From an Internship to a GREAT Career

Unsure of a career path during his junior year in college, Alex Wesseling decided to take a classmate's advice and consider a degree in Actuarial Science. It turned out to be great advice. This is how Alex's internship at Great American changed his career path from the medical field to the insurance industry.

Describe your background and your career path in insurance.

I grew up in a suburb of Cincinnati and attended the University of Louisville, where I was majoring in math and taking pre-med courses. During my junior year, I was unsure about pursuing a career in the medical field. A classmate in the Mathematics Department introduced me to Actuarial Science, which piqued my interest. I focused my math degree in Actuarial Science and interned with Great American the summer before my senior year. I enjoyed my work experience with the company and decided to forego my medical school aspirations in exchange for an Actuarial career. After graduation, I was hired by Great American in the Property & Casualty Corporate Actuarial department.

What is your current role in Corporate Actuarial?

I began working as a Reserving Analyst and transitioned to a role as a Pricing Analyst. I earned my Fellowship in the Casualty Actuarial Society in 2015. I'm currently a manager on the Corporate Actuarial Pricing team. Our team works with the Product Data Compliance team to provide actuarial support for rate filings. We also provide rate indications, loss trend evaluation and profitability analysis for P&C business units. A lot of our work is related to ad hoc projects that may be unique to a particular business unit or group, which gives our work variety that I enjoy.

How did you become interested in a career in insurance?

I was taking actuarial classes during college, and I knew actuaries traditionally worked in the insurance industry. My internship with Great American was the catalyst for my interest in a career in insurance. I enjoyed the analytical aspect of problem solving and was able to see mathematics being used in a practical way to help solve insurance problems. The concept of not knowing a final cost of insurance at the point of sale was interesting to me. I also enjoyed the interaction of all the different departments. Employees from Product Development, Underwriting, Claims and members of the management team all collaborated, which is a great dynamic.

What do you like most about working in insurance and Great American?

I really enjoy how Great American is a specialty insurance carrier. We have many different business units that all operate independently and across various lines of insurance. This allows me the opportunity to work with people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. It also gives me a variety of work, so that I'm continually learning and being challenged which keeps my job interesting.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering a career in insurance?

I would encourage anyone considering insurance to learn about the industry and consider an internship or co-op opportunity. Job shadow or talk to people working in the field. Do some reading on different fields in insurance. I think many people would be surprised at the different skill sets that can be applied to different areas in insurance. The industry will continue to evolve, so I anticipate many opportunities to be challenged and add value.