February 20, 2012 (Indianapolis) – The Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University is entering groundbreaking territory as it launches the first program for executive development of it’s kind in the U.S. The first class of the Ph.D. in Business for Executives program features a select group of 19 executives from seven states representing 10 industries. Thomas Totten, FSA, a senior actuary and CEO for Nyhart Actuary & Employee Benefits is the only participant selected from Indiana for this prestigious program.
The three-year degree kicked off in January with an orientation session at the Helmerich Research Center on the OSU-Tulsa campus and will be an intensive onsite and offsite curriculum designed to advance the thought leadership and skills of the programs participants.
“I am extremely pleased to be admitted into this elite group of executives to represent our company and state,” said Thomas Totten, FSA. “The program will further expand my skill set to lead growth at Nyhart, which has rapidly expanded over these past few years. I am pleased our board of directors and my fellow employee-owners support my personal advancement to enhance the skills I need to build our business for the long-haul.”
Under Totten’s leadership as CEO, Nyhart has had record growth and made multiple acquisitions including actuarial and employee benefit firms in Kansas City and Atlanta. The firm now has the largest independent actuarial practice in the Indiana with 15 accredited actuaries and has seen the retirement plan portfolio of their clients grow to more than $14 billion dollars in assets.
“We are building a strong company for the future and are committed to ensuring we have the right skills in our executive leadership,” said Daryl Dean, a member of the board of directors and former CEO of Nyhart. “Tom’s commitment to our business and his vision to make Nyhart the preeminent national actuarial practice is exciting. Earning his PhD in business fits with our goal to set the standard for how an actuarial practice should operate and grow.”
Totten has earned degrees in mathematics from the University of Notre Dame and actuarial science from Ball State University. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, an Enrolled Actuary and Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, each the highest honor achievable in the respective actuarial science associations.