George W. Hamlin, IV is Chairman of The Canandaigua National Bank and Trust Company (CNB) and Canandaigua National Corporation (CNC) and Officer-Senior Policy Advisor. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of CNB since 1979 and CNC since its inception in 1984 through 2010. In 2011 he became Chairman and remained Chief Executive Officer as his son, Frank, joined CNB to succeed him as President of both companies. In the closing days of the 1st Quarter 2013 he stepped away from the responsibilities as CEO as his son Frank succeeded him as Chief Executive Officer of both companies. During his tenure the enterprise grew from $100 Million of Footings (Bank Assets) and Assets Under Management (AUM) to $4 Billion during the 35 years, ranked in the top 10% of peers in performance and quality by the ABA 2012-13 Survey. He remains a Director of the Genesee Valley Trust Company and CNB Mortgage Company. Before joining the Bank in 1978, he was associated for nearly 6 years with the Rochester law firm of Nixon, Hargrave, Devans and Doyle. He was graduated from Yale University in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Physics. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School in 1972 and was admitted to the New York and Federal Bars a year later.
Service:
Between college and law school he served with the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1969 mostly throughout Southeast Asia as a F-105 Fighter Pilot accumulating 100 combat missions over North Viet Nam. Among his decorations are: the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and 10 Air Medals.
Affiliations:
He is a Director of the New York State Wine & Culinary Center, LLC, the informational and educational gateway to the New York State Wine Industry in affiliation with Constellation Brands, RIT and Wegman’s Markets. He is a Director of C-MAC (Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center). He is a former member, currently fellow, of the Board of the Center for Governmental Research, Inc. He is President of the Canandaigua Area Development Corporation currently shepherding Canandaigua’s North Shore Development Project and served 24 years on the Ontario County Revolving Loan Fund. Mr. Hamlin is Chairman of the Investment Advisory Committee of the Monroe Fund, a venture capital fund underwriting expanding businesses in the Upstate metropolitan market. Mr. Hamlin was elected to an unprecedented second term as the community bank member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York where he served for six years (1997-2002) and was Chairman of its Audit Committee. He previously served on its Buffalo Branch Board for four years (1993-1996).
Professional:
Mr. Hamlin is active in the activities of The New York Bankers Association (NYBA), is a current member of its Legislative Committee, and is a past Chairman of NYBA (1992-93) as well as its Legislative Committee and its Trust Division. He is a past President of The Independent Bankers Association of New York State (IBANYS). He is a past member of the Government Relations Council of the American Bankers Association and was active as a Contact Banker for legislative matters.
Health Care:
Mr. Hamlin is a Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center Board (term beginning 1998), was Chair Elect (2011-12) and is currently Chairman (2013-14) of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). He has join the Board of the Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Services in 2014. He is past Chairman of its Finance Committee and its Audit and Risk Assessment Committee. He was a member of the Board of Governors of Strong Memorial Hospital for eight years from 1985-1993. From 1994-1997 he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Medical Center and a member of its Nominating and Governance Committee. Mr. Hamlin was Chairman (2004 – 2009, now Emeritus) of the Board of Thompson Health System and each of its four operating subsidiaries: Hospital, Continuing Care, Senior Communities and OCALS, and a member of the Finance Committee of Thompson Hospital. He was a charter member of the Board of Directors of Mercy Flight Central, Inc. (for five years 1991-1996), an advanced life support air transport (helicopter) for the critically ill and injured. Mr. Hamlin was Chairman of the Finger Lakes Community Care Network, an experiment now concluded of a novel approach to comprehensive managed health care of a select population whose time seems to have come with Health Care Reform squarely presented in our path to concur.
Education/Civic/Arts:
Mr. Hamlin is Chairman of the Board of Managers of the Eastman School of Music, and a member of its National Council, and a Trustee and Vice Chair of the Rochester Museum and Science Center where he is a member of the Executive Committee and Finance Committee. He has join the Board of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in 2014. He was a Board member of Hochstein at Canandaigua, a joint venture with the Canandaigua High School now, alas discontinued for want of funding. He was Chair of the Board of Overseers of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (1999 – 2002) where he was a Trustee from 1982 - 1998. He was a Trustee of Keuka College (1986 -1998) and is currently Trustee Emeritus and a member of the Business Council. Mr. Hamlin was affiliated with the FLCC Foundation, Inc. where he was Chairman (1994-1995). He is the Settlor of the Finger Lakes Area Community Endowment (Trust) and member of its Allocations Board. He is President of the Richard M. Morse Conservancy affiliated with the Finger Lakes Land Trust. In June 2006, after 17 years, Mr. Hamlin retired as a member of the acting company of the Bristol Valley Theater, a professional summer stock theater located in Naples, NY. He continues to appear with orchestras in the region in the role of Narrator, having debuted with the RPO at their CMAC concert on July 2, 2011. He is a member of "The Club," a society dedicated to debate of papers given by its members with ties to the University of Rochester, and he is also a member of the Canandaigua Scientific Association of the same purpose. Mr. Hamlin has been a commercial, instrument rated pilot (soloed July 11, 1962, Hylan Flight Services, Rochester, NY) for over five decades, and is active in the development of the Canandaigua Airport and, with his wife is owner/operator of Canandaigua Aircraft, LLC for which he flies a Cessna 421C, Golden Eagle III, a cabin class corporate twin. He is active in many other professional and civic organizations.
Awards:
He is the 1995 recipient of the FLCC Foundation Vision Award for service to the college and the region. In 1996 he was selected Mr. Canandaigua by the Chamber of Commerce. In that year he also received the Business Ethics Award from the Rotary Club of Canandaigua. In 1997 he was the Honoree at the Gideon’s Annual Banquet. In 1998 he was recipient of the “Star Award” given by the Thompson Health System Foundation for service to the Thompson Hospital and Health System. In 1999 he was selected by the Editorial Board of the Democrat & Chronicle as one of the “Ten for 2000” emerging leaders of the Rochester metropolitan area. In 2000, he was designated a Paul Harris Fellow even though not a Rotarian. In 2003 he was chosen as an Honoree of the first class of “Fifty Over 50” by the Rochester Business Journal for “extraordinary career achievements and contributions to the community.” In 2006, he was among the first to receive a Tourism Legacy Award for Supporting Contributions to Tourism, citing his pivotal role in saving Sonnenberg Gardens as it transitioned to a Historic State Park including his roles to bring C-MAC and the NYS Wine and Culinary Center alive. In 2007 he was inducted into the Rochester Business Hall of Fame, the first banker to be so honored for innovation in the banking industry, inspired leadership and commitment to the community. Also in 2007 he received a Greater Rochester Award for Board Leadership in the not-for-profit sector. At the close of 2009, he was among three tied for Rochester’s Top CEO of the Decade selected by the editorial staff of the Rochester Business Journal (the others being Danny Wegman and Larry Glazer). In 2010 Aspatore Books (a national resource for management leadership) invited him to submit a monograph related to the Role of Banking in the Growth of Communities. In 2011 Bristol Valley Theater dedicated its season to him for his sustained contributions of time and talent to its mission. In 2012 he and Mary were honored for their support of Serenity House of Victor and the community’s quality of life.
Family:
He and his wife, Mary, have three children ages 45, 41 and 36, a married daughter who is a Family Practice Physician, a son who has joined the Canandaigua National Bank as President (now CEO) after a trial law practice (10 years) in the region specializing in the criminal defense bar, a married son who was graduated from the Eastman School of Music as a student of saxophone performance (double major - jazz, classical) who currently lives in Forest Hill, NY, and performs with his wife in their band in New York City when not touring to include SRO houses at the Little Theater during the closing evening of the Rochester International Jazz Festival of 2013. He and Mary are enjoying their grandchildren: two granddaughters ages 11 and 9-1/2, and two grandsons ages 7 years and 6-1/2 years, who thankfully live nearby.
Profile of George Hamlin, IV (Courtesy of WROC News 8)
Graduated from Yale University in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Physics
He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia Law School in 1972
Director, Federal Reserve Bank of New York ,1997-2002
Chairman of the University of Rochester Medical Center Board
Chair, Eastman School of Music
Director, University of Rochester Medical Center
Director, Center for Governmental Research
Chair, Investment Committee-Monroe Fund
Director, New York Wine and Culinary Center
Director, CMAC (Constellation Brands–Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center)
Past Chair, Thompson Health System, 2004-2009