The Risk Management Services team of the Municipal Association of SC grieves the loss of Harvey Mathias and honors his remarkable career in public service and municipal risk management.
Mathias’ 38-year career reflects a lifetime of dedication to municipal government. Beginning as a traffic engineer and working his way up to city manager in Salisbury, North Carolina, he developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing local governments. He later served as director of Risk Management Services at the North Carolina League of Municipalities before returning to South Carolina to lead Risk Management Services at the Municipal Association of SC. He was involved in the formation of NLC Mutual and served on the board until 2012. His expertise was shared in the many years he served as chair of the claims management and loss control committee.
For more than 15 years, Mathias brought both perspective and stability to the insurance pools. He thoughtfully stewarded the SC Municipal Insurance Trust, SC Municipal Insurance and Risk Financing Fund and SC Local Government Assurance Group pools while balancing sound risk management practices with the fiscal constraints that these groups’ members face. His motto was “service second to none.” He understood that RMS existed to support its members and his mission was to never be out-serviced.
Mathias modeled what it means to be a servant leader. He invested in his team, mentored colleagues across the state and built relationships grounded in respect and genuine care for the communities that RMS serves.
Mathias’ legacy in municipal risk management will endure.