James Howard Atkins

James Howard Atkins, known to his legions of friends as "Bum," died Friday, May 20, 2011, at St. Vincent Infirmary after a short illness. He was born in Camden on November 14, 1931, to the late James R. and Trula H. Atkins. He was predeceased by his brother, Charles Holt Atkins, and his sister, "Sucka" Atkins Fincher. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Kathleen Wright Atkins; two daughters, Catherine Page Atkins and Mary Atkins Mulhollan; two grandsons, James Faulkner Mulhollan and Charles Brasfield Mulhollan; a sister, Ruth Atkins English; nieces May Atkins, Jo Smith, Julie Atkins, Mary Shinn, Trudy Baxter, Ellen Turner and Ann Van Hook; nephews Hal Fincher, Charlie Atkins and Billy Atkins. He attended Camden public schools and graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Xi Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Following service in the U.S. Army from 1955-57, he began his business career as an auditor with United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company. In 1960, he joined the insurance department of Worthen Bank and Trust Company. Seven years later, he and three other officers of the insurance department bought the agency from Worthen Bank and formed the insurance firm of Cobb, Atkins, Boyd and Eggleston. Over the next several years, the firm acquired Rector, Means & Rowland, Williams & Rosen, and Farris & Company of Conway, and merged them into Atkins Insurance Corporation, of which he was president and CEO from 1977-1985. The company had offfices in Little Rock, Conway and Hot Springs. He sold the Atkins firm to Marsh & McLennan, Inc., of New York at the time the largest insurance brokerage firm in the world. From 1985-1997 Atkins served as President of Marsh & McLennan of Arkansas and Managing Director of Marsh & McLennan, Inc. From 1997 to the present he has been a Managing Director of Herrington, Inc, a private investment firm in Little Rock. Atkins was President of the Little Rock Insurance Exchange in 1968; President of the Arkansas Association of Insurance Agents in 1970; served on the National Advisory Boards of the Home Insurance Company and CNA; and served on the State Advisory Boards of Fireman's Fund and Aetna Life and Casualty. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Worthen Banking Corporation from 1978 through February 1995. His many civic activities included the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, Chairman 1979; University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Economic Development Council, member; Pulaski County March of Dimes, Board Chairman and Campaign Director; American Red Cross, director; United Way, director; Chairman of Committee to Build a Convention Center, 1978; Institute of Politics and Government, director; National Conference of Christian & Jews, chairman, statewide fund drive; Arkansas Symphony, Vice President and director; Easter Seal Society, State Telethon chairman; Director of the Year award, Worthen Banking Corporation; Little Rock Unlimited Progress, director; President's Round Table, University of Central Arkansas, charter member; Arkansas Arts Center, President and Chairman, Board of Trustees; and Arkansas Community Foundation, director. Atkins served as Chairman of the State Banking Board in 1981. He was appointed to the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, Washington, D.C., by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. He was reappointed to that Board by President Bill Clinton in 1995 and served to the present time. He was State Finance Chairman for David. H. Pryor's successful campaign in 1975 for Governor of Arkansas and served in the same capacity for Pryor's successful campaign in 1979 for the United States Senate. Atkins was a member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, the Country Club of Little Rock, and the Little Rock Club. Honorary pallbearers are Allan E. Meadors, Philip S. Anderson, Jack C. Mulhollan, David H. Pryor, Phil Herrington and Charles H. Atkins, Jr. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Trinity Episcopal cathedral, 310 W. 17th Street, Little Rock, with a reception following the service at Morrison Hall. Memorials may be made to the Arkansas Arts Center, P.O. Box 2137 Little Rock, Ark., 72203. Funeral arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home, www.ruebelfuneralhome.com.