Will to Speak at 2000 CAS Annual Meeting

by John J. Lewandowski

George Will, one of America's leading political observers, is the featured speaker at the 2000 CAS Annual Meeting, which will be held November 12-15 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. Will is seen weekly on ABC's This Week and read nationally in Newsweek and in his syndicated newspaper columns.

Four general sessions are planned for the Annual Meeting. The first general session, "Product Distribution in a Changing Business Environment," will explore how insurance companies and insurance brokers are positioning themselves for Internet development. In addition, a multiple topic general session will be offered. These sessions will include "Auto Safety, Engineering, and Insurance—A Dynamic Troika," a review of the interrelationships among factors affecting auto frequency and severity distributions, and "Financial Services Modernization: Information vs. Privacy Issues," a discussion on recent attempts to safeguard consumer privacy in their dealings with insurers. Finally, a general session on "Worshipping at the Altar of Shareholder Value" will explore the implications of the shareholder value concept for property/casualty insurers.

Concurrent session topics being planned include financial statement analysis, an update on securitization, emerging financial products, the actuary's role in due diligence, the view of actuaries from offshore, an update on the state of the workers compensation market, volunteerism, and earnings management. A limited attendance workshop focusing on developing general business skills will also be offered.

On Tuesday evening, members and guests are invited to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for a special dinner.

More detailed information on the CAS 2000 Annual Meeting will soon be mailed to members.