Who is Tim Swankey from Jeopardy? Meet the Retired Actuary with Decades of Insurance Industry Experience

Tim Swankey is a retired actuary from Marcellus, New York, who spent much of his professional life working in the insurance industry. Over several decades, he built a career specializing in actuarial science, particularly in the area of disability income insurance products. His work involved evaluating risk, performing financial modeling, and producing actuarial reports that help insurance companies maintain financial stability and properly manage long-term obligations.

Actuaries play an essential role in the insurance sector by applying mathematics, probability, and statistical analysis to assess the likelihood and cost of future claims. Swankey’s expertise focused on Individual Disability Income policies and Group Long-Term Disability insurance programs, both of which require detailed analysis of long-term financial commitments.

Throughout his career, Swankey contributed to insurance organizations by analyzing claims trends, studying policyholder data, and ensuring that companies maintained appropriate reserves to meet future liabilities. His work helped support sound financial decision-making within the companies he served.

More Than Three Decades in the Insurance and Actuarial Fields

Tim Swankey’s professional career spans more than thirty years in actuarial science and insurance analysis. His most recent position was with the Davies Group in Syracuse, New York, where he worked as an actuary from July 2022 until March 2025.

Before joining the Davies Group, Swankey spent more than twenty-four years working at Disability Management Services, Inc. From January 1998 until July 2022, he played a key role in actuarial valuation and financial reporting for disability insurance programs. His responsibilities involved analyzing long-term disability claims and evaluating the financial performance of insurance products.

Earlier in his career, he worked as an assistant actuary at MONY between 1990 and 1997. In that role, he helped support actuarial modeling and valuation activities related to insurance products and company financial planning.

Swankey began his actuarial career as an actuarial student at TIAA-CREF from 1987 to 1990. This early role provided valuable training in applying statistical and mathematical methods to financial and insurance data, helping establish the foundation for his long career in the actuarial profession.

Expertise in Disability Insurance and Financial Modeling

A major focus of Tim Swankey’s career involved disability insurance products. These types of policies provide financial protection to individuals who are unable to work due to illness or injury. Because claims may extend for many years, disability insurance requires careful financial forecasting and actuarial analysis.

Swankey developed expertise in both Individual Disability Income products and Group Long-Term Disability programs. His work included valuation processes that determine the financial reserves insurers must maintain to meet potential future claims.

In addition to valuation work, he also gained experience in reinsurance arrangements and actuarial experience studies. Reinsurance allows insurance companies to distribute risk among multiple organizations, while experience studies analyze historical data to improve projections of future claims and policy performance.

These responsibilities required a high level of technical expertise in mathematics, statistics, and financial analysis. Actuaries such as Swankey help ensure that insurance companies remain financially secure while continuing to provide coverage for policyholders.

Education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tim Swankey’s professional career in actuarial science was built on a strong academic foundation in mathematics and statistics. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics between 1977 and 1981.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is well known for its technical and engineering programs, and the mathematics training Swankey received there helped prepare him for the analytical demands of actuarial work. Mathematics programs provide the theoretical and quantitative skills required for careers in insurance, finance, and statistical modeling.

During his time at the university, Swankey participated in several extracurricular activities. He was involved with the Zeta Psi fraternity and also took part in recreational activities such as table tennis and bowling.

He later returned to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study Operations Research and Statistics between 1985 and 1987. These subjects focus on advanced analytical techniques used to model complex systems and optimize decision-making processes, skills that align closely with the work of actuaries.

Retirement and Personal Interests

After a long career in the actuarial profession, Tim Swankey entered retirement in March 2025. Retirement has allowed him to focus more on hobbies and everyday activities that he enjoys.

Among his interests are bowling and trivia, activities that combine recreation with friendly competition and intellectual challenge. Bowling is also a hobby he enjoyed during his university years, showing a long-standing interest in the sport.

He also spends time feeding cats and enjoying a relaxed lifestyle following decades of professional work in the insurance industry. Retirement offers the opportunity to pursue personal interests and spend time on activities that may have been limited during a full-time career.

Although retired, Swankey maintains a presence on professional networking platforms and remains connected with colleagues and professionals from the insurance and financial services industries.

Tim Swankey: Jeopardy Contestant Profile

Tim Swankey brings a lifetime of analytical thinking and mathematical expertise to the Jeopardy stage. Actuarial professionals rely heavily on logic, probability, and statistical reasoning, skills that often translate well to the type of broad knowledge and quick thinking required in quiz competitions.

His career in insurance and actuarial science reflects a professional life dedicated to problem-solving and data analysis. The discipline required in actuarial work often involves examining complex information and drawing conclusions based on patterns and statistical evidence.

Now retired after more than three decades in the actuarial profession, Swankey joins the long tradition of Jeopardy contestants whose careers span a wide range of fields. His background highlights how careers rooted in mathematics and financial analysis can contribute to the intellectual curiosity and analytical mindset often seen among competitors on the iconic quiz show.

Name: Tim Swankey
Location and Residence: Marcellus, New York, United States
Profession and Jobs: Retired actuary; former actuary at Davies Group (2022–2025); actuary at Disability Management Services, Inc. (1998–2022); assistant actuary at MONY (1990–1997); actuarial student at TIAA-CREF (1987–1990)
Gender and Sex: Male
Age and Date of Birth: Not publicly available
Nationality and Ethnicity: American (White/Caucasian)
Education and School: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (1977–1981); also studied Operations Research and Statistics (1985–1987); activities included Zeta Psi fraternity, table tennis, and bowling
Relationships (Married/Dating/Sexuality) and Family: Not publicly available
Biography and More Details: Retired actuary with extensive experience in Individual Disability Income and Group Long-Term Disability insurance products. Specialized in valuation, financial reporting, reinsurance, and actuarial experience studies. Worked more than three decades in actuarial roles within the insurance industry. Currently retired since March 2025 and enjoys hobbies such as bowling, trivia, feeding cats, and leisure activities. Maintains a professional network on LinkedIn with more than 90 connections and followers.