Fred Kirby, longtime chairman and chief executive of Alleghany Corporation sold its biggest asset, Investors Diversified Services (IDS) to the American Express Company for $800 million in 1983.  In 1986  he moved the proceeds into Chicago Title and Trust Company and the Security Union Title Insurance Company to make them the biggest players at the time in the title insurance industry.  More detail on Mr Kirby’s life at the New York Times