John D. Phelan

John D. Phelan, 90, of Indian Harbour Beach, Fla., died October 4, 2004. He was born August 31, 1914, in Kalamazoo, Mich., John was a 1935 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Carleton College, Northfield, Minn. After a year as a reporter, for the New Bedford, Mass. Standard-Times, he entered the insurance business, in the mail department of the Hardware Mutual Insurance Companies (now Sentry Insurance) in Stevens Point, Wis., where he worked for nine years in a number of advertising, technical and underwriting positions. In 1945, he joined the American States Insurance Companies in Indianapolis, where he served in a variety of responsibilities. He became executive vice-president in 1959, president in 1963 and chairman in 1976. He retired in 1979. During his time in senior management, American States grew from a single property-casualty company with $12 million in premiums written in five states to a complex of insurance and reinsurance companies with operations in 37 states writing approximately $500 million in premiums. He was responsible for the establishment of American States Life Insurance Company, on of the first and more successful life insurance affiliates of property-casualty companies. An early supporter of professionalism in the insurance industry, John achieved a Chartered Property-Casualty Underwriter designation (CPCU) in 1950 and a Charter Life Underwriter (CLU) in 1971. He was a past president of the National Society of CPCU and of the Indiana chapter and also served as chairman of the CPCU-Harry J. Loman Foundation. In 1979, he was named ''Man of the Year'' by the national society. After American States became part of the Lincoln National group in 1962, John became a member of the Lincoln board of directors and the board of an affiliated French company. An extensive traveler, John particularly enjoyed private flying. He acquired his private pilot license at age 54 and later earned commercial, instrument and seaplane ratings. With his wife, also a pilot, he flew extensively between the coasts, to Alaska, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. He was a past officer of the American Bonanza Society, a flying organization, and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Much of the construction of the American States office complex and ''Mini-Park'' at 500 North Meridian, Indianapolis, occurred while he was chief executive. The park has received awards for its contribution to the beautification of downtown Indianapolis. He was a past president of the Marion County Association for Mental Health and was a board member of the United Way. In industry he served several terms as president of the Hoosierland Rating Bureau and the Insurance Institute of Indiana. During his active business career, he was a board member and member of the executive committee of IPALCO and Indianapolis Power and Light and was also a board member of Merchants national Corporation and Merchants National Bank. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa; the International Insurance Society; a charter member of Woodland Country Club, Carmel, Ind.; Indianapolis Athletic Club; and El Conquistador Country Club, Bradenton; Also, he was a Sagamore of the Wabash, a Kentucky Colonel and was listed in Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in America. He spoke frequently on insurance matters here and abroad and was the author of a technical book "Business Interruption Primer," which had numerous editions. He was a charter member of Orchard of Orchard Park Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, where he had served as a trustee and an associate member of Longboat Island Chapel, Longboat Key, where he was a member of the board of governors. He had retired to Bradenton, until recently, when he relocated to Indian Harbour Beach, to be closer to family. His wife, Isabel (Ibby) McLaughlin Phelan, died in 1991. They had been married for 54 wonderful years. He is survived by a son, William P. (Bill) Phelan. His other sons, John W. (Jack) Phelan and Daniel J. (Dan) Phelan preceded him in death, earlier this year. There are nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Visitation will be at Flanner-Buchanan Funeral Center, in Carmel, Ind., on Monday, October 11, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., with a funeral service following at 1 p.m. www.flannerbuchanan.com.