William D. “Bill” Smith

William D. “Bill” Smith, former insurance giant and wine enthusiast, passed away at age 74 on February 24, 2019.

Bill was born in Los Angeles, California with a taste for adventure and a talent for economics. He grew up in the Los Angeles area with his parents, Jack and Emily, and his brother, John. As his parents were both semi-professional equestrians, Bill’s weekends were often spent at horse shows or at the lot of a Hollywood Western film. Bill would enjoy time under the hood, building dragsters with his brother and close friends, as well as Saturday night dinners with his Uncle Arty, which for decades would include Cuban Picadillo and informal Spanish lessons. Bill also excelled in all manners of scouting, earning the highly coveted Eagle Scout designation while a student at Van Nuys High School.

Following graduation from UCLA, Bill was commissioned in the U.S. Army as an armored cavalry officer. The Vietnam War was rapidly escalating, and after two years in Germany, Bill was assigned as a company commander to the 1st Infantry Division. He was decorated with the Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, the Vietnamese Honor Medal 1st Class, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with four battle stars for his service in Vietnam.

Returning to civilian life, Bill married Marilyn and embarked upon a 30-year career in insurance and financial services. With rather humble beginnings as a property-casualty underwriter at Allstate, his career would take him across the globe managing incredibly complex financial transactions. Driven, ambitious, and with an MBA from the University of Chicago’s 1990 Executive MBA Program in hand, Bill was tapped to run National Union Fire Insurance Company as its Chairman, President and CEO. Later, he served as Maurice “Hank” Greenberg’s Executive Vice President of American International Group until 1996. Bill described Hank as the most brilliant and impossible man he had ever worked for in his career. Despite their professional separation, the two remained in contact over the years. Several years after Bill’s retirement from Kemper Insurance, he remarked that “Hank was the only man that could ever draw me [him] back to the insurance business…” He added, “Maybe Jeff,” with a bit of a mad scientist sparkle in his eyes.

Bill retired from the insurance business and turned to what some may call the greatest love of his life: wine. He spent a few years in the 5th in Paris, Franc arrondissements exploring his love for wine and then moved to Punta Del Este, Uruguay and Mendoza, Argentina. There, he and Janet Soderberg Smith established the Vista Flores Estate, an Argentine vintner that by all accounts is a great success, having won multiple awards in the food and wine community. Bill and Janet enjoyed sharing their wine with friends and family, especially around Janet’s Birthday and the holidays—affairs not to be missed in the Punta del Este community.

In the last couple years of his life, Bill gradually retired from the wine business, leaving it in the capable hands of Janet, and moved back to the United States in Vero Beach, Florida where he passed away.

Bill is survived by his brother, John Smith (Marsha), residing in Aurora, Colorado, daughter, Jennifer G. Smith residing in Washington, D.C., son Michael William Smith (Amanda) residing in Richmond, Virginia, eight grandchildren, Marilyn G. Smith, residing in Vero Beach, Florida and Janet Soderberg Smith residing in St. Michaels, Maryland.

The family will host a Memorial Celebration later this month in St. Michael’s Maryland, with additional details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider an In-Honor donation to the Wounded Warrior Project at https://support/woundedwarriorproject.org.

Bill will be laid to rest in the Arlington National Cemetery later this year.