From the Executive Editor

Hello, ASEA—

Welcome to our annual Music Issue, or at least a nod to the upcoming summer concert season… cheers to upcoming nice nights under the stars listening to music.

I finally caught COVID for the first time (with minimal side effects). April was tricky—indoor concerts were a go in NYC but the crowds were suspect. I was in the front listening to Will Hoge, a singer/songwriter from Nashville, where this super friendly guy was drunkenly shooting spittle at me as we spoke. My mask was down and I’m thinking, “This guy is giving me COVID.”  

On to our first article from Virginia C. Wentz, EA, FSEA, CPC, Director of Actuarial Services at the MandMarblestone Group llc, and our newest President. Her article contains everything you need to know about committees important to our livelihood, volunteer opportunities, a link to ASEA Symposium info, and a mention of napping cats! You can find Virginia’s article here.

Speaking of the Symposium, at one of my first then-ACOPA Symposia, when I did not know anyone, I sat with Kevin Donovan and Mary Ann Rocco at lunch. When the conversation turned to music, and Kevin and Mary Ann talked about their vast concert and music fandom, it was really that “a-ha” moment when I knew that our professional group was something special. Mary Ann was President and Kevin was a speaker at the Symposium, and we were talking about Fleetwood Mac. For me, it was a moment worth writing about more than a decade later.

And speaking of A-ha, that ’80s band was one of the concerts I saw that might have given me COVID. Their first time back at Radio City Music Hall in 35 years, and they were quite appreciative that the fans were still coming to see them. Surprisingly, a new documentary just came out about them—but I have really digressed.

Our next article does not tie into music, but it does tie into multiemployer plans. This is of special interest because the next time there is an opening on the EA-2L Exam Writers Committee, it would be great to have someone with multi-ER experience to help with those questions (especially so I won’t have to write them). Please contact me if you fit the bill. The article was written by Troy A. Schnabel, FCA, ASA, MAAA, EA, Enrolled Actuary at Watkins Ross (and thank you to David E. Paauwe, MSPA, EA, and President of Watkins Ross with helping bring us the article). You can find it here.

Speaking of the EA-2L Exam Writers Committee, I will soon meet our next writer in person. The EA-2L exam writers committee will be in Tampa! Back on a plane for the first time since Monkeypox! Matthew C. Longley, EA, MAAA, MSEA, Retirement Plan Actuary at CBIZ, details his Linkedin experience. Matt has a lot of good advice for prospective employees and shares his experiences in these matters. He is a great addition to the ASEA family and I look forward to him using his “big mouth” (as I just called him on our phone call) to further the retirement plan world we live in. You can find Matt’s article here.

And speaking of big mouths (said with the utmost respect), I mentioned our next writer during the call with Matt. When you are as knowledgeable as Norman Levinrad, EA, FSPA, CPC, you can really speak your mind on other matters without fear (or at least that is what I imagine it to be like). Whether it was showing the Simpson’s Montgomery Burns as the CFO and a dog as chief shredder on his company’s website, or his hilarious warning to recruiters not to contact him about a job listing, there are few actuaries (if any) like Norm out there that I have encountered. I worked for someone I despised who told me, “You are no one in business until you are sued.” Whether that is true or not, I would jokingly alter that to say, “You know you have arrived when Norm busts your chops on the ASEA Google Group.” I purposely left off Norm’s title and company name. You will have to read about it here.

And finally, to cap off our Music Issue, here are the only three songs I know of (and love) with any mention of pensions:

“Jammin’ Me” by Tom Petty (Take back your pension plan)

“Count your Blessings” by Nas and Damian Marley (We’ve got pension and welfare)

The last one is the international chart-topper by the aforementioned Norm Levinrad, “No Balance No Cry,” a beautiful ode to not establishing or maintaining prefunding or carryover balances. You usually hear it around the holidays (the holiday being Oct. 15). Could have sworn we sang it at an old Symposium, but after asking Norm about that, I either imagined it or dreamt it. The song is real, though (minus the international success).

Okay, folks—see you at ASPPA Annual. I was going to go to the ASEA Symposium but I quite literally had just bought tickets to see Counting Crows before the Symposium date was announced and they are at the same time. Music and pensions: my two passions!

—Alan