Ron Schuler, head actuary for property & casualty broking for North America at Willis Towers Watson (WTW), has made a long and outstanding contribution to the insurance industry.

After 29 years in the business, his connections and clients span Fortune 250 and private companies across most major industry groups.

At WTW he provides oversight for actuarial pricing, reserving, and feasibility analyses for various self-insurance and alternative risk programmes.

Schuler has taken the role and pushed it to foster innovation and led several strategic initiatives and projects that have advanced actuarial, brokerage, and insurance concepts.

These projects have included collaborating to develop differentiated and innovative broking engagement platforms, claim analytic solution models, as well as taking responsibility for leadership.

He was recently appointed head of collateral solutions at WTW due to his knowledge and special expertise in collateral negotiations with insurance carriers and regulatory bodies. Working in this role, he has advanced collateral negotiation processes by developing a strategy and concepts that are intended to utilise and maximise analytics in the framework of negotiations, while maintaining the underlying premise of engagement and collaboration.

But it is also for his mentoring and guidance qualities that Schuler stands out.

Beyond the day-to-day work, Schuler has helped students and actuaries develop a clear path in their careers while emphasising the importance of standards of practice, professional codes of conduct, and applying their unique skill sets.

This willingness to lead, teach, guide, and lend a helping hand are key qualities to advance the case for your professional status. And for this the judges decided Schuler wins the chief actuary of the year award.