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Obituary: Kevin Brooks, former head of General Star

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Kevin P. Brooks, former chairman, president and CEO of General Star Indemnity Co., the surplus lines unit of General Reinsurance Corp., died April 3 from complications of COVID-19. He was 75.

Mr. Brooks, who was also a past president of the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices, was a longtime resident of Brooklyn and Shelter Island, New York.

Raised in Washington Heights in Manhattan, he graduated from Manhattan College in 1966, where he joined the U.S. Marine Corps under the platoon leaders program. He served a tour of duty in Vietnam as an artillery forward observer and continued his service as a member of the reserves.

After completing active duty, he returned to New York in 1969 and joined General Reinsurance as a casualty facultative underwriter. Spending more than 40 years in the industry, he rose through the ranks at General Re and led General Star from its founding.

In 1999, NAPSLO awarded Mr. Brooks with the Charles McAlear award to recognize his contributions to the specialty insurance business.

Outside of business, he was a birder and he developed a keen interest in Irish music, playing the bodhrán and the bones.

Mr. Brooks is survived by his wife, Ginny, three children and seven grandchildren. The family plan a celebration of his life after coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted.