Henry "Hank" C.
George
Henry “Hank” C. George
1946 – 2024
Henry “Hank” George, 77, of Greendale, WI passed away surrounded by loved ones on January 10th, 2024 after a brief illness.
He was born on July 9th, 1946 to Henry and Florence George in Milwaukee, WI. After graduating from Custer High School, Hank went on to study history at UW-Milwaukee.
In 1969, Hank met Esther Ledesma and they married in 1970. They went on to have two children, Matthew and Rachel in 1972 and 1975, respectively. Hank was a loving and supportive father. As a family man, he is remembered for his playful sense of humor and for his ability to inspire and encourage.
Hank began an influential career in the field of medical underwriting at Northwestern Mutual in 1970. He also worked for Manulife, Lincoln National Re and ExamOne before starting his own underwriting consulting and training business in 2002. During this time Hank founded the underwriting journal On The Risk as well as the Internal Underwriting Congress and the e-newsletter Hot Notes. Hank was the ex-president of the Home Office Life Underwriters Association (HOLUA) and the creator of several underwriting study groups.
During his career, Hank published over 550 research papers and articles, addressed the Million Dollar Round Table from the main stage on two occasions, and authored two books: Getting it Issued (co-authored with John Krinik), and Underwriting: What Every Producer Must Know. Hank was the recipient of the Academy of Life Underwriting Outstanding Achievement Award and was inducted into the AHOU Hall of Fame.
Outside of work, Hank was a film enthusiast and regularly published movie reviews in Hot Notes. He was also deeply interested in politics and spirituality, and a die-hard fan of the Packers, Brewers, Badgers and Bucks.
Family, friends and colleagues knew Hank as a generous person who was quick to lend a hand to those in need. Hank actively looked for opportunities to build others up and was a mentor to many in his field. His dedication to his profession, family and friends was an inspiration to those who knew him best.
Hank is survived by his life-long friend, Esther, and their children Matthew and Rachel. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The family requests that memorials go to Direct Relief, Doctors Without Borders or Oxfam.
Sorry for your loss! Sending condolences and prayers to you and your family. Wishing the best for you and your family Rachel
Best,
Naveen Lalit kankate
This is a personal loss for me as well – Hank, in addition to being a respected colleague, was a true friend, one of the few people in the insurance industry who earned both words with me as I use the second term sparingly in that business. It is some small consolation that he passed still able to do what he loved above all things other than perhaps family. I shall miss our conversations a lot.
My deepest condolences to friends and family, and the industry will have one less resource and perhaps more importantly, voice of conscience. We won’t see his like again.
–Bill
So very sorry to hear this sad news. My condolences to everyone in Hank’s family. I knew him very well from industry meetings and I was on the board of the International Underwriting Congress that he started and attended all those meetings and seminars. He was a huge asset to the life insurance underwriting industry and he will be greatly missed.
Few people can claim how impactful they were on their industry but Hank can.
As a young underwriter I heard Hank for the first time at an industry meeting. Later on I had the pleasure of having Hank come to my home office and spend a day with us, explaining labs and what they say about the risks.
Any time Hank was on the agenda, I wanted to go. I still have notes from his learning sessions.
I learned a lot from Hank, he was a generous, honest and gentle human.
There are many who share a similar story. Simply out, he was a great teacher!
Rest in peace, Hank. You earned it.
I had a long and interesting relationship with Hank, who was a friend indeed. I only met him a couple of times in person, but we talked back and forth via email for years. – since the mid-1980’s at least. I really appreciated HotNotes and used to subscribe to his Continuing Education series. I know he was struggling with health issues these last few years. I will open a Guinness Stout and toast him tonight.. Sorry for your loss. I shall miss HotNotes and our email conversations terribly.
Ken Zinn
Hank George was such a huge part of my Life Underwriting training. He was very talented and highly respected in the Life Underwriting field. He will be missed greatly and his contributions will live on for years to come.
I am truly sorry for your loss.
So very sorry to hear of Hank’s passing but I am better for having known him.
He was passionate about justice and movies, just as he was for Underwriting.
Condolences to Esther, Matt and Rachel.
Kurt
I’m so terribly sorry to hear the news of Hank’s passing..
Hank was indeed one individual that did not keep the tricks of our trade to himself. I am forever thankful for everything he shared and for the legacy he leaves to all of us in our industry.
My prayers go out to his family and close colleagues and associates.
He will be greatly missed.
Sorry to hear of Hank’s passing. Keeping Hank’s family in my thoughts.
A brilliant, brilliant man & a good friend.. His contribution to the insurance industry was truly enormous.
He will be so missed. Most sincere condolences to his family.
I am deeply sorry about the loss of Hank. This is a tremendous loss for you (Esther, Matt, and Rachel), as well as for worldwide underwriting community. As you grieve, know that we are remembering and honouring Hank. May his soul rest in peace.
Goran
This is very sad news. Although I retired two years ago I still read Hot Notes. Hank came over to the UK for a week to carry out a series of talks for the company I worked for at the time. I was the training manager. Hank’s talks went down very well indeed. It started a friendship between us born of a mutual live of training.
He will be sorely missed and my condolences to his family and friends.
I am sorry to hear of Hank’s passing. A true loss to the industry. He left a legacy. Sending thoughts of peace to the family.
So very sorry to hear this news. Hank was a legend in his lifetime, known to underwriters far and wide, inspiring and passionate about what he did.
I hope that the outpouring of good thoughts and comfort from all around the globe can help bring a small piece of comfort to you, Esther Rachel & Matt, at this sad time. Our thoughts are with you.
I’m very shocked and saddened by the new of Hank’s passing. I never had the pleasure of meeting him directly, and yet I have such warm thoughts and respect for this man who has played such an immense and inspiring role in the insurance industry and the personal careers, roles and education of so many insurance professionals the world over.
Hank and in particular his newsletter Hot Notes has been a staple of my career for 23 years. Hot Notes was initially shared with me by a caring manager all those many years ago when I was an administrator with aspirations of building a career in insurance. I obtained my own subscription that day and maintained it all these many years since, as I changed roles, offices, companies and continents. I have always made sure to pass on that good fortune by sharing and promoting Hank and Hot Notes with industry colleagues. It is such a shame that we lose Hot Notes along with Hank, but fitting seeing it was his own. As others have mentioned I doubt we shall see his ilk again, although it would be nice to think some may be capable of trying to honour this legacy.
My most sincere condolences to Esther, Matt and Rachel, and to his wider family and friends.
Thank you, Hank, for your life and passion. Rest now in peace.
I wanted to just take a moment to thank Hank. He was a very important person and influence in my early formative years learning the underwriting craft. An unbelievable influence actually. When I started in underwriting at Time insurance out of Marquette University in 1975 with my BS in Biology, I look back and my mind was a sponge. I wanted to learn as much as I could and Hank with his sophisticated presentations was so incredibly interesting. I recall constantly jockeying to get my name on the local WHOLUA meeting list when he was the speaker. Great memories and great role model. And then in the 90´s, Hank and John K took a chance on this self-made webmaster, doing local club websites, to launch OTR´s first website. Those were fantastic days. Hank George, a true visionary and man ahead of this time. RIP Hank.
My most sincere thoughts and prayers are with your family during this very difficult time. He really was a giant in our industry and will be missed.
Esther, Matt, and Rachel, what a terrible loss for your family. I offer my condolences and the memories of a very grateful underwriter. I met Hank when he published a light-hearted article in a very early issue of On The Risk about underwriting couples. He asked me to author several articles for On The Risk in the subsequent years of my career that undoubtedly added weight to any resume I showed to potential employers. I was so pleased when he invited me to join his seminar groups and always disappointed when reinsurance responsibilities kept me from being more of a regular participant. Hank generously endowed our industry with his heart and soul, He was steadfast, persistent and tireless in his commitment to the art and science of underwriting. The comments from our professional colleagues reflect the incredible influence he had on many of us personally and professionally. Hank was kind and compassionate with me during the time of my spouse’s illness and eventual death. Those who witnessed Hank in his occasional curmudgeonly moments, know that they were indeed, only moments. Many more of us experienced and have memories of Hank as a generous human being who endowed our industry with his knowledge and insight.
I enjoyed, and learned so much from the monthly Hot Notes issues. He shared so much good information with so many people. Prayers to all as we grieve his passing.
I met Hank when he spoke at a series of underwriting talks in Dublin many years ago and read Hot Notes religiously – a wonderfully entertaining gentleman and a marvellous advocate for all us underwriters. He will be missed by all who met him and the industry is lessened by his loss.
I have known Hank for 50 years. I was a new underwriter just when he was getting started and I met him when we were both members of the Western Home Office Underwriters Association. He was so amazing and I respected his knowledge and willingness to share it so much! I retired in 2017 and still read Hank’s Hot Notes. I will miss them and Hank! There is no one else like him. RIP, my friend!
Hank impacted so many underwriters: he was a driving force that brought the Wisconsin Association of Life and Health Underwriters (WAHLU) back from the abyss. He presented at many sessions, and for years was an Officer at Large for WAHLU. His depth of knowledge seemingly knew no bounds, and he was always willing to share what he knew with others. He was a skilled presenter, a direct mentor, and in many ways, larger than life. Our profession will be a little less Grand with his passing, and we all owe him much.
Godspeed Hank.
Oh my, what a great loss. Hank was always a great supporter of me and my business and so generous with his time. I learned so much from him. His enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge were contagious!! And what a personality….Never a dull conversation with Hank.
RIP my friend:)
I only met Hank once when he came to the World Underwriting Congress in London in 2000 and he made an impact on the whole gathering. He wore the big hat on a big man who had true presence in the meeting he led. I retired in 2011 but he kindly let me continue with Hot Notes until this day and we shared Email correspondence every now and again. He was one of a kind. PS I just love the use of “All around My Hat” by Steel Eye Span for the photo gallery, the group are still touring and came to our local event hall last year
Ester, Rachel and Matt, you are in my thoughts and prayers. He will be missed. Let’s all be honest; we left every one of his sessions having to look up a word or two! He was an amazing teacher!!! Thank you, Hank, for all you did for the underwriting world. Rest in Peace friend!
I was very saddened to learn of Hank’s passing. He was a pioneer and leader of our special group of professionals and I can personally say I’ve learnt a lot from his articles and sessions – we were lucky enough that he spent time with us in a personalised seminar in Cardiff, Wales, when I was cutting my teeth as a relatively junior underwriter in the early-to-mid 2000s.
What a lovely, genuine man, who had an unrivaled thirst for knowledge and to further our profession.
Rest in peace, Hank.
I had the pleasure of meeting Hank at a conference. He was very kind. His reputation in the field of underwritng is amazing. So many people have learned so much from him; directly and indirectly. My condolences to you all. His presence will be missed, but his legacy will carry on.
Condolences to Hank’s family and friends. His contribution to the Underwriting profession is enormous. He was highly regarded and respected. He will be greatly missed. May he Rest in Peace.
My deepest condolences to Matthew, Rachel and Esther. I’m honoured to have known Hank and to have considered him a mentor.
That was a beautiful memorial video.
Rest In Pest, Hank.
Dear Esther, Rachel and Matthew. I met Hank in 1987 and he changed my world. It was like meeting Elvis, the underwriting version. Nobody came close to his love and commitment to our profession. Not then and not now. He often mentioned you Esther and Matt and Rachel and his love for you all they he would always wear on his sleeve. My son Giancarlo just showed me the email I sent to Hank to introduce him and they started their own correspondence and friendship. He was indeed always ready to lend a hand. To call him friend and colleague is a joy of my life. I will always cherish his memory.
Attachment
My deepest condolences to His family and colleagues. He was a great man and encouraged me to establish underwriter’s association of Japan.
RIP Hank
I was devastated to learn of the passing of my good friend and underwriting icon Hank George. My deepest condolences to Easter, Michael and Rachel. I am based in Barbados. and Hank played a key roll in enhancing my underwriting knowledge, I attended many of his seminars and training sessions. When I formed a Caribbean underwriting association he was my main advisor. He traveled to Barbados and other parts of the Caribbean to present at our meetings. Hank was the architect of the International Underwriting Congress, and I was deeply honoured to be his vice chair at the inaugural conference in Mexico City which attracted underwriters and industry personnel from around the world. The next Conference in London was also very successful, as was the one in Geneva, where I again had the honour of being vice-chair. Sadly on merging with LIMRA/LOMA the mind and management of the project was in conflict with Hank’s concepts and there were no more International congresses. But Hank was indeed a colossus that loomed large over the unwriting world with incredible knowledge., enthusiasm and intensity. He is irreplaceable and will be sadly missed. Again I extend regret’s to family and many friends.
Rest in peace my friend.
I’m deeply sorry. Hank inspired me to be my best and to cultivate a creative and critical mind. Hank was a generous, honest and a gentle soul. I enjoyed and learned so much from Hot Notes issues. M y deepest condolences to Esther, Rachel and Matt.
Rest in peace mi querido hermano. I’ll always cherish your memory.
I’m saddened to hear of Hank’s passing. I entered the life underwriting profession in the early 1980’s. I’ve always felt that at least two people belong on the Mount Rushmore of underwriting education, Hank being one of them. Over the years I was able to spend quite a bit of time with Hank, and came to consider him a friend. Rest In Peace, Friend..
So sad to hear of Hank’s passing, which just came through on ALUCA notifications. I had several dealings with Hank dating back to 2006 when I commenced on this journey. of underwriting. I always enjoyed his publications, took part in his learning program, and dealt with him personally on occasions. Iwas amazed at his depth of knowledge in all aspects of the Underwriting and wider insurance industry. Condolences to Esther and the family, it’s a great loss of a wonderful man,
So sorry to hear of Hanks passing. Of course, I haven’t had any interactions with him since I retired from underwriting, but he taught me everything I knew!
I spend the winter in Florida, so I’m sorry I will miss the celebration of his life, so sending condolences to his family and all who knew him.
I have very fond remembrances of Hank. He taught me and my colleagues so much about underwriting. So sorry to hear of his passing, and he will be missed by many.. Sending my sympathy to Esther, Matthew & Rachel who were the loves of his life.