Daniel Rubin

B.S. Actuarial Science 1988

Senior Actuary, Nationwide

Written by: Andrea Rau, Ph.D. candidate in Statistics

When Daniel Rubin first discovered actuarial science during his freshman year at Purdue, it immediately seemed like a natural fit for him. After attending a presentation by an actuary from Nationwide who came to speak about the field of actuarial science, Rubin was hooked. "Not surprisingly, math has always been fun for me. I’ve always enjoyed numbers, and I’ve always enjoyed problem solving," said Rubin. "I was turned on by the combination of math skills and business skills in actuarial science." Today, Rubin is a Senior Actuary for Nationwide in Columbus, Ohio.

Shortly after learning about actuarial science during his freshman year, Rubin’s enthusiasm for actuarial work grew, and he joined the recently-formed Actuary Club, subsequently serving as President for two years. Partly through his leadership, Rubin helped the Club continue its growth and grassroots campaign toward establishing a formal Actuarial Science Program at Purdue. After taking internships with Nationwide during two consecutive summers while at Purdue, Rubin graduated in 1988 and took a position at Nationwide, where he has been for the past 20 years.

Over the course of his career at Nationwide, Rubin has held several positions in the Life Insurance and Corporate Actuarial Departments. Today, as Senior Actuary for Nationwide, Rubin is in charge of the statutory, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and tax reserving for all the Individual Annuity product lines. His focus is primarily in the financial reserve area, where he works to make sure financial models for different lines of business are accurate and performing as expected. "It’s a constant ‘what if’," said Rubin of his work. "If our model doesn’t specifically address that question, we have to readapt that model. You have to know your financial model inside and out."

Rubin notes that the course work he did while at Purdue have helped him in his career in two principal ways. "First, my courses gave me a good background across a variety of disciplines I draw upon in my work, including economics, sociology, and psychology," he said. "I draw constantly on these and other disciplines in my analysis… Second, Purdue challenged me to solve problems, giving me the skills I needed."

To current students, Rubin advises taking as large a variety of courses as possible. "Take courses that cover the broad picture beyond math sciences," he suggested, including accounting, management, and other courses. He also strongly advises students interested in actuarial sciences to apply for summer internships before graduating. Finally, he stresses that students should focus not only on their studies, but also on being involved in other activities, developing communication skills, and taking on leadership roles. "There’s more to a resume than a GPA," said Rubin. "Show you’re well-rounded, that you have good communication and leadership skills, and that you can work with people in other environments. Take whatever your passion is and get involved in it, but also be a leader in a club, make a difference."

Rubin is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). He continues to serve the Actuarial Science program at Purdue through his decade-long membership of the Actuarial Science Advisory Council. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys golf, poker, and attending Columbus Blue Jacket hockey games. Daniel and his wife, Lisa, reside in Dublin, Ohio with their son, Jack, and daughter, Lauren.

For more information about careers in actuarial science, Rubin recommends visiting the Society of Actuaries (SOA) website.

Daniel Rubin received the Actuarial Science Outstanding Alumni Award from Purdue University, Actuarial Science Program, which is jointly administered by the Department of Statistics and the Department of Mathematics, in 2008.

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