Gordon Crosby was the retired chairman and CEO of USLIFE Corporation, which he led to its ranking as one of the top life insurance companies in the world. Mr. Crosby was recognized as an innovator in the life insurance industry, guiding USLIFE Corporation to become one of the first life insurance based financial services companies in the nation. During his 52 year career in the insurance industry, he served on dozens of professional and civic boards. Mr. Crosby passed away on December 16, 2004 at the age of 84.
Mr. Crosby began his education at Kemper Military School before transferring to what is now the College of Business in 1939. He was captain of the MU track team and established a Big Six record in the quarter mile. He also was president of Sigma Chi fraternity and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma honor society. Mr. Crosby left MU in 1941 to join the U.S. military effort. For his service as a submarine officer, he received several awards, including the Bronze Star.
Mr. Crosby served as a member of the dean's advisory board and key alumni committees for what was then known as the College of Business and Public Administration, which awarded him a Citation of Merit in 1969. In 1977, he received the Significant Sig award presented to individuals who have brought honor and prestige to the Sigma Chi fraternity. In recognition of his accomplishments and his contributions to the university, MU presented Mr. Crosby with an honorary doctorate in May 2000, only the eleventh such honor bestowed on College of Business alumni in 100 years. He was most recently a member of the College of Business' Strategic Development Board.
Mr. Crosby's spouse, Chessie, attended college at Rosemary Hall in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is a retired developer who served as vice president of Sugar Mountain Company in Banner Elk, North Carolina and resides in Fort Myers, Florida.
In May 2002, Mr. and Mrs. Crosby made a gift of $10 million in support of the MU MBA program. In recognition of the largest gift in support of an academic program at MU, Mr. Crosby’s name has been placed on the college’s MBA program.