The Language of Consulting

It was during this time that an opportunity in the actuarial consulting space opened up. Initially, I found myself overwhelmed by actuarial models and technical jargon. Thankfully I had mentors who guided me through my nascent years as my role suddenly flipped from educator to student. I try to keep that feeling with me, knowing that my clients are not exposed to actuarial science on a regular basis. Throughout my 15+ years in the profession, I have found that an engagement does not typically end once the final answer is derived and the report is provided to the client. The true value of an engagement is to translate the technical language embedded in the numbers into a form that others can understand; this is arguably where the real work of a consulting actuary begins. My most fulfilling engagements are those where my clients not only understand the results of the actuarial report, but can explain the results to others on their staff, their board of directors, their direct reports and others. 

Our ability to learn, to educate and to be educated is something we should never take for granted. This gives each of us an opportunity to grow and share our expertise with the world – a reward in and of itself, even if we are looking at one another's shoes.

Danny Linton is a senior consulting actuary with Pinnacle Actuarial Resources working from Nashville, Tennessee. He holds a Master of Education degree and a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame. Danny has been in the property/casualty industry since 2005, focused on loss reserving, loss forecasting, captive feasibility studies, capital modeling and cost allocation mechanisms. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.