CIA volunteers founded and continue to grow the Institute by dedicating their time and effort to produce research, establish standards, offer training and events, and perform outreach to partners and stakeholders.
To recognize our volunteers’ remarkable service and dedication, we are proud to re-imagine the CIA Legacy Awards – an annual recognition program that kicked off with a virtual celebration on June 11 for our 2021 award winners.
Our volunteers were recognized for their terms of service in a volunteer role for activities like joining a committee, writing educational notes, or serving as an officer or director of the Board:
- 34 members received the Award of Merit (new in 2021) for volunteers who completed their first term of service.
- 37 received the Award of Honour (formerly the Bronze Award), for three terms of service.
- 11 received the Award of Distinction (formerly the Silver Award), for six terms of service.
- 5 received the Award of Excellence (formerly the Gold Award), for 12 terms of service.
The most prestigious award for volunteers is the new Chambers–Brown Legacy Award, presented to volunteers who have reached the incredible milestone of 48 terms of service. Named after Morris Chambers and Robert Brown, the first two members of the CIA to reach this milestone, the award commemorates their immeasurable commitment to the public interest of Canadians and their dedication to the actuarial profession.
Morris Chambers started his journey as a Fellow of the CIA in 1969. His first volunteer role with the CIA was on the Education and Examinations Committee in 1970 and he has completed more than 50 terms of service since, including as president in 1992–1993.
Robert Brown has been an active member of the CIA since 1977, beginning with the CIA’s Younger Actuaries Committee in 1977 and continuing through to today. Amongst his many accomplishments, Robert is one of the youngest presidents in CIA history, serving in this leadership role from 1990 to 1991.
Growing a legacy
The names of Chambers–Brown Legacy Award recipients are added to the CIA’s legacy tree, a unique art installation at the CIA’s Head Office in Ottawa.
Each green leaf represents our future volunteers, who make up the CIA’s volunteer legacy, as represented by a tree trunk built of locally sourced Canadian maple wood. Special red leaves are engraved with the names of our Chambers–Brown award recipients. An interactive digital version of the tree is available on our CIA Legacy Awards page for everyone to enjoy without visiting in person.
“It has been exciting to watch our Legacy Tree grow over the past year and hard to keep it a secret from our members. This tree truly represents how the Institute is rooted in the strength of our volunteers, and we are thrilled to finally share it with everyone. Once travel re-opens, everyone is welcome to visit us at Head Office to see this beautiful installation in person and celebrate our award recipients,” says Sue Alcott, Manager of People and Volunteer Services at the CIA.
Congratulations and thank you to all our 2021 CIA Legacy Award recipients!
