Distinguished Alumni Award
James C. Hickman 52MS, 61PhD
James C. Hickman, 52MS, 61PhD, is internationally renowned for his role in actuarial education and research, as well as in the development of the actuarial profession.
A native of Indianola, Hickman earned his master's degree in mathematical science in 1952 and then went to work for Bankers Life Company in Des Moines. In 1957, he returned to the UI, where he received his doctorate in 1961. Hickman then joined Iowa's mathematics and statistics faculty and was named full professor in 1967. He left the University of Iowa in 1972 and moved to the University of Wisconsin at Madison, where he served as dean of the School of Business from 1985-1990.
Under his direction as dean, Wisconsin's business school raised nearly $40 million in public and private support for the construction of a new building. This external success was followed by stimulating curriculum changes that included a major revision of the M.B.A. program and the establishment of new programs in the marketing research and distribution management.
In addition to his skills as an educator and administrator, Jim Hickman excels as both scholar and author. He has written numerous articles and is coauthor of Actuarial Mathematics, a textbook published by the Society of Actuaries that is at the center of the education program for actuaries.
Hickman is a former vice president and member of the Board of Governors of the 14,000-member Society of Actuaries, the largest professional association of actuaries. He has served on the board of governors of Beta Gamma Sigma, the scholastic honorary society for business, and on the board of directors for the American Academy of Actuaries and the Actuarial Education and Research Fund, as well as the Actuarial Standards Board that sets professional standards of practice nationwide.
In the public sector, Jim Hickman has been involved with numerous organizations and advisory groups at the local, state, and national levels, sharing his expertise on a variety of issues, such as health care, workers' compensation, and social security.
About Distinguished Alumni Awards
Since 1963, the University of Iowa has annually recognized accomplished alumni and friends with Distinguished Alumni Awards. Awards are presented in seven categories: Achievement, Service, Hickerson Recognition, Faculty, Staff, Recent Graduate, and Friend of the University.