In Remembrance

Billy R. Clark (1928-2014) 

NASBP was saddened to learn that NASBP Past President Billy R. Clark passed away at the age of 86 on May 10, 2014, in Denver, CO. Clark served as NASBP President from 1982 to 1983.

Clark started his career in insurance and surety bonding with Travelers Insurance Co. in Minneapolis, MN, transferring to Denver, CO to lead the Travelers Bond Department in 1958. In 1962, he joined Talbert Corporation in Denver, CO and rose to become President and CEO. Talbert was sold to HRH in 1992 and, shortly thereafter, Clark left HRH and opened his own agency, Bill Clark and Associates.

Lee Dartois, Senior Surety Consultant at Moody Insurance agency in Denver, CO, said. "Bill was an icon in the surety Industry and very well respected in the construction Industry. He acted as an advisor to numerous construction companies and provided surety bonds on many projects throughout the nation."

Dartois described Clark as someone who was unquestionably a leader and a mentor to many surety professionals and construction contractors. “Two hallmarks about Billy was his professionalism and his ethics, he always did the right thing and was highly respected in the surety industry,” Dartois said. “Billy was incredibly generous with his time and money; I'm just one of many he mentored.” 

Dartois met Clark in 1974 when Dartois was an underwriter for The Travelers. In 1975, Dartois joined The Talbert Corporation and from that time on, Clark was a large influence in Dartois’ successful surety career that included becoming Executive Vice President of Talbert, then President of HRH of Colorado, and later President of International Risk Group-Affinity Insurance Partners (IRG).

“Bill was very important in my life, because he was a mentor and a father figure to me. For example, whenever he went to Louisiana, he would visit with my family and always take them out to dinner," said Dartois. Their career paths crossed again in 2006 when IRG purchased Bill Clark and Associates. Clark eventually retired from IRG.

“Bill was a well-respected surety and insurance professional as well as a community leader, and he will be dearly missed by family, friends, agents, underwriters, and clients,” said Dartois.

NASBP Past President Sarah Finn said the mourners at Clark's funeral spanned several generations and included a wide variety of people who worked for and/or with Clark over the years, in one way or another. "Many in the Denver bond and construction industries paid their final respects to Billy Ray Clark, an icon in the business, friend, mentor and partner to so many," said Finn, who is National Surety Senior Vice President of IMA, Inc. in Denver, CO. "Bill helped many a young bond professional get their start in the business and helped many a contractor with their business over the years--a true testament of the many friendships Bill had and the respect he earned."