Michael B. McGowan
June 29, 1958 – December 4, 2019
NASBP was saddened to hear about the passing of Michael B. McGowan, 61, of NASBP member M.B. McGowan & Associates Insurance Agency in Novato, CA. Mike had been active in NASBP for over 25 years. Mike loved the surety business and was drawn to it when he was working for J. H. Pomeroy while in college. He asked the superintendent while on the job site one day, “Who is that guy asking questions about the project?” His boss replied, “That is the surety guy.” He told his boss, “I can do that!” On that day, Mike decided not to pursue a job in engineering, but went on to get his accounting degree and got his first job with Industrial Indemnity in the early 80’s. That is where he met his wife, Sue, at his first surety association meeting in San Diego 37 years ago.
Jerry Pickett, CEO of The Liberty Company, Woodland Hills, CA said: “You couldn’t meet a more genuine guy than Mike. He let you know exactly what he was feeling with a no-nonsense delivery that always included a smile. I’m sure that’s one reason most of his clients had been with him over a decade, some for two decades. The other reason is because he was great at what he did, and his clients came to trust and rely on his expertise, fairness, and sense of urgency to help them in any situation. There are a lot of lessons to be learned when someone the caliber of Mike enters your life, but sadly today we are reminded of the lesson that everything can change in an instant when that person leaves your life.”
Colleague and friend, Susan Hecker, Executive Vice President, Director – National Contract Surety of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in San Francisco, CA, added, “Mike was a fixture in the construction and surety industries here in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was raised in a construction family and started his agency career at Corroon & Black, where he learned the business from legends in our industry. Mike was known for his colorful stories and for his love of fun, family, and the San Francisco 49ers.”
