Allen R. Howell, who was director until last fall of risk management at Brigham Young University, recently retired and is now devoting his efforts to full-time community service.
He formed a board of professionals and volunteers to promote vocational rehabilitation for people who are economically sidelined as a result of auto accidents, sports injuries, serious illness, war disabilities or work-related mishaps.Howell - who lives in Riverton - the board and other community volunteers are working to unify programs and services provided by the University of Utah Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the Office of Risk Management and the Office of Handicapped Student Services.
Howell, who has had a long career in risk control programming with insurance companies, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and BYU, was recently appointed president of Exceptional Success Associates, a vocational rehabilitation resource organization.
In the late 1960s he was president of the Utah Rehabilitation Association and later became manager of the safety and loss prevention section in the Risk Management Division for the LDS Church and a director of the National Safety Council.
Last year he published the book, "Call Me Dad," a story about the author's son, Randy, who was born with severe physical handicaps but who attended college and excelled in chess and other areas. The book was selected in 1989 as the best non-fiction work and second best in combined classifications by the Utah League of Writers.
"Bringing a handicapped family member into the mainstream of life is one of the risk management challenges I have faced. Unification of family strengths is the most needed resource," Howe says in the book.
He said proceeds from the sale of the book will be used to defray costs associated with the programs and services offered by Exceptional Success Associates.