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George "Tim" Herrmann III, a decorated World War II veteran with a career in insurance, turned his own struggles with alcohol into a commitment to helping others battle their addictions. Tim, a beloved supporter of the David Lawrence Center, passed away in November.
A native of Illinois, Tim attended college at Northwestern University where he played football. He spent his entire navy career at sea serving in the battles in New Guinea, Philippines, Leiti Gulf and the landing at Okinawa where the destroyer that he captained was hit by a kamikaze pilot. After the war, he attended law school and later served as President of George Herrmann & Co., the commercial insurance brokerage started in 1898 by his grandfather, from 1952 until the company was sold in 1979.
Tim became active in Republican politics and was appointed by President Eisenhower to serve as Chairman of the Republican Citizens League of the United States to help rebuild the Republican Party. He was later appointed to serve on the National Council of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. In 1960, Tim established the first Alcoholics Anonymous Program for the Armed Services under Secretary of Defense Red Blount and helped establish an alcohol-treatment program for the United States Postal Service employees.
In his retirement, Tim's commitment to the recovery community could be further demonstrated through his fundraising efforts to establish several substance abuse treatment facilities including the Haymarket House in Chicago and the newly named Herrmann Detox Center at the David Lawrence Center. Tim began raising funds for the Detoxification Center in 1998 which later opened in 2000. The facility was named in his honor in 2007 by the David Lawrence Foundation because of his outstanding contributions and fundraising support over the years.
David Schimmel, CEO of the David Lawrence Center, stated, "David Lawrence Center will forever be in debt to Tim for his commitment to substance abuse recovery and his dedication to helping others. He will be sadly missed and our thoughts go out to everyone who held him near and dear to their hearts. His legacy will live on here at the David Lawrence Center and his gifts will continue to help those in need for many years to come."
Since his passing, there has been an outpouring of gifts in his honor from his friends and family. At his request, the Foundation has graciously accepted these contributions to be put towards the Herrmann Detox Center.
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