James Kemper Jr. Dies
NU Online News Service, July 8, 10:54 a.m. EST?James S. Kemper Jr., the former head of the Long Grove, Ill.-based insurance group, died on July 2 at age 88.
Kemper Insurance Companies, in a death announcement, credited Mr. Kemper with transforming the mutual insurance company that his father founded in 1912 into a major financial services complex.
Mr. Kemper joined the Kemper organization in 1960. He was named chairman and chief executive officer in 1969 and remained in that position until his retirement in 1979. He served as chairman of the board of the major entities of the Kemper organization–the Kemper Insurance Companies and Kemper Corporation–until 1986.
During Mr. Kemper's watch, the Kemper organization expanded in both the insurance and financial services marketplaces. Besides its traditional property-casualty offerings, Kemper moved into low-cost term life insurance. The company also moved into reinsurance by forming the Kemper Reinsurance Company in 1969, and established itself in the financial services/securities arena with the formation of Kemper Financial Services in 1970.
In 1967, Mr. Kemper was instrumental in the formation of the publicly held Kemper Corp., a holding company designed to provide flexibility in diversification. Kemper Corp. was sold to Zurich Insurance Group in 1996.
Besides his accomplishments in the insurance world, Mr. Kemper, who overcame his own alcoholism, was an active leader in efforts to counter alcoholism.
He created an employee alcoholism rehabilitation program at Kemper and served in numerous organizations in the field, including the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving and its successor organization, the National Commission Against Drunk Driving.
Mr. Kemper's civic activities included work for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The organization honored him with the Herbert Hoover award. He also served as a director with the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
A memorial service for Mr. Kemper will be held on July 23, at 11 a.m., in the Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 East Chestnut Street, Chicago, Ill. A reception will follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Betty Ford Center, Rancho Mirage, Calif., or to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
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