DAVID McLaughlin's retirement as chairman from PartnerRe can only prove a blessing for the few charities and boards to which he previously didn't have time to lend his expertise.

Well known for his humanitarian works and his giving spirit, when the founding chairman of the local reinsurance company retired earlier this summer, it was determined that the most fitting way to honour him would be through a tribute in which the island could share.

As such, the Bermuda National Gallery is now hosting the McLaughlin Lecture Series - sponsored by PartnerRe, and wholeheartedly supported by Mr. McLaughlin.

"I've always had an interest in art," said Mr. McLauglin, who oversaw the creation of Dartmouth College's Hood Museum, one of the oldest and largest college museums in America. "But I think the idea for the lecture series was really chosen by Patrick Thiele (PartnerRe's chief executive officer). We talked and I thought that no matter what was done, we should make it a Bermuda-based activity and programme-based what it could offer the culture and community, which is great.

"I enjoyed my time at PartnerRe. It's an interesting company. It's done exceedingly well, has grown through acquisition and through each step, management and the board really bonded together and that's how a company should be run.

"What's also fascinating is that a large part of its ownership is in Switzerland, and another is in the United States, so half of the board is North American and half is European. Watching the two cultures interact and really begin to address issues, has been extrememly gratifying."

Apart from his role at PartnerRe - he was made chairman of its Board after the company went public seven years ago - Mr. McLaughlin (pictured) is chairman of the American Red Cross and president emeritus of Dartmouth College in Hannover, New Hampshire. He serves as chairman and CEO of Orion Safety Products, and non-executive chairman of Viacom, Inc.

A former chairman of CBS, he serves on the board of directors of Atlas Air and Infinity Broadcasting. He previously served in a variety of executive positions for Champion Papers, Inc. (now Champion International) and served for ten years as chairman, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute.

A past director of several other boards and corporations, Mr. McLaughlin is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Dartmouth College and received his Master's of Business Administration from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College and has also been awarded several honorary degrees from other institutions.

"PartnerRe is very pleased to team up with the Bermuda National Gallery for this special series," said Celia Powell, the company's manager of communications. "We are particularly delighted to have found a way to honour David McLaughlin for his service to our company while bringing a world-class event to the Bermuda community."

A leading global reinsurer, PartnerRe provides multi-line reinsurance to insurance companies. Risks insured include property catastrophe, agriculture, motor, casualty, marine and others. In 2001, total revenues were $1.9 billion. As of June 30, 2002, total assets were $7.9 billion, total capitalisation, $2.5 billion and total shareholders' equity $1.9 billion.

Laura Gorham, director of the Bermuda National Gallery, said: "David McLaughlin has a passion for education, listing among his many accomplishments presidency of Dartmouth College. PartnerRe's sponsorship in his honour has enabled the Bermuda National Gallery to fulfil its commitment to quality arts education by inviting distinguished lecturers to speak in Bermuda.

"The lecturers will be well known in the arts community as artists, scholars or museum curators and will be speaking on a diverse range of stimulating subjects related to the visual arts.

"The collaboration of PartnerRe and the Bermuda National Gallery is a good fit with both institutions' commitment to excellence and education. We thank PartnerRe for making it possible for us to offer this quality programming to the community and we welcome a link with Dartmouth, the Ivy league institution where David McLaughlin served as president and was named president emeritus."

The series, added Ms Gorham, would include six public lectures as well as collaborative visits with the Bermuda College.

Co-incidentally, the start of Mr. McLaughlin's lecture series tied in with a play, Strictly Matrimony now being staged at the City Hall Theatre starring Ms Gorham, and written by one of his former Dartmouth Colleagues, drama professor Errol Hill.

"He was a mentor of mine when I came up as president," said Mr. McLaughlin. "He and his wife are the most charming people. I was also surprised to see, when I picked up the notice, that the first lecturer - art history professor Robert McGrath - was from Dartmouth. I was very delighted. Unfortunately I had a Red Cross retreat planned and missed it but I hope to be down for the second lecture of the series."

Although his contributions to Dartmouth stemmed from a personal connection, Mr. McLaughlin said he is generally driven by a moral obligation to give back to society.

"I attended the college myself. I went through on scholarship so I felt I owed a great deal to Dartmouth," he explained. "I (served as president) for seven years and was very pleased and proud of what Dartmouth did at the time. (The rest of my charity involvement) just came along.

"I do try and keep balance in my life, I still play tennis, I read a lot but I believe that most people feel they should give back to society. I believe that most recognise that we've benefited from it and should give back and that's what I'm doing. If you don't have a passion for an organisation with which you're associated - whether it's Partner Re or Dartmouth or the Red Cross - it becomes work.

"But it's easy for me to spend time (working for them) because I believe in them. I believe in their mission, their culture, their values. And if you feel that way, it's a pleasure, a privilege to be involved."

For more on the McLaughlin lecture series, please contact the Bermuda National Gallery at 295-9428. The first in the series of lectures was held last night.