Normand Gendron (FCIA), former President of the CIA, died on August 21 at the age of 71. He leaves behind his spouse, four children and nine grandchildren.
Normand worked in a number of actuarial fields, including group insurance, pension plans and actuarial evidence. He began his career in 1973 at Alliance Mutual Life, where he stayed until 1978 – the year he received his FCIA title. There followed a 16-year term at MLH + A Inc. and then four years at Towers Perrin. He was also hired as a senior consultant by Buck Consultants Ltd., where he stayed for 13 years. In 2012 he decided to found his own company, Gendron actuaire-conseil Inc., specializing in actuarial evidence and individual pension plans.
Committed to serving his profession, Normand received the Award of Excellence in 2015, given to volunteers in recognition of 12 terms of service. Here are some of the volunteer positions he held within the Institute:
- President (2006-2007);
- Member of the CIA Board (1994-1999);
- Vice-President of the CIA Board (1997-1999);
- Member of the Professional Conduct Board (1994-1996; 2007-2012);
- Member of the Actuarial Standards Board (2009-2012), an organization independent of the CIA. In fact, it was founded under his presidency in 2007.
Normand also sat on the International Relations Committee, the Public Policy Committee, the Standards of Practice Council, the Member Services Council and the Education and Eligibility Council. He also sat on the board of the International Actuarial Association from 1988 to 1993, and then again from 2005 to 2008.
Normand helped the actuarial profession in its outreach to stakeholders. He was part of the CIA delegation that presented the Institute’s report on the future of the Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan to a Canadian Senate committee. He sat on the board and served as secretary of the Fonds d’assurance responsabilité professionnelle de l’ordre des dentistes du Québec, and was a member of the Montreal Advisory Board of the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) for over 20 years. He chaired and served as secretary of the recreational committee of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours in Brossard, and was vice-president of the Brossard masters swimming club. The Faculty of Arts and Sciences of the Université de Montréal awarded him an honorary degree in 2011.
Beyond all the accomplishments that made him one of the CIA’s great builders, it is his wisdom and keen sense of humour in discussing the future of the profession that we will miss most.
A friend and colleague of Normand, Louis Martin, FCIA, shared this following his passing: “Normand was a remarkable, affable and passionate man for whom I always had the greatest respect. The profession is greatly in his debt, and his passing makes me deeply sad.”
We invite his colleagues and friends to commemorate his passing and share their memories of him.
The following comments were shared by readers:
Kit Moore: I was saddened to hear of Normand’s passing. Even though I wasn’t as close a friend as Louis Martin was, I agree totally with his comments about Normand. I always enjoyed his company at Institute functions, and appreciated his contributions whenever we worked together. My most vivid memory was when the two of us attended the parliamentary committee to present the Institute’s report on the C/QPP. Normand made an important part of our presentation, and responded well to the sometimes difficult questions and challenges raised that day by MPs on that all-party committee.
Rob Stapleford: I enjoyed my dealings with Normand. I found him to be a thoughtful person who spoke with much wisdom.
Shannon Patershuk: Normand will be remembered as a friend and respected actuary inside and outside the profession. I had the pleasure of working with Normand at MLH + A Inc. in the early 90s and was also impressed by his wisdom and keen sense of humour in applying his professional insights. I too was saddened by his passing at a young age and extend my condolences to his family and friends. We have lost a friend and colleague.
Francine Pell: I first met him Normand when he was teaching workshops at Concordia to help students prep for the actuarial exams, and then later at a ceremony at the Université de Montréal, where he sponsored a scholarship.
Normand was a true gentleman and a great ambassador for the profession and for actuarial education.
