The industry suffered an irreplaceable loss last month with thedeath of William E. Bailey. In my 28 years covering insurance, Idon't recall anyone with more energy, enthusiasm and good humor(often bitingly self-deprecating) when it came to promoting all thegood insurers do–particularly after people are devastated bycatastrophes.

Bill–the “master of disaster,” asI used to greet him–passed away at 68 after a bout with cancer. Hewill be missed by an industry that needs all the warriors it canget to defend its beleaguered reputation.

Bill was on the front lines during the worst disasters to hitthis country–and this industry–over the past two decades.

He was the first director of the Hurricane Insurance InformationCenter, working out of Miami in August 1992 following HurricaneAndrew–a post he held for 18 difficult months as insurers rebuilthomes, businesses and lives.

He reactivated the Center in August 2004, spending the next twoyears helping policyholders rebound from Hurricanes Charley,Frances, Jeanne, Ivan, Rita, Wilma–and, of course, Katrina.

He served as co-director of the Disaster Insurance InformationOffice in New York City in 2001, following the Sept. 11 terroristattacks that brought down the World Trade Center–just blocks fromthe headquarters of the Insurance Information Institute, with whichBill was affiliated for 23 years.

Bill also broadcast his positive message about the industry inhis longtime radio and Internet program–”It's Your Money!”–forwhich he won the Golden Torch Award as Communicator of the Year in1998.

I had the privilege of not only being a guest on Bill's show,but of co-producing one episode–a fun two-hours featuring myfavorite war stories about risks and claims in sports andentertainment.

Wherever he worked, Bill was tirelessly upbeat in pointing outhow insurance literally saves insureds from ruin, and sometimeseven death. His contribution to keeping the public informed aboutthe positive role the industry plays in our economy and personallives was priceless.

A lawyer by training, and a polished Harvard grad to boot, Billnever put on airs. While he was “my size”–meaning not very tall–hislarger-than-life personality made him stand out in a crowd. He kneweducating the public about the value of insurance was often athankless job, as most are quick to think the worst of theindustry. But his spirit never wavered, and neither did his faithin those within this business doing such fine and importantwork.

Bill Bailey, in some sense, might have lived in the shadow ofhis far more famous brother, the prominent trial attorney F. LeeBailey–a fact he often joked about. But Bill was a giant within theinsurance industry. Anyone who tries to replace him has some mightybig shoes to fill.

My condolences go out to his family, as well as to all thosehundreds (probably thousands) within the insurance business whoknew and worked with him on his quest to spotlight this industry inits best light.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 11a.m. at Trinity Church, 730 Main Street in Waltham, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that a donation be madeto the Scholarship Fund at Belmont Hill School, 350 ProspectStreet, in Belmont, MA 02478-2662, in memory of Bill Bailey, Classof 1958.

May Bill rest in peace.

Sam Friedman is Editor in Chief of NationalUnderwriter. To share your thoughts about Bill Bailey, go to Sam'sAug. 28 blog post at www.NUSamSoapbox.com. You mayalso follow Sam on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NUSam.