James A. Attwood

James Albert Attwood Sr. (June 1, 1927 – October 31, 1989) was an American insurance executive.

Early life

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

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

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
  1. "James A. Attwood, 62, Ex-Insurance Executive". The New York Times. 2 November 1989. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  2. "Equitable Names Three". The New York Times. 28 November 1967. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  3. "Equitable Life Elects 10". The New York Times. 8 December 1969. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  4. Cuff, Daniel F. (27 May 1983). "BUSINESS PEOPLE; MONY's New Chief Was at Equitable". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  5. Sloane, Leonard (18 April 1987). "MONY'S WIDE DIVERSIFICATION". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  6. "AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ACTUARIES 1989 YEARBOOK" (PDF). www.actuary.org. American Academy of Actuaries. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  7. Brenner, Elsa (16 September 1990). "It's Back to School for Adults, Too". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  8. "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.
  9. "Terry Attwood Bride Of Thomas Beckmann". The New York Times. 7 December 1986. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  10. "Dorothy Attwood Becomes a Bride". The New York Times. 21 August 1983. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
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