Monday's Internet Edition, May 12, 2008.
Cloniger retires from Bank of N.C. amidst hugs, tears, and a joke or two
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Features Editor
- At the Bank of North Carolina on Thursday afternoon, there were a few tears. There were more than a few hugs. But mostly, there were jokes.
Kermit Cloniger can’t do anything, it seems, without humor — and his Thursday retirement was no different.
Cloniger’s retirement came after 15 years of service to Bank of North Carolina. At 92, he has enjoyed a long tenure of service and commitment to the bank and this community that will likely remain unmatched for quite some time to come.
“Kermit is one of the reasons this bank opened,” Bank of North Carolina president and CEO Swope Montgomery said during his remarks Thursday. “A lot of people thanked Kermit for his persistence. He was a proponent from day one of what we were trying to do here. He always spoke up for us, and spoke positively.”
Montgomery shared some memories of his years of service with Cloniger, relating stories of many a lunch eaten over the years — but never at a Mexican or Chinese restaurant.
“Nope,” Cloniger said with a shake of his head. “Don’t like that food. Nope.”
“Kermit would often do things on a handshake, just because he felt it was the right thing to do,” Montgomery said. “But over the years, I have to thank him most importantly for his friendship and advice.
“We’ll miss you, Kermit. Thanks for being there.”
Over Cloniger’s business career, he has worn many hats and worn them all exceedingly well.
His two primary businesses were the Buick Oldsmobile dealership he owned in Thomasville and ran until the mid-1980s and the bank.
Cloniger also served Thomasville as a city councilman and finally mayor.
One of his passions was teaching Sunday school at First Presbyterian Church until just several years ago.
Cloniger, the only non-family member of the T. Austin Finch Foundation board, has always encouraged the Foundation to give generously to the Thomasville YMCA as well as to the local public school system.
In August 2005, Cloniger was awarded the Order of the Longleaf Pine Award — the most prestigious civilian award given by the State of North Carolina.
He was presented the award by former Thomasville mayor Hubert Leonard.
Before Thursday’s ceremony concluded, Cloniger insisted on saying a few words of his own.
“I’ll make this quick, which is apparently something the lot of you don’t know how to do,” he joked. “God has been good to me. You’ve been good to me. This city has been good to me.
“I’ve been the recipient of as much love and respect as any individual could hope for, and I thank you all for the part you played in my life.
“I love you all.”
Bank employee Wanda Buckner presented Cloniger with a thick binder stuffed with stories, photographs and other anecdotes by his fellow Bank of N.C. employees.
He was born on Aug. 3, 1913 in Lincolnton. He served in World War II as a Navy air station executive, and attended school at George Washington University, Duke University, and High Point University.
He moved to Thomasville in 1946, and has served on many civic organizations. Cloniger has served on the T. Austin Finch Foundation board of trustees and the High Point College board of trustees.
He has been State Commercial Bank director, Thomas-ville Rotary Club president, president of the Thomasville Area Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation president, a member of the Davidson County Board of Elections, a member of the North Carolina Committee on Recreation under then-Gov. Jim Holshouser, and president of the Davidson County Economic Development Commission.
Cloniger was mayor of Thomasville between 1957-59. He was instrumental in the creation of Lake Thom-A-Lex, the 1.8-billion gallon reservoir that serves as a source of water for the cities of Thomasville and Lexington. He is also co-founder of the Southgate Shopping Center, and was awarded the “Older Citizens Award of Excellence in Crime Prevention” at the age of 87.
Cloniger was instrumental in founding the Thomasville CrimeStoppers program, and was its first chairman. Thanks to his leadership, CrimeStoppers was able to raise an adequate funding base with which to pay rewards to citizens who provide CrimeStoppers tips.
In May 2001, Bank of North Carolina constructed a new operations center on its Julian Avenue campus and named the building after Cloniger.
Bank of North Carolina — an organization that enjoyed Cloniger’s assistance on its steering committee — celebrated 10 years in December 2001.
(Nov. 12)