I recently had the good fortune to become Exam Coordinator for Pinnacle Actuarial Resources, Inc. At Pinnacle, the Exam Coordinator is part administrator, part mentor and part cheerleader. In this role, I have the opportunity to be involved with 30 of my exam-taking colleagues as they navigate their way toward becoming credentialed actuaries.

Pinnacle recently hosted the 5^th annual Pinnacle University (Pinnacle U) event in our Bloomington office. The Pinnacle U program is a collaborative effort with Illinois State University (ISU) to provide training and development opportunities to both our employees and local college students. Consistent with our firm’s commitment to community, Pinnacle U is well-received in the Bloomington-Normal area.

In our fast-paced consulting environment, we need to be quick-witted and use our strong analytical backgrounds. But what if the challenge is physical – are we up for it? Four Seasons Health Club (FSHC) in Bloomington, Illinois recently held Battle 4 BloNo, a community-based fitness competition, to raise money for the Humane Society of Central Illinois (HSCI), Special Olympics and Boys & Girls Club. Pinnacle sent Team “Risky Business,” to participate in the event, which would put our speed and strength to the test. 

The strategic plan of the Casualty Actuarial Society includes a directive to “Develop strong relationships with academics and increase awareness among academics of the CAS career path.” Recognizing there are currently just over 3,000 four-year degree-granting institutions in the United States, a question arises as to how far this outreach extends. With this in mind, I’ve gone back to my roots and visited the two academic institutions that have most impacted my life.

I was eight years old the very first time I helped out at Springfield, Illinois’ Memorial Medical Center Foundation’s Festival of Trees.  My mother took my siblings and me with her as she volunteered at the annual fundraiser for the Foundation, giving us the tasks of refilling supplies for the children’s craft tables or picking up after the crafts were done.  Since that first year, the Festival has become part of our annual holiday celebration, and this year I used my Pinnacle community service day to once again volunteer there.