Thomas Holmes, Fcas
About Thomas Holmes, Fcas
Thomas Holmes, FCAS, serves as the Chief Actuary US at AKUR8, where he focuses on predictive modeling and actuarial modernization. He has a diverse background in music composition and has contributed to various actuarial presentations and research papers.
Current Role at AKUR8
Thomas Holmes serves as the Chief Actuary US at AKUR8 since 2023. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing actuarial functions and leading initiatives in predictive modeling. He also holds the position of Actuarial Data Scientist at AKUR8, where he has been working since 2022. His dual roles reflect a commitment to advancing actuarial practices within the organization.
Professional Experience
Prior to his current roles, Thomas Holmes worked at Allstate in various capacities, including Actuarial Analyst from 2015 to 2019, Modeling Supervisor from 2020 to 2022, and P&C Actuarial Intern in 2015. He also has experience in the arts, having served as an Accompanist at Loyola University Chicago and the Chicago Academy for the Arts. His work history spans over a decade, showcasing a blend of actuarial expertise and musical talent.
Education and Expertise
Thomas Holmes holds a Master of Music (M.M.) in Music Composition from Ohio University, where he studied from 2007 to 2009. He also studied Mathematics at the University of Illinois Chicago from 2014 to 2015. Additionally, he earned a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) in Music Composition and Music Theory from the University of Michigan from 2003 to 2007. His educational background supports his dual career in actuarial science and music.
Contributions to the Actuarial Field
Thomas Holmes has actively contributed to the actuarial community through presentations and research. He participated in a webinar on 'Actuarial Modernization' and presented at the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) Virtual Trunk Show on dislocation analysis. He co-authored a research paper titled 'Derivative Lasso: Credibility-based signal fitting for GLMs' and presented on 'Applying Penalized Regression as a Credibility Procedure' at a Society of Actuaries (SOA) webcast.
Musical Accomplishments
In addition to his actuarial career, Thomas Holmes has made significant contributions to music. He composed music for the Momenta Dance Company's original Mother Goose Ballet and performed his composition 'Clockwork Flight' with choreography by the same company. He has also created an 8-piano 64-hands work commissioned by the Salt Creek Music Teacher’s Association and performed live accompaniment for silent films at Pleasant Home in Oak Park.