Former Travelers Chairman Jay Fishman Passes Away

HARTFORD, CT — Jay S. Fishman, former chairman and chief executive officer of the Travelers Companies, died Friday of complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was 63.

Fishman was the top executive at the insurance giant from 2004 until stepping down in late 2015 due to his battle with the disease. He served as Executive Chairman of the Board from Dec. 2015 until his death.

The company's partnership agreement with the PGA Tour in 2007 thrust Fishman into the national spotlight, as he made presentations to the winners of the Travelers Championship on the 18th green each year.

Less than two weeks ago, despite being confined to a wheelchair and requiring breathing assistance, Fishman was ever-present at the state's largest sporting event, with many of the Tour's top players stopping by to offer encouragement. The players all wore ALS awareness ribbons on their caps throughout the tournament.

"The response has been overwhelming, and so I do think there is a little bit of a different connection and different emotion this year," Fishman said in an interview with WTNH-TV on the practice range.

There is no known cure for ALS, a disease which causes a person to lose control of their voluntary muscles and is often accompanied by respiratory failure. It was a little-known ailment until it afflicted Gehrig, the star first baseman of the New York Yankees, in 1939; he died two years later.

Shortly after being diagnosed with the disease, Fishman went on national television and talked about it openly with host Charlie Rose.

"I’m engaged with my time, my resources, my energy," he said on the Nov. 4, 2015 show. "By moving the meter along, so that once I’m gone, people will say, 'Well, the couple of years that he had was just -- he used it so thoughtfully and so productively.'"

In a written statement, several Travelers leaders expressed their feelings about the loss of Fishman.

“We are greatly saddened by the loss of our esteemed colleague and friend. Our thoughts are with his wife Randy and the entire Fishman family during this difficult time,” said John H. Dasburg, who succeeds Fishman as non-executive Chairman of the Board. “Jay was an inspirational leader, and he built a management team that has established Travelers as a clear industry leader. Jay will be missed by the entire Travelers family.”

Alan Schnitzer, Chief Executive Officer of Travelers, said, “Jay led Travelers with an eye towards more than just success as it is traditionally measured. In part because of that philosophy, he led Travelers to unprecedented success by every measure. Though he would be too humble to admit it, Jay was an icon among corporate leaders. As his friend, I’m grateful to Jay for his mentorship and counsel. As his successor, I’m grateful to Jay for everything he did to set the stage for our company’s future success. I’ll miss my dear and close friend, and on behalf of all of us at Travelers, our hearts go out to his wife of nearly 40 years and childhood sweetheart Randy Fishman, Jay and Randy’s children and their beloved grandchildren.”

On its Twitter page, Travelers offered a brief, yet poignant message:

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy issued a written statement:

"He was not just a great individual, but an inspiration to those around him. The strength of spirit he displayed, the extraordinary philanthropy he showed, the mission to improve the world around him - all will never be forgotten by the Hartford community. Most of all, it was his outlook on life that was so infectious. It left deep impressions on all of us. Just two short weeks ago, we were side-by-side at the Travelers Championship, and I had the opportunity to hear him advocate for improved care for ALS patients. What a remarkable man, and what a remarkable impact he had. Cathy and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Travelers family."

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman added, "My thoughts are with the Fishman family and Jay's many friends and colleagues on this sad day. A deeply respected leader at Travelers and in the insurance and financial industries, Jay was well-known for his work ethic. But he was also a dedicated philanthropist and community leader, giving back so much through his board service and volunteer work. He reminds us that commitment to our communities is an important and valuable part of our humanity. He will be missed."

Photo and video credit: Charlie Rose via YouTube

Photo credits: Tim Jensen

Video credit: WTNH-TV via YouTube