James A. Attwood
James Albert Attwood Sr. (June 1, 1927 – October 31, 1989) was an American insurance executive.
Early life[edit]
Attwood was born on June 1, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan.[1] His two sisters were Evelyn (née Attwood) Hansen and Beatrice (née Attwood) Smith.[1]
Career[edit]
Attwood began his career as an actuary at The Equitable Life Assurance Society, eventually serving as senior executive vice president and chief investment officer.[2][3] In 1983, he joined the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York,[4] and became its chairman and chief executive before he retired in July 1988. In joining MONY, Attwood went "to the ninth-largest mutual insurance company from the third largest and will be moving three and a half blocks in Manhattan to his new headquarters." He was MONY's 14th chief executive in its 140-year history.[4] While at MONY, he diversified the insurance company's holdings into "a modified life insurance company providing a broader range of financial services".[5] In 1987, Richard S. Schweiker, then president of the American Council of Life Insurance (and former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services), said of him:[5]
"Jim Attwood is a person who has a clear, set goal and works constantly toward it. He has certainly taken a very strong leadership role in the insurance industry."[5]
He also served as a vice president of the Society of Actuaries,[6] and was a member of the board of the Committee for Economic Development and the New York City Partnership, Fisk University and the New York Theological Seminary.[1]
Personal life[edit]
Attwood was married to Pauline, the director of the Bronxville Adult School.[7] Together, they lived in Bronxville, New York and were the parents of:[1]
- James Albert Attwood Jr., an investment banker at Goldman Sachs who married Leslie Kim Williams.[8]
- Terry Jo Attwood, who married Thomas J. R. Beckmann, a son of Harry L. Beckmann, in 1986.[9]
- Dorothy Tyyne Attwood, who married William Albert Dupont, son of Ralph P. Dupont and Judge Antoinette L. Dupont, in 1983.[10]
- Katherine Attwood[1]
Attwood died of acute anemia at New York Hospital on October 31, 1989.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f "James A. Attwood, 62, Ex-Insurance Executive". The New York Times. 2 November 1989. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Equitable Names Three". The New York Times. 28 November 1967. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Equitable Life Elects 10". The New York Times. 8 December 1969. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ a b Cuff, Daniel F. (27 May 1983). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; MONY's New Chief Was at Equitable". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Sloane, Leonard (18 April 1987). "MONY'S WIDE DIVERSIFICATION". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ACTUARIES 1989 YEARBOOK" (PDF). www.actuary.org. American Academy of Actuaries. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ Brenner, Elsa (16 September 1990). "It's Back to School for Adults, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Leadership profile: A conversation with James A. Attwood Jr. J.D./M.B.A. '84". Harvard Law Bulletin. October 5, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
- ^ "Terry Attwood Bride Of Thomas Beckmann". The New York Times. 7 December 1986. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Dorothy Attwood Becomes a Bride". The New York Times. 21 August 1983. Retrieved 14 March 2022.