Norwich — A Massachusetts insurance executive and 1965 Norwich Free Academy graduate was named Monday as the 2013 Native Son Award recipient by Norwich Rotary and the Norwich Women’s Club.

Richard W. Brewer, 65, of Westport Point, Mass., will be honored May 8.

“I’m very delighted,” Brewer said by phone Monday. “It brings back many good memories of Norwich.”

After graduating from NFA, Brewer followed in the footsteps of his father, Edward Brewer Sr., in the business world. His father was a banker with the former Uncas Merchants National Bank in Norwich that became part of Hartford National Bank.

His mother, Gail Brewer, died in December.

Richard Brewer was a business major at Fairfield University and earned his master’s degree in business at the University of Bridgeport.

Brewer retired in 2011 after 11 years as president and chief executive officer of Pro Mutual Group in Boston, a company that provides medical professional liability insurance. Previously he headed Arbella Mutual of Massachusetts for 12 years and served as general manager of the Cleveland regional office for The Hartford Insurance Group.

Brewer’s younger brother, Edward Jr., still lives in Norwich and recently retired from Norwich Public Utilities after 22 years. Edward nominated his brother for the award.

“He’s been a hardworking businessman all his life,” Edward Brewer said. “He’s a wonderful family man, a great father, and he deserves it.”

Brewer and his wife, Barbara, have three grown children.

Brewer has been active in professional associations and civic organizations. He was named Insurance Professional of the Year by the Insurance Library Association of Boston in 2009. He serves as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Institute for Economic Research.

Andrew Nollman, Norwich Rotary vice president and chairman of the 2013 nominations committee, said Brewer was the unanimous choice.

After nearly canceling the award in 2012 for lack of nominations and then making a late presentation in November, the committee resumed its traditional spring schedule for applications proposing people who grew up in Norwich and excelled in their chosen careers elsewhere.

c.bessette@theday.com

If you go

Native Son Award Luncheon

When: Noon to 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 8

Where: Holiday Inn, Norwich.

Tickets: $15 per person. Cash or check at the door.

For information, go to www.norwichrotary.org or contact Rotarian Andrew Nollman at (860) 383-6044 or at Andrew@RoseCityFinancial.com.