Influenced by his parent’s passion for Husker Athletics since old enough to hear Lyell Bremser call football games on KFAB radio, Tim Meyers, ’94, grew up near Omaha with a love of all things Nebraska. The first in his family to graduate with a four-year degree, he shared his gratitude by establishing an endowed scholarship for actuarial science students at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

“In college, it seemed like there was an opportunity to do just about anything I wanted to do, but I had a lot of trouble wrapping my head around all that was out there. Luckily, I ran into Colin Ramsay, Edwin J. Faulkner College Professor of actuarial science. He talked me into taking the Interest Theory (ACTS 440/840) course for actuarial science, and I quickly became fascinated by the dynamics of money, risk and time,” said Meyers. 

Deciding to major in both actuarial science and math, Meyers received a David Scholarship to help with some of the cost of tuition. Four years later, he graduated and moved to Minneapolis to work as an actuarial consultant at what was then Deloitte and Touche.

“Many people and organizations helped me get to that day and secure my first job. At that time, I didn't really have a great feel for the way the business world worked. My dad is a baker. My mom is a dental hygienist. I wasn't sure how to contact potential employers, other than a massive letter writing campaign, as LinkedIn and email weren't around yet,” Meyers said.

Ramsay and Steve Linney, an E.J. Faulkner Teaching Fellow who taught actuarial science at Nebraska until 1998, reached out to their contacts and asked employers to come to campus for interviews. They helped him prepare and advised him on what to wear.

“An actuarial career also includes a rigorous and expensive exam program. Thankfully, the Nebraska Actuaries Club sponsored exam fees for students,” said Meyers.

After nine years specializing in health insurance serving clients, employers, health insurers and government entities at Deloitte, he grew curious about the drivers of health care costs. He moved to a national health insurance company, Coventry Healthcare, as lead actuary for the Kansas/Missouri branch in 2003.

“That was the beginning of one incredible journey, as two years later, I became Coventry Healthcare’s chief actuary near Washington, D.C.,” said Meyers, who stayed through 2013 and then worked as the chief actuary for a business division and chief underwriter for Aetna when it acquired the company.

Returning to Nebraska in 2019, he served as CEO of a health plan for Medicaid recipients. When acquired by a larger entity in 2021, he helped integrate the health plan into their business systems, and then decided to retire.

“After nearly 30 years serving in both consulting and health plan roles, I stepped away from employment to catch my breath. I took a year to focus on our family and my own well-being. The breather confirmed that I needed to continue to contribute to worthy projects. World-changing health care industry projects need intellectual capital, especially in transforming ideas into economic value propositions,” Meyers said.

In early 2022, Meyers founded MWH Advisors to support businesses looking to make a positive change in the cost of health care. Using his expertise in describing ideas in financial terms, he works with many startup organizations backed by private investors in the health care space.

“None of that would have been possible without the support of those who came before me. Those who put money into scholarship programs, mentored me along the way and set up organizations locally that allowed for my success,” Meyers said.

Meyers and his wife, Carmen, decided to pass that gift forward and started their own scholarship fund for actuarial science students at Nebraska in 2018.

“I have a special place in my heart, and sometimes in my hiring practices, for those who graduate from this university and the actuarial science program,” Tim said. “Many people have had an impact on my success at Nebraska and in my career. While my individual efforts were important, guidance and support from others were the keys that opened doors. No one ever has success by themselves. Carmen and I believe we were called to provide support to others honoring the support we received, which enabled us to lead successful and productive lives."

Tim and Carmen met as freshmen at Gross Catholic High School in Omaha and married in 1994. They reside in Papillion and have three children: Amanda, 26; Owen, 22; and Andrew, 13.

“The Meyers family has been truly joyful about giving to the Actuarial Science Program — from supporting our smaller crowdfunding campaigns like Big Red Study Break and Glow Big Red to endowing an annual scholarship for an actuarial science student through our world-class campaign," said Sue Vagts, director of the Actuarial Science Program, Ameritas Actuarial Faculty Fellow, David P. Hayes Chair of Actuarial Science and professor of practice in actuarial science. “Tim’s degree in actuarial science gave him the foundation for a tremendous career, and our program and the students who receive scholarships are grateful for the Meyers' generosity and compassion in helping future students.”

To donate to the College of Business, go to: https://business.unl.edu/support