Who is Tim Swankey from Jeopardy?

Tim Swankey is a retired actuary based in Marcellus, New York, who spent several decades working in the insurance and financial services industries. Over the course of his career, he specialized in actuarial analysis related to disability income insurance products, financial reporting, and valuation processes that help insurance companies assess long-term financial risk.

Actuaries play a critical role in the insurance sector by using mathematics, statistics, and financial modeling to evaluate the likelihood of future events and the potential financial impact of those risks. Swankey’s work focused heavily on Individual Disability Income and Group Long-Term Disability insurance products, areas that require careful analysis of claim patterns, policy structures, and long-term financial projections.

Through his actuarial work, Swankey contributed to the stability and management of insurance portfolios by analyzing data, preparing financial reports, and supporting strategic decision-making within insurance organizations.

More Than Three Decades in the Insurance Industry

Tim Swankey’s career reflects more than three decades of professional experience in actuarial science. His most recent role was with the Davies Group in Syracuse, New York, where he worked as an actuary from July 2022 until March 2025.

Before joining Davies Group, Swankey spent more than twenty-four years with Disability Management Services, Inc., where he worked from January 1998 to July 2022. During this lengthy tenure, he was responsible for actuarial valuation work related to disability insurance programs and contributed to the company’s financial reporting and risk analysis efforts.

Earlier in his career, he worked as an assistant actuary at MONY between 1990 and 1997. In that role, he supported actuarial modeling and valuation work related to insurance products and company financial planning. These experiences helped build his expertise in insurance risk assessment and actuarial reporting.

Swankey’s entry into the actuarial profession began at TIAA-CREF, where he worked as an actuarial student from 1987 to 1990. The position provided him with early hands-on experience applying mathematical analysis to financial and insurance systems.

Expertise in Disability Insurance and Financial Analysis

A major focus of Tim Swankey’s professional work involved disability insurance products. Disability income policies provide financial protection for individuals who become unable to work due to illness or injury, and the actuarial analysis behind these policies requires detailed modeling of long-term financial risks.

Swankey developed expertise in both Individual Disability Income policies and Group Long-Term Disability programs. His work included valuation processes that determine the financial reserves insurance companies must maintain in order to meet future claim obligations.

He also worked with reinsurance arrangements and experience studies. Reinsurance allows insurance companies to transfer portions of risk to other organizations, while experience studies analyze historical data to improve predictions about future claims and policy performance.

These responsibilities required strong analytical skills and careful attention to financial modeling. Actuaries in these roles help ensure that insurance companies remain financially stable while offering products that protect policyholders.

Education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tim Swankey’s actuarial career was built on a strong academic foundation in mathematics and statistics. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, one of the leading technical universities in the United States.

Between 1977 and 1981, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. The rigorous mathematical training provided by the program helped prepare him for the analytical demands of actuarial work.

While studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Swankey participated in several student 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 the same institution to study Operations Research and Statistics between 1985 and 1987. These fields focus on advanced analytical techniques used to optimize decision-making and analyze complex systems, knowledge that aligns closely with actuarial practice.

Life in Retirement and Personal Interests

After many years working in the insurance industry, Tim Swankey retired in March 2025. Retirement has allowed him to focus on personal interests and everyday activities that he enjoys.

Among his favorite pastimes are bowling and trivia, hobbies that reflect both recreational and intellectual interests. Bowling, in particular, connects with activities he enjoyed even during his university years.

He also spends time feeding cats and enjoying a quieter pace of life after decades spent working in the analytical and demanding field of actuarial science. Retirement offers the opportunity to pursue hobbies and interests that may have taken a back seat during his professional career.

Despite stepping away from full-time work, Swankey maintains a presence on professional networking platforms, where he remains connected to colleagues 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. His long career as an actuary required strong problem-solving skills, statistical knowledge, and the ability to interpret complex information.

Professionals in actuarial science often develop deep familiarity with mathematics, probability, and data analysis, areas that frequently overlap with the types of questions asked in quiz competitions. Swankey’s background in these disciplines reflects a career built on intellectual rigor and careful reasoning.

Now retired after decades in the insurance industry, he joins the long tradition of Jeopardy contestants whose professional backgrounds range from academia and science to finance and public service. His career demonstrates how mathematical expertise and analytical thinking can shape a lifetime of professional achievement.

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.