George Pollock Jenkins (February 24, 1915 – October 14, 2009) was an American business executive who helped broaden the firm's investment portfolio as chief investment officer and later chairman of the

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), better known as MetLife, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, w ...

, helping major companies expand through the development of the

private placement Private placement (or non-public offering) is a funding round of securities which are sold not through a public offering, but rather through a private offering, mostly to a small number of chosen investors. Generally, these investors include frien ...

and purchasing

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

bonds during the city's 1970s fiscal crisis. Jenkins was born on February 24, 1915, in

Clarksburg, West Virginia Clarksburg is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 16,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in West Virginia, tenth-most populous city ...

, and attended

Blair Academy Blair Academy is a coeducational, boarding and day school for students in high school. The school serves students from ninth through twelfth grades as well as a small post-graduate class. The school's campus is located on a campus in Blairst ...

, a private boarding high school in

Blairstown, New Jersey Blairstown is a Township (New Jersey), township in Warren County, New Jersey, Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 5,704, a decrease of 263 (−4.4%) from the 2010 Uni ...

. He attended

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

and earned his undergraduate degree in economics as a member of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

and earned a graduate degree from

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

.Martin, Douglas
"George P. Jenkins, a MetLife Chairman, Dies at 94 "
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', October 16, 2009. Accessed October 22, 2009. He was named vice chairman in May 1969. He was hired by Metropolitan Life in 1938 and was named as an office of the company in 1951. He was named financial vice president in November 1961 effective at the start of the new year and was named as a director in April 1964. He became chairman in 1973 and stepped down from that post in 1980 when he reached the age of 65 and was succeeded in that position by Richard R. Shinn.Staff
"BUSINESS PEOPLE; Metropolitan Life Names Chief and Vice Chairman Sales Head Gets Added Role"
''

'', January 24, 1980. Accessed October 22, 2009. In his investment role at Metropolitan Life, he helped develop the market for private placements, allowing major companies to sell securities directly to institutional investors, bypassing the securities markets. Some of the companies that he helped develop included the expansion of the

American Broadcasting Company The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is an American Commercial broadcasting, commercial broadcast Television broadcaster, television and radio Radio network, network that serves as the flagship property of the Disney Entertainment division ...

into a major network and the international expansion of

Pan American World Airways Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and more commonly known as Pan Am, was an airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States for ...

. He was one of the primary individuals behind the formation of the

Municipal Assistance Corporation A Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC) was an independent New York State public-benefit corporation created by the State of New York for purposes of providing financing assistance and fiscal oversight of a fiscally-distressed city. Two MACs are ...

, which was created by the State of New York in 1975 and allowed the New York City to get access to borrow funds on a short-term basis that it needed during the 1970s financial crisis. Jenkins died at age 94 on October 14, 2009, in

Glen Ridge, New Jersey Glen Ridge is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,802, an increase of 275 (+3.7%) from the 2010 United St ...

, due to heart failure. He was survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Marian O'Brien; his sister, Ellen Jenkins Smith; his sons James, Robert and Richard; and seven grandchildren; Millicent, Augustus, Lucas, Annabelle, Emma, Gregory and Charlotte.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, George P. 1915 births 2009 deaths Blair Academy alumni Princeton University alumni Harvard Business School alumni American Broadcasting Company people Businesspeople from Clarksburg, West Virginia