04
Mar
1999
Richard R. Shinn of MetLife, whose long record of civic involvement included a key role in the creation of The Business Council, died last month at the age of 81.
Shinn began his career working in the mailroom at Metropolitan Life in 1939. He rose to become its CEO in 1973 and its chairman in 1980.
He was instrumental in the business community's efforts to rescue New York City from near-bankruptcy in the mid-1970s. He was a founding director of The Business Council in 1980, and was the third winner of The Council's Corning Award for Excellence in 1981. After retiring in 1983, he was a trustee of The Public Policy Institute, The Council's research affiliate.