Alan Irving Kirshner

1935 - 2024

KIRSHNER, Alan Irving, passed away, peacefully, on Sunday, March 17 at his home, Cre Run Horse Farm, in Doswell, Virginia. He was born on August 26, 1935, to Earnest Kirshner and Margaret Jacobs Kirshner in Nashville, Tennessee, attending Battleground Academy, where he excelled in academics and athletics, graduating in 1956. Starting his collegiate career at The Citadel, he determined that military life was not for him, transferring to Vanderbilt, where he graduated in 1960.

Shortly after graduating from Vanderbilt, Alan and his new bride, Flo Markel, moved to Richmond, Virginia to begin a 64-year career at Markel Corporation (only to be exceeded by his trusted Executive Assistant, Jean Childress, who is in her 71st year with the company). Being a results-oriented, people person, it didn't take long for him to gain the respect of his fellow employees and take on a leadership role. He was known for "managing by just walking around" showing a sincere interest in each of his coworkers. This caring, hands-on approach would enable him to become President and Chief Executive Officer in 1979, moving to Chairman and CEO in 1992, Executive Chairman in 2016, and Chairman Emeritus in 2020. As the senior member of the third generation of family leadership at Markel, he led the company to unparalleled heights. Markel Group now has 64 insurance locations in 17 countries worldwide, plus 19 Markel Ventures companies, with total revenues of over $15 billion (#352 on Fortune 500) and a market capitalization approaching $20 billion, employing more than 20,000 associates worldwide.

Alan was the author of the Markel Style, Markel Group's culture statement that remains the bedrock of Markel's values to this day. As a result of Markel's success under his leadership, he was honored as one of Junior Achievement of Central Virginia's Greater Richmond Business Hall of Fame Laureates (2006), The Innsbrook Rotary Business Leadership Award (2008), and The Richmond Times-Dispatch Person of the Year Hall of Fame (2017).

After marrying his second wife, Deborah Mihaloff, they became active in the Arabian horse industry, where he served as Past Chairman of the Arabian Horse Trust, was on the Advisory Committee of the Arabian Jockey Club, and Chairman of the Eastern Arabian Racing Alliance. Cre Run's dedication to the Arabian breed, which began in 1986, has brought numerous awards both in the show arena as well as the racetrack (including an unbelievable 26 Darley Awards), and, as a result, Alan was inducted into the Arabian Racing Hall of Fame in 1997.

His philanthropy through the years truly set an example for all to emulate. Several initiatives in that regard are unquestionably worthy of note.

He co-founded the Faison Center, the first institution of its kind in Virginia, dedicated to the research of autism and training of special education professionals capable of teaching autistic children, up to and through adulthood. Faison Center has become the bellwether for treatment of autism, and, as a result, Alan was awarded the first Annual Child Mental Health Advocacy Award given by the Advisory Council of Virginia Treatment Centers.

In response to concerns for the education and opportunities for advancement to the collegiate level for Richmond Public School students, he founded the Partnership for the Future which put together a group of businesses, dedicated to working with minority students by furnishing them with jobs throughout their high school careers and assisting with their admission to college. As a result of this long-standing, successful program, he was the recipient of the prestigious Award of Excellence presented by the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Incorporated, in 2007.

Recognizing the full body of his work in philanthropy, he received the National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award in 2001, followed by the 2011 Philanthropist of the Year, awarded by the Central Virginia Fundraising Professionals.

Somehow, in spite of the many initiatives he was involved in, Alan found time to take on a number of civic responsibilities. He was President of the Jewish Community Center where he received the Bernstein Award for Outstanding Community Service, a Board member of the MCV Foundation, served on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, was a member of the Virginia Racing Commission, and a Board member of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Foundation.

Alan's impact on the company, the community, and all those who had the good fortune to meet him, will provide a sustainable legacy of a life well lived.

Alan is survived by his loving wife, Deborah Mihaloff, of 37 years, his two sisters, Hilda (Robert) Garlock, and Libby (Craig) Heimark, sister-in-law Sandra Mihaloff (Philip Klaus), three daughters Cindy (Dr. Will) Anderson, Lynne (Don) Faison, Kathryn (Barry) Klein, six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the Flo and Tony Guzman Community Center, Faison Center, 5200 Fitzhugh Avenue, Richmond VA 23230, on April 4, 2024, from 1 to 4 p.m. with two-minute acknowledgments beginning at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Faison Center (www.faisoncenter.org).