Joseph A. Maurer III, 58, passed away Saturday, Jan. 14, of natural causes at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center, West Reading.

Born in Reading, he was the son of June C. (Newmoyer) Maurer of Mount Penn and the late Joseph A. Maurer Jr., who died May 4, 1998.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Jeanie (Sheetz) Maurer of Wyomissing; and beloved children, Nicole and Craig Maurer, both of Reading; along with a granddaughter, Felecia, whom he adored; two sisters, Sharon, wife of Stephen Mast, Mt. Penn, and Dawn, wife of David Derr, Reinholds; six nephews and four nieces.

Joe, a 1971 graduate of Holy Name High School and a 1975 graduate of St. Francis College of Loretto, PA, where he received a BA in Economics and Business Administration, spent much of his life fulfilling his unre-lenting business thirst. He was known by colleagues in insurance circles as a creative innovator and thinker.

He was president and CEO of J.A. Maurer and Associates, a retail insurance agency he formed in 1986; CommonWealth Professional Group, Ltd., an excess and surplus lines/wholesale insurance agency established in 1990; and CommonWealth Professional Group International, Inc., formed in 2006 to offer an exclusive international terrorism insurance program he developed and managed in conjunction with Lloyds of London Syndicates.

Prior to that, he was employed as a sales agent by Travelers, Sentry Mutual, and Nationwide insurance companies, the latter having been named top performer in the agent development program. He was a consultant to Associated Building Contractors of Maryland, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, and Teen Challenge International.

He also was president and one of the founding members of Associated Risk Managers (ARM) of PA, established to bring together independent insurance agencies in order to network to expand insurance products and services. He served on its board of directors as well as its national board of directors.

As a developer of unique niche programs, he was one of the original members and board of directors of Target Market Program Administrators Association (TMPAA), an organization dedicated to the unique challenges of program administration.

Joe held the professional designations of CPIA - Certified Professional Insurance Agent, and LUTCF – Life Underwriters Training Council Fellow, and faculty positions in risk management for public entities at Insurance Society of Philadelphia and Insurance Institute of America.

At various times in his career he held seats on the following boards: Associated Risk Managers Mid-Atlan-tic, Associated Risk Managers International, Business Link of Northern England – Consultant, British Chamber of Commerce – Consultant, Champion Partners, Clemson University – Consultant, Ethix Mid-Atlantic, Family Health Plan, Key-care International – England, National Association of Wholesaler/Distributors, Safe4, Target Market Program Administrators Association, and Teen Challenge International.

He was a member of the Association of Health Insurance Agents (AHIA), Independent Insurance Agents Association (IIAA), Life Underwriters Association (LUA), Professional Insurance Agents Association (PIA), Public Risk Insurance Managers Association (PRIMA), and Program Administrators Association (PRIMA).

Aside from his business passion, Joe had a fond love of golf, music, and discreetly supporting those he admired with his time and energy. CommonWealth Professional Group was a participating sponsor of the Betsy King Golf Tournament in Kutztown, PA, for many years.

Friends are invited to celebrate his life Thursday, Jan. 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by words of remembrance at the Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home in West Reading, PA.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to honor his memory can be made to Nicole M. Maurer for the Joseph A. Maurer Memorial Fund, Metro Bank, 606 E. Lancaster Ave., Shillington, PA. Online condolences can be left at kuhnfuneralhome.com.