Employee Spotlight: Joe Peterson

Some people are naturally drawn to certain career paths, while others choose a role that aligns with their niche interests and strengths. For Joe Peterson, the decision was clear: He wanted a job that would allow him to problem solve, and actuarial science fell in his lap.

He first heard about this industry as he was preparing to start college. His sister was a grad student who had actuarial science students in her classes, and the topic piqued his interest.

"After doing a little research, actuarial science seemed like a challenge, so I was hooked," he said.

After getting his degree, he got his first job out of college. Coincidentally, this role was at Lewis & Ellis in Kansas City. He's also worked in consulting throughout his career.

As he was looking for a new role to flex his skills and solve complex problems for clients, he was hoping to achieve one key thing. "I really enjoy helping people," he said. "The consulting side of operations is a way to assist many people with a variety of issues."

Starting at Lewis & Ellis

When he found Lewis & Ellis, he knew it was the place where he could do just that. Not only is he able to help companies navigate tough actuarial and regulatory roadblocks, but he gets to do it alongside a team whom he trusts and admires. "The people drew me to Lewis & Ellis," he added.

When he first started, he was operating as a one-man practice. Over the years, he's been able to work with other leads and coordinate on both the marketing and delivery of projects, which he says he enjoys much more than working solo.

What does a typical day look like for Joe? It starts off with reviewing emails he received overnight, managing the status and issues of various projects, and tackling the most pressing challenges first. As the Vice President of Actuarial Modeling, he handles several types of cases, focusing on model governance, cloud-based modeling solutions, financial reporting, enterprise data management, and more.

Driven To Solve and Serve

With the goal of providing the best solutions for his clients' issues, he must stay on top of developments in the actuarial modeling space. With the regulatory environment significantly evolving over the past several years, the industry is in a constant state of change. However, he likes the challenges the role provides.

"I most enjoy the mental challenge of the actuarial field," he said. "Many requirements can be interpreted in different ways. Thinking through the requirements versus the implementation is very engaging."

Even with the intricacies of the actuarial field, Joe's main goal remains simple: to ensure his clients are taken care of and come to the best possible outcome. "The biggest lesson I have learned is to pursue the heart of the issue behind a request," he explained. Often, companies come to his team wondering about reinstating a workaround they've used in the past. However, these quick fixes rarely solve the underlying problem. Instead, he cuts through the noise to discover an insightful, data-backed solution.

Whether he's thinking through the best next steps for a project or walking alongside a company in need of actuarial modeling expertise, Joe is always focused on delivering his best work for his partners and community.