The sudden passing of Nathaniel E. Lord, Chief Executive Officer of Schools Excess Liability Fund, on April 6, has shocked and saddened us all.
In Nat's short tenure with SELF, he came to know many within the joint powers authority and education communities and made an impression on us all with his sense of humor, quick wit, strong moral character and his vast expertise of risk management and insurance, as a result of more than 30 years working in those fields.
He dove into his new post at SELF with an energy and enthusiasm that was infectious. The job gave him an opportunity to combine two of the things he loved most, risk management and education.
Nat devoted much of his life to California education, as a parent, an elected school board member and president of the Claremont Unified School District and later as CEO of SELF. Nat's passion for schools and his desire to help them succeed was a driving force behind his work at SELF. In the short time he was part of the organization, he became an invaluable resource to its members and a respected leader to his staff.
Nat's loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew him.
