Dr. Victor Puleo

Victor Anthony Puleo Jr. was a distinguished scholar and educator, a groundbreaking innovator in his field of risk management and insurance , and a passionate supporter of diversity and opportunities for others.

But beyond those achievements, Victor was a humorous, intelligent, joyous, loving and brave person whose smile would warm any gathering. He could make everyone laugh at his tales from the classroom—not an easy task with a subject as weighty as risk management—and when he listened to others, the smile on his face and the sparkle in his eyes made every conversation seem special. Victor genuinely cared about others, as evidenced by his years-long commitment to outreach and diversity programs at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Victor Anthony Puleo Jr. was born on April 22, 1964, in Jacksonville, Fla., and passed away January 3, 2025 in Little Rock, Ark., after a courageous battle against cancer. He is survived by his husband of 20 years and the love of his life, Timothy Guffey of Little Rock; mother Carolyn Drazien and sister Michelle Puleo of Jacksonville, Fla.; sister-in-law Ginann Swindle (Tony) of Sherwood; nieces Maya Puleo of Lansing, Mich., and Andrea Grice of Maumelle; and great-nephews Brady Grice, Lucas Grice and Grant Swindle.

Timothy wishes to thank Dr. Jennifer McQuade of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Lawrence Mendleshon of CARTI, and Joanna Osgood-Keller for their compassionate and consistent care. 

Timothy also wishes to thank the wonderful staff, faculty, and administration of Butler University for their kindness and compassion shown during Victor’s valiant fight. 

A service will be held 2:00 PM on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 310 W. 17th St., Little Rock, AR 72206. 

Memorials can be made to Trinity Episcopal Cathedral,  310 W. 17th St., Little Rock, AR 72206 in Dr. Victor Puleo’s honor or to CARE Animal Rescue, 5516 Kavaneagh Blvd., Little Rock, AR 72207. 

Victor earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and in Insurance and Risk Management from Florida State University, where he went on to earn a Ph.D. in Risk Management and Insurance. He also earned the Certified Insurance Counselor designation from the Risk and Insurance Education Alliance, the Certified Financial Planner certificate from the CFP Board of Standards, and the Certificate in Captive Insurance from the International Center for Captive Insurance Education.

Victor was a noted author on his area of expertise, with articles published in the Journal of Risk Education, the Journal of Insurance Issues, the Risk Management and Insurance Review, Managerial Finance, and Best’s Review. In 2022, he co-authored his first textbook, “Insurance Fundamentals of Life and Health Insurance, Including Advanced Planning Techniques.”

Early in his career, Victor was Associate Professor of the nationally ranked Insurance and Risk Management Program at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway. In 2001, Victor’s longtime friend and FSU classmate Dr. John Bratton was hired by UCA to create and direct a new undergraduate degree program in insurance and risk management. Dr. Bratton advised the Dean of UCA’s College of Business that UCA needed an insurance professor who specialized in life, health and employee benefits, and recommended Victor for the position. Victor joined the UCA faculty in 2003.

Victor’s achievements at UCA were monumental. He helped develop UCA’s Insurance Education Institute that created a unique insurance industry awareness program. From 2004-2012, UCA received over a million dollars in funding for Insurance Education Institutes held in Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Texas and South Carolina.

UCA’s Insurance Education Institute was a graduate course designed specifically for high school teachers to give them the skills to include topics on insurance in high school classes on math, business, economics, social studies, and family and consumer science. As a direct result of UCA’s Insurance Education Institute, Arkansas became the first state in the nation to offer high school courses on risk management and insurance.

UCA’s Insurance and Risk Management major was the first in the College of Business to allow academic credit for students participating in approved internships, and Victor took the lead role in assisting insurance students in finding those internships. The internship program was so successful that he was officially appointed to direct the program in UCA’s College of Business. One of his first steps as director was to earn certification from the Experiential Education Academy of the Society for Experiential Education. In just three years, participation in the for-credit internships jumped from a handful to more than 100.

Victor made Arkansas a better place, not just for students, but for all Arkansans. After earning Certified Financial Planner certification, he was the lead investigator on a $74,060 grant from the CFP Board of Standards, Inc., for a 3-hour graduate credit Personal Financial Planning Institute at UCA to train Arkansas high school teachers to offer personal finance classes to students in grades 9-12 in response to Arkansas Act 42, passed in 2004.

He also was co-investigator on another grant which led to State Farm Insurance Company providing $75,000 in start-up costs to create a Financial Planning track in UCA’s Insurance and Risk Management major. He was lead investigator on a study funded by a $97,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Insurance that provided the Arkansas Health Benefits Exchange Partnership Plan Management Committee with information about health insurers likely to participate in the Arkansas Insurance Exchange.

Students from UCA were the first in the nation to be conferred the University Associate Certified Insurance Counselor (UACIC) designation, which was created to give college students pursuing an Insurance and Risk Management undergraduate degree the opportunity to attain a new level of professionalism through advanced practical education while in college.

Victor went on to teach at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he held the Davey Chair of Risk Management and Insurance in the Lacy School of Business. He helped create Butler’s Master of Science in Risk and Insurance degree program, which was ranked 33rd in the nation in 2023, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Victor was the Academic Director of the program and taught both undergraduate and graduate insurance courses in the Lacy School of Business. He also served as faculty advisor for the Beta Lambda Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma, an international professional fraternity organized to promote, encourage and sustain student interest in insurance, risk management and actuarial science as professions.

Victor was associated with the Risk and Insurance Education Alliance for more than 30 years, serving as an educational consultant, national faculty member, a member of the Board of Directors and Chair of their research and development branch, The Research Academy. On July 1, 2023, he was appointed to the role of contract Academic Director for Life, Health and Benefits at the Alliance. Victor also served as a member of the Board of the Indiana Chapter of the National African American Insurance Alliance.

Victor Puleo exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, leadership and generosity, and was a passionate educator and mentor who dedicated his career to advancing the risk and insurance industry. His legacy is reflected not only in his professional achievements, but also in the many students whose lives he touched and whose careers he helped shape. Victor will always be remembered for his profound impact on the industry, his unwavering commitment to excellence, and his lifelong dedication to helping others make a better life for themselves and their community.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Victor’s lasting legacy was his humility and deep passion for diversity, inclusivity, and kindness to everyone who crossed his path. His dream and vision was a better world of love and kindness.