Sally Ezra, Partner, Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment:
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sally both as a candidate looking for an actuarial position and as an employer looking to fill actuarial positions. I’ve been impressed with her professionalism and her wealth of contacts in the insurance industry.” – Casualty Actuary, Reinsurance Company
“Sally helped me immensely during the recruitment process. Her professional approach is only matched by her ingenuity. The close rapport she holds with actuarial firms makes her an extremely valuable point of contact. I would thus highly recommend Sally for your actuarial job search requirement.” – Health Actuary, Consulting Firm
“Sally Ezra was suggested as the recruiter for my Chief Actuary opening by our outgoing Chief Actuary and new CFO (also an actuary). We engaged Sally via a very amiable retained search negotiation and she got right to work. Sally produced 6+ qualified candidates, including three extraordinary ones, two of whom we engaged as finalists, after which one was selected and started work this week. A third super candidate is in the process of considering an alternate executive actuarial role with our company. We have NEVER used an actuarial recruiter who produced results of this quality in this short a time.
Our total time from search selection to hire date for a Chief Actuary was 3.5 months, an absolute record for us. Sally provided an excellent value, a very personable interactive experience and she represented my company to the actuarial community very well. I would highly recommend Sally Ezra for any high level actuarial search need.” – Executive VP, Human Resources, Health Insurer
“Early in my career, the company I worked for was running into financial difficulties. I asked several actuaries who they would recommend as a recruiter and they suggested talking to Sally Ezra. Through the years, I have worked with Sally in looking for employment opportunities and hiring additional actuarial staff. I am impressed with Sally’s level of professionalism and her patience in finding the correct match between the actuary and the employer. Sally sees the bigger picture and as an actuary, that trait is greatly appreciated. I highly recommend Sally if you are seeking further career development or adding actuarial talent.” – Casualty Actuary
“I find Sally to be very engaging, trustworthy, and dependable. She has a wealth of experience in the actuarial recruiting field, so she has contacts in many of the right places to assist people at all levels. In addition, she enjoys and is very effective in assisting junior level actuaries along their career path. She is definitely a recruiter you want on your side.” – Financial Actuary, Risk Management Firm
“I’ve had the distinct pleasure of having been a client of Sally’s both as a prospective employer as well as a professional seeking a new career opportunity. I can say, without hesitation, that she has exceeded my expectations in all the situations that we have worked together. She doesn’t view the hiring process as being a sporting event (“winning at all costs”); instead, she knows that looking for a good match should be a “win-win” proposition. Again, from both perspectives (employer and employee), her efforts have consistently paid off for me in durable beneficial relationships.” – Chief Actuary, Consulting Firm
“This letter is my personal recommendation for Sally Ezra. I have known Sally for over 15 years. During this time, I found her to be diligent in following through on commitments and relentless in pursuing opportunities or candidates on behalf of those she represents.
Besides being a reliable source of information and an extraordinary ambassador for both the company trying to recruit talent or the individual looking for a new opportunity, the most important quality that Sally displays is Integrity. Sally can be depended upon to make a good match between employer and employee. I personally have known Sally to recommend NOT accepting a position that was offered as she did not think it was a good fit for me and my career goals. Sally took this action despite the fact that is would cost her recruiting fees. For this reason, I know that I can always depend on Sally to work in the best interest of both the company recruiting talent as well as the professional seeking new opportunity. I believe this quality is truly rare in the world of professional recruitment and is extremely beneficial in the long-run for her clients.
I highly recommend Sally and her professional recruitment services. She is an honest and forthright professional in her own right and does an excellent job matching company needs to a professional’s desires.
Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity” – Casualty Actuary, Property and Casualty Insurance Company
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Sally for almost 15 years. She helped me with several job searches during which she showed the highest degree of integrity, kindness, skill, insight, and perseverance. Sally is very friendly and unwaveringly keeps the interest of her clients at heart, having several times advised me to take a course of action that was best for me even though the ultimate outcome was not best for her. It’s my honor to consider her not only an accomplished business acquaintance, but also a great friend.
Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, High Integrity” – Casualty Actuary, Property and Casualty Insurance Company
Claude Penland, Partner, Ezra Penland Actuarial Recruitment:
“Claude’s web network catapulted him to the top of the “must follow” sites in p/c insurance in just a few months. If you’re not following Claude, you’re missing something.” – Casualty Actuarial Consultant, Former Chief Actuary
“I worked with Claude at [his employer]. Claude’s responsibility was to monitor our online web presence, increase it as much as possible, and drive traffic to our site. No small feat given that Claude started this in the beginning of the millenium, when many people had never even heard of “web analytics”, and many of our then-competitors barely even had websites posted. Thanks to Claude, though, [the company] is ubiquitous on the internet, no matter whether you type in “Actuary”, “Actuarial Search”, “Actuarial jobs”, or any other possible combination you can think of. Awesome work, Claude!”- Recruiter, Global Actuarial Recruiting Firm
“Claude worked on a number of complex structured finance transactions with me while at [an international insurer], and always brought insight, creativity and a highly technical skillset to bear. His ability to think outside the box but within the constructs of the problem made him an invaluable asset.” – Chief Actuary & Underwriter, Unit of an International Insurer
“While working with Claude I was able to get an in-depth idea of his sincere passion for growth of an organization through creative internet marketing and calculated analytical approaches to further that growth. Claude is one of those rare individuals that always sees the other side of an issue/problem that is often not observed by others. In my work with him, Claude has always been able to explain complex ideas and concepts to the rest of our company not only in a simple manner, but more importantly, in a way that allows for those ideas to be acted on immediately.
Claude’s efforts to remain a visible part of the organization even through his work from a satellite office on the east coast were apparent and contributed to his success and our company’s overall success. He was able to work just as effectively from the east coast office as he was when in the main office in the Midwest.
Claude’s unwavering work ethic, passion for his work, and overall approachable demeanor helped everyone that worked with him succeed and challenge themselves to continue to learn and grow professionally.” – Senior Recruiter, Global Actuarial Recruiting Firm
“Many thanks for the list [“111 Twitter Feeds for Insurance Professionals”] and for giving me impetus to check out your website which is very useful indeed.” – Senior Underwriter, Swiss Insurer
“Claude…you should be [in] the top 20 [among global insurance and reinsurance Twitterers].” – Catastrophe Risk Director & Principal Consultant
“Claude Penland’s PowerPoint presentation regarding Web trends over 2011 gives a comprehensive overview of how the Internet landscape is evolving, covering laws governing telecommunications, venture capital acquisition, startups, and digital advertising.” – Mudbug Media
“Claude was very helpful to [my company]. His advice was great and he was always eager to help.” – CEO, An Actuarial Seminar Company
“This guy’s a super nice recruiter and very knowledgeable web person. [My partner] and I dealt with him as hobbyists on a large website. Claude was always more than courteous, pleasant, and friendly – he anticipated our concerns as hobbyists, merged them with his business needs and always created solutions that fit us perfectly.” – President, Insurance Web Development Firm
“I worked with Claude in the actuarial department of [a large international insurer]. I also had the opportunity to engage Claude and his team for several months as a consultant on a structured, cross-border insurance M&A transaction involving confirmation of detailed projection and valuation model as well analysis of unpaid loss reserves. Our advisory work benefitted from insights reflecting his large account pricing background and knowledge of underwriting.
Claude’s insurance technical background is, of course, very impressive, but, his work is more impactful than that of most actuaries given an energetic entrepreneurial perspective which has been strongly influenced over the years by a keen interest and in-depth understanding of web-based technology.
I’d recommend Claude for any position that he sets his sights on. He is not one to go through the motions professionally, but is animated by opportunities reflecting long-held interests and impressive background.” – Associate, NYC Investment Bank
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Claude for several years while on an actuarial networking site sponsored by [his employer]. Claude’s energy and enthusiasm is infectious, and his willingness to take the extra step to help those in need is laudable. He is always eager to help, and whenever I had a question or concern about the recruiting nature of the business, he was the first person I would turn to.” – Health Actuary, Consulting Firm
“I worked with Claude while he was at [his employer]. He was a fantastic resource, and a great liaison between the firm and the clients (us). Always available, he tirelessly worked to answer questions, provide direction and supplied support, all without the typical overbearing nature one associates with recruiting firms. I would unconditionally recommend him.” – Casualty Actuarial Analyst, Professional Liability Insurer
“Claude has a great entrepreneurial spirit and likes to take initiative. He has a strong vision of the direction in which he would like his career path to follow. He’s a hard worker and a friendly colleague.” – Casualty Actuary, International Insurer
“Claude is an innovator in the web/social networking scene. He has supported the actuarial field by applying his experience as an actuary to help companies find actuaries who will support their corporate culture and goals. Since he is technically and socially intuitive, he is easy to communicate with, approachable and responsive. I am thrilled to have him as a professional resource.” – Freelance Writer
“I first met Claude in 2003 on [an actuarial networking website], a key person on the site, being a fount of knowledge on the insurance industry in general and the actuarial profession in general. He was always very helpful in getting me and others key information, and excellent in helping me make connections with others in the actuarial community.” – VP & Actuary, An Actuarial Seminar Company
“I’ve asked Claude for advice more than once during my career. He’s always offered clear, thoughtful recommendations based on my interests and ambitions. He has been very helpful to me and to many actuaries I know. After [his employer] bought [an actuarial networking website], Claude worked hard to maintain a respectful and respectable environment in the professional areas of the discussion forum, advising new actuarial students and old-timers alike. I’d recommend him to anyone seeking to hire a webmaster.” – Life Actuary, Large Insurer
“Over my career, I have spoken with Claude about my career on a few occasions and he has always given me sound advice regarding the direction of my career and what positions I should be interested to accomplish my goals. I would recommend Claude to any company considering hiring him.” – Casualty Actuary, Commercial Lines Insurer
“I am writing to recommend Claude Penland. Claude has been an innovator in our business because his work as actuarial webmaster has merged actuarial work and social networking. His out-of-the-box thinking will no doubt be useful in other pursuits.” – Senior Pricing Actuary, Property & Casualty Reinsurer
“I worked with Claude during my time with [a US-based actuarial magazine]. He was always great to work with, and his efficiency and professionalism always made my job easier.” – Marketing and Publications Production Manager, US-based actuarial magazine
“Through our association via [an insurance jobs website], I have worked with Claude Penland for close to 10 years. He was among the first in the industry to see value in niche job-board posting, marketing and advertising and integrate that methodology into a fully participatory plan of attack in reaching active and passive talent. I respect Claude’s honest and up front approach and have enjoyed his insight and recommendations.” – Partner, Insurance Jobs Website
“I have had the privilege and the pleasure of working with Claude as a function of being a member of [an actuarial networking website] where Claude was the Website Sponsor. Claude helped to manage the growth of the website and the community into perhaps the primary resource for both credentialed actuaries and actuarial students, demonstrating a keen understanding of the needs of students and established actuaries alike.
His combination of people skills, actuarial expertise, and visionary thinking is sure to be a significant asset to whatever challenge he chooses to accept (and conquer) next.” – Casualty Actuary, International Reinsurance Company
“Claude is a terrific recruiter of actuaries. Being an actuary himself, he knows the field and many, many individuals with differing levels of experience.” – Pension Actuary, International Insurance Company
“I worked with Claude while at [an international insurer]. During that time, Claude priced loss portfolio transfers, and helped to structure complex insurance programs (these included multiple coverage years, non-traditional exposures and contemplated capital market risks).
Claude was always professional with clients and rigorous in his analysis. I would not hesitate to recommend him.” – AVP, International Insurer
“Claude is an innovative actuary who “thinks outside of the box”. His knowledge, skills, and experience extend far beyond traditional actuarial talent.” – Casualty Actuary, International Insurer