Representing the Membership
Challenge
The current Board has limited member representation. Associates make up about 40% of SOA members, with about one-third of members becoming career ASAs. The current Board is composed solely of Fellows, limiting valuable insights and perspectives from members serving in different roles.
Opportunity
In 2025, the Board proposed allowing ASAs with five or more years of membership (five-year ASAs) to serve on the Board. This proposal was not approved. Member comments indicated strong support for having five-year ASAs on the Board, but expressed concern that they may still be taking FSA exams. Members suggested changing the requirement to ASAs with 10 or more years of membership (10-year ASAs).
The 2026 member survey showed strong support for allowing 10-year ASAs the opportunity to serve on the Board. The Board believes this change will result in a more a diverse range of skills, experiences and perspectives that reflect our membership and help the SOA meet future challenges and opportunities.
To avoid potential conflicts presented by individuals still taking exams, if the proposal allowing 10-years ASAs to serve on the Board is approved, a policy will be adopted to require a two-year “cooling off” period. This means ASAs must not have taken an SOA examination in the past two years to be eligible.
Proposal
Allow up to two ASAs who have been members for at least 10 years to serve on the Board. Note that 10-year ASAs would be allowed to run for the Board but not be guaranteed a seat. No more than two 10-year ASAs could serve on the Board at any time.
ASAs who do not become FSAs make up about a third of SOA membership, and ASAs with 10 or more years of membership represent 14% of total membership. These Associates bring valuable perspectives from across the profession, reflecting diverse career paths, practice areas, industries and leadership experiences. Some have built successful long-term careers in roles and sectors where the ASA is the highest credential needed or pursued, while others have chosen different professions or paths for a variety of reasons. Including ASAs who have been members for 10 years or more on the Board will better represent the diverse needs and perspectives of this large and growing membership segment, fostering a more inclusive and well-rounded governance structure.
Yes. Of the 12-person Board, a minimum of 10 (83%) will be FSAs: the President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President, and seven general Board members. There can only be up to two ASAs who have been members for 10 or more years.
As part of the 2025 Bylaw reforms, the Board proposed that ASAs with five or more years of membership (five-year ASAs) be eligible to serve on the Board. This proposal did not pass. Reviewing member comments, we found there were members passionately in favor of including five-year ASAs on the Board, and members who did not want five-year ASAs on the Board. Several members who did not want five-year ASAs on the Board raised concerns about ASAs who were still taking FSA exams sitting on the Board. They suggested that ASAs with 10 or more years of membership (10-year ASAs) might be more appropriate, as they’d be less likely to be taking FSA exams.
The survey in March 2026 confirmed that members were more comfortable with allowing 10-year ASAs to run for Board seats. We would still limit the number of ASAs to serve on the Board to two.