fellows, with staggered three-year terms. Three members retire off the Committee each year, so there are typically three slots to be filled. The Committee should be reasonably representative of the diversity of the membership (including, but not limited to, geographical, occupational interests, years of experience and gender). The balance of past Board members and those without SOA Board of Directors’ experience should also be a consideration. It is especially important to include several members with recent service as Board members or Presidential officers since they have clearest and best insight into the needs and requirements of the Board. Consider a ratio of 1/3 of committee members with previous SOA Board or Presidential officer experience.
The primary responsibility of the Nominating Committee is to create a ballot with the strongest candidates for the annual SOA Board of Directors election. In reviewing the applications, the Governance and Policy Committee looks for people who:
- will diligently tackle the job
- have relevant SOA experience that will enable them to appreciate the strategic needs of the SOA and to assess the experience and qualifications of the nominees
- have the skillset necessary to identify leadership and leadership potential