Bill “Oak” O’Connell ’70 spent his entire career in public accounting, primarily with the firm of Deloitte and Touche.  He traveled the world handling insurance claims and litigation.  His career culminated in his role as one of the three panelists arbitrating the largest insurance settlement in history – the $7 billion settlement of the World Trade Center disaster of Sept. 11, 2001.                                                                                                      

O’Connell and his wife, Jeanie, made a substantial planned gift to Saint John’s to help establish the Thomas J. Murray Chair in Accounting.  Professor Murray began his teaching career at Saint John’s in 1966 and retired as professor emeritus of accounting in 1994.  In his 28 years of teaching, 1500 students graduated with accounting degrees and 846 went on to complete their CPA certification.

O’Connell wanted to honor Murray for his commitment to the accounting profession and to the accounting students at Saint John’s.  “He worked tirelessly to make the department one of the best in the university and in the country,” says O’Connell. “I wanted to honor his pioneering effort.”

“My education is one of the primary reasons for the success I’ve had in my life,” says O’Connell.  “I wanted to give back to the university that has given so much to me.” O’Connell retired in 2008 to be able to spend more time with his family and volunteer.

For more information on making a planned gift to Saint John’s, contact Jim Dwyer ’75, director of planned giving, toll free at (800) 635-7303.