The Society of Actuaries (SOA) Board of Directors met for a combination of virtual and in-person meetings in Ponte Vedra, Florida, the week of March 16-20 to discuss strategic priorities and key organizational initiatives. Discussions included a review of the competitive landscape, education updates and global partnership opportunities. The Board approved the SOA’s research strategy principles and authorized a member vote for proposed governance Bylaws changes.
Competitive Landscape: The Board discussed the competitive environment for attracting and supporting candidates, including alternative careers such as data science, the impact of AI on entry-level roles, other actuarial organizations and factors that shape the candidate journey. The discussion highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the pipeline, enhance education pathways and support global growth to keep the SOA competitive.
Education Updates: Following the Board’s approval to establish a dedicated task force to review the Associate pathway, work is underway to assess the knowledge and skills required for new ASAs through member feedback. The task force is expected to present learnings and initial recommendations to the Board at the June meeting. Other updates were shared including progress and growth of university programs and partnerships.
Partnership Opportunities: The Board discussed opportunities to strengthen international relationships and support actuarial education in key global markets. This includes potential collaboration with international partners to enhance pathways and grow the profession.
Research Strategy: The Board approved the Research Institute’s strategy principles that focus on enhancing the impact, quality and global relevance of the SOA’s research programs. The principles reinforce high-impact research, including strengthening experience studies, expanding global reach, and concentrating practice research programs on areas that are core to SOA members.
Board Governance: The Board reviewed recommendations from the Governance Implementation Task Force focused on enhancing Board structure, leadership and the election process. The proposed updates are based on member feedback and aim to strengthen Board effectiveness and future needs. The Board approved moving the proposed SOA Bylaws changes to a member vote during the September 2026 Board election. In addition, the Board approved the recommendation from the Board Recruiting and Selection Committee and the Governance and Policy Committee to reserve one seat in the 2026 Board election for an international member from the East/Southeast Asia region or the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.