W.
R. Berkley, an American insurance executive and CEO of W.
R. Berkley Corporation, died on June 9, 2026, at age 80. Born William Robert Berkley in 1946, he built a career in insurance and was the founder and chairman of W. R. Berkley Corporation. He also served as chairman of the New York University Board of Trustees. Berkley grew up in North Jersey and began investing in the stock market at age 12, using money he earned from mowing lawns.