In 1918 he assisted Herbert Hoover's European Hunger Relief Mission and was awarded the Belgian Order of the Crown and membership in the French Legion of Honor. Bell served on the board of AT&T for 24 years and also served on the board of Eastman Kodak. He was a trustee of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, DC, and was a longtime trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
In 1918 he played a key role in Herbert Hoover's European Hunger Relief Mission and was recognized with the Belgian Order of the Crown and French Legion of Honor. Bell held influential positions on AT&T's board for 24 years and also served on Eastman Kodak's board. He was a trustee at the Carnegie Institution of Washington, DC, and a long-time trustee of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.