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class of 1929
inducted in 1984
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Robert J. Myers
Social Security Expert
Robert Myers is often called the
nation's foremost expert on Social Security. In 1934, at the invitation of
the Roosevelt Administration, he was in Washington on assignment, during which time he
wrote actuarial formulas for nine different old-age insurance programs. One
of these tables, after revision, later emerged as the Social Security System.
Myers has an engineering degree from Lehigh University, his Masters in Actuarial Mathematics (University of Iowa) and two honorary doctorate degrees
(Muhlenberg and Lehigh).
Myers served with the Social Security Administration from 1934-70, including
his term as Chief Actuary from 1947-70. He left this post to teach at Temple University, Howard University and the University of Connecticut. He returned to Washington in 1981 as Deputy Commissioner of
Social security to try to save the system, but resigned as a protest over the
failure of congress to enact the necessary legislation to achieve solvency.
Before his resignation, Myers was appointed Executive Director of the
National Commission on Social Security Reform, and he is endeavoring to
resolve the financial problems of the system and restore the public's faith
in its long-range viability.
He is a Past President of the Society of Actuaries and a member of several
national and international actuarial associations. Myers has been the
recipient of numerous awards, the most recent the 1983 Distinguished Citizen
Award from the National Health and Welfare Mutual Life Insurance Association.
He is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. His book
Social Security was revised and updated in 1981. Myers was in Grenada on a technical mission for the
Organization of American States during the coup and he and his wife, Ruth,
left on a chartered plane shortly before the arrival of U.S. Marines. The
Myers, who reside in Silver Spring, Maryland, have two sons and three grandchildren
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