Enoch Starnes
Actuarial analyst
SIGMA Actuarial Consulting
Personal bio: I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, where I live with my wife and two small, lazy dogs. I spend as much of my free time as possible listening to records, reading books, and watching soccer. I’m still very much a novice, but I’m also slowly learning the ropes of rock climbing.
Professional profile: I graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, focusing on statistics and numerical analysis.
Post-graduation, I spent time working as a teaching assistant for children with special needs, coaching youth soccer, and providing statistical modelling for a QA department. I now work as an actuarial analyst at SIGMA Actuarial Consulting Group, where I provide actuarial reporting for a wide array of businesses and organisations, including captives. I am also completing the final courses needed for the Associate in Captive Insurance designation from ICCIE.
How did you end up in the captive industry?
My involvement in the captive industry is fully tied to my role at SIGMA. While I’m still learning the “ins and outs” of captive insurance, I’m thoroughly enjoying my time spent working with captives and the unique approaches required in preparing their reports.
What has been your highlight in the captive industry so far?
So far, my highlight has been receiving the Certificate in Captive Insurance designation from ICCIE, which I was fortunate enough to be presented with during Tennessee Captive Insurance Association Conference in 2019.
What/who have been your influences in the captive industry?
My most significant influences come mainly from two places: my peers at SIGMA and my instructors at ICCIE. I’ve learned a great deal about the actuarial reporting involved in successful captive management thanks to the opportunities provided to me at SIGMA. Similarly, my ICCIE coursework has provided me with a very detailed and practical understanding of all the different facets of the captive industry.
What is your impression of the industry?
Currently, it’s one of excitement. There are a number of great opportunities for growth and learning within the industry, as well as chances to meet knowledgeable, interesting people.
I also appreciate the warmth that I’ve experienced during my time at captive conferences, which is a community value that’s often underrated in the business world.
What are your aspirations for your career in the captive industry?
I would love to be more deeply involved in working with captives and helping them understand all the benefits provided to them through actuarial reporting. As much as I love to learn, I’ve also found that I greatly enjoy teaching and helping others learn.
Through my role at SIGMA, I’m incredibly optimistic about the prospect of helping my captive insurance peers get as much value as possible from actuarial analytics.
What advice do you have for someone considering a role in the industry?
Research! Think about what activities or experiences bring you the most joy, then figure out how those can align with a role in the captive insurance industry.
There are all kinds of ways to find more information about the industry, the most helpful of which is through captive professionals themselves.
I’ve found my peers within the industry to be especially gracious with their time and wisdom, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us and ask whatever questions you may have.
Michelle Bradley, Consulting actuary, SIGMA Actuarial Consulting Group “Enoch brings a multitude of talents to SIGMA. In addition to being an actuarial analyst and working on numerous consulting projects each year, Enoch is a key editor of many of SIGMA’s internal and external publications. He also is a lead instructor/facilitator of SIGMA’s educational webinar series and RISK66’s personalised training sessions. Enoch is a gifted writer and teacher who challenges himself to research, learn, and incorporate emerging ideas and strategies. Being an actuarial analyst requires attention to detail and Enoch is outstanding at detecting nuances in data. This ability coupled with the insight to detect and address longer trends makes Enoch a valued member of our team. I expect to see Enoch continue to emerge as a thought leader in captive analytics.”
