Liam McGee, former CEO of The Hartford has died. McGee, who was 60, passed on Friday after a fight with cancer.
Though McGee resigned last July as CEO of the insurer because of his health, he served as executive chairman up until early January of this year.
McGee's colleagues are paying tribute to his five-year tenure as leader of the company. The presiding director of The Hartford, Thomas Renyi, called McGee a dear friend, as well as "a man of commitment, integrity and compassion."
Current CEO Chris Swift added, "his vision of The Hartford as an exceptional company, celebrated for financial performance, character and customer value will continue to be a guiding principle for all of our colleagues."
McGee took the reins at The Hartford in the immediate aftermath of the financial crash, as the company received bailout cash from the federal government to keep it afloat. He fundamentally reshaped the company’s business in subsequent years, focusing in on property casualty insurance and selling off its life insurance and retirement plans segments.
Governor Dannel Malloy also noted McGee’s commitment to the city of Hartford, where under his tenure, the company invested millions of dollars in civic improvements. The Hartford gave the city $2 million to buy and demolish the Capitol West building, a vacant structure that dominated the view from I-84.
