Introducing 2022 Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame Inductee
BJ Dunn.
Bobby J. (B.J.) Dunn was born July 1st, 1930, at Booneville, Arkansas. He was the
youngest of three children born to Roy S. Dunn and Effie Jackson Dunn with one older brother, Melvin, and an older sister, Juanita. Mr. Dunn attended Booneville Public Schools and graduated from Booneville High School in 1948. He enrolled at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, and began studies for a degree in Music Education. Mr. Dunn played trumpet during his public-school days and was interested in music and becoming a band director.
At the University Mr. Dunn was a member of the Razorback band for both marching and concert band. He played in both bands for four years as well as playing trumpet with the University Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Dunn was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band fraternity and served as president of the Lambda Chapter. He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BSE Degree in Music Education in 1952.
During his four years at the University Mr. Dunn enrolled in ROTC and, upon
graduation, was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He was immediately ordered to active duty. After additional training he was ordered to Korea during the Korean War and served a year there. Mr. Dunn was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1954 with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He then joined the Arkansas Army National Guard and continued his military interest for over 20 years. During that time he served with several different Guard Units and retired in 1977 with the rank of Major. In total Mr. Dunn served 22 years with the military including the National Guard service and Active-Duty service.
In 1954 Mr. Dunn enrolled in Graduate School at the University of Arkansas with his emphasis of study being a master’s degree in music education. This study was completed in 1955 and he accepted the position as Band Director with the Russellville Arkansas school system.
In 1958 Mr. Dunn married Claire Caviness from Danville, Arkansas. They were blessed with two children, Robert Eric Dunn and Julia Ellen Dunn. They have five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn just celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.
Mr. Dunn loved teaching band, loved the students, and loved the public schools.
However, he had an opportunity to enter the business field and in 1960 joined Radio Station KXRJ in Russellville as Commercial Manager for L.L. Doc Bryan and Russ Horne.
Another business opportunity presented itself in 1963 and he chose to join C.R. Turner with Burnett-Turner Insurance Agency. At that time Mr. Turner had a successful insurance agency. He had one employee. Mr. Dunn passed the insurance license exam and was licensed as a Property/Casualty agent shortly after joining Mr. Turner’s agency.
The agency was primarily a Commercial Lines agency but developed a nice volume of Personal Lines business also. He became a licensed Life Insurance Agent and helped develop a nice book of life insurance business. Mr. Dunn also studied for the LUTC designation but did not complete that study.
Mr. Dunn was encouraged to become active in the Arkansas Association of Insurance Agents, now the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas. He served on several committees and on the Board of Directors. Mr. Dunn was honored to be elected President of the AAIA in 1970. He continued to be active in association business until his recent retirement. In 1995 he was honored to receive the Allan Kennedy Memorial Award from the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas for service to the insurance industry in Arkansas.
Mr. Dunn has been active in community affairs in Russellville and over the years was President of Jaycees, President of the Russellville Lions Club, served on boards for the Heart Association, Main Street Russellville, Children’s Hospital “Circle of Friends”, Russellville School Board (President in 1977), and was active in the PTA and Band Boosters. He also served as “Emcee” for many civic events and beauty pageants in the River Valley area.
As a member since 1956 of First Methodist Church of Russellville, Mr. Dunn sang in the Chancel Choir for over 55 years. He also served on the building committees for three major additional to the church property, served as an usher/greeter, was Stewardship Chairman and served on the Finance Committee and as Chairman of the Church Council on Ministries.
Mr. Dunn is a charter member and currently active in the River Valley retired military organization known nationally as MOAA, Military Officers of America.
He continued his love for music by playing trumpet in the Russellville Community Band and playing trumpet in the pit orchestra for the annual summer musicals. Mr. Dunn was a charter member of local jazz group, “Jazz Reunion”, playing lots of social events locally and throughout the River Valley area for over 20 years. FUN STUFF!! He was also a charter member of the Russellville Community Chorale vocal organization and served as President of that singing group.
Mr. Dunn is a 50 year member of Booneville Blocher Lodge 247. He is a 50 year
member of Western Arkansas Masonic Consistory, and is a 33rd Degree Mason.
Mr. Dunn states, “Over the years, through mergers and acquisitions, our 2-man, 1-woman insurance agency changed from Burnett-Turner to Turner-Dunn and Associates, then to Dunn-Murphy-White, and to Brown and Brown Insurance with a staff of 13 insurance professionals. And, after 55 years of enjoyable service to the insurance industry, I announced my official ‘retirement’ in 2018.”
About the Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame
The Arkansas Insurance Hall of Fame was created in 2015 to recognize leaders of the Arkansas Insurance industry. These leaders exemplify innovation, social responsibility, leadership, and professional excellence. They have made broad encompassing and lasting contributions to advance the role of insurance in society and have significantly impacted the lives of many Arkansans.
