Class Notes Send your news and photos to the following address: Dimensions Magazine 2100 College Street Newberry, SC 29108 alumni.relations@ newberry.edu Please send your change of address information to: alumni.relations@ newberry.edu
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Newberry alumni at the 2012 Labor Day Salzburger reunion at Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Rincon, GA. Front row (l to r): Robin Zeigler Leach, Candace Hanberry Rauch, Janelle Dasher Strickland, Lisa Waldhour Repasy, Sylvia Wood Exley, Harriett Zeigler Helmly, Rev. John Derrick. Back row (l to r): Rev. Donald Hanberry, Rev. Alvin Haigler, Winston Exley, Vince Exley, and Benny Ferguson.
Richard E. Herrington (`69) Professional of the Year in Banking Newberry College graduates have been professionally going far for a very long time. No greater proof of such is class of `69 economics major, Richard Herrington, of Franklin, TN. After leaving Newberry, Richard earned a master's degree in economics from Florida State University and then began his banking career at Atlantic National Bank in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1972, an opportunity for greater industry experience moved him to Columbia with South Carolina National Bank and then to Nashville, TN with First American Nation Bank. More education with the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking and graduate studies at Rutgers University poised him to found and manage Hickory Financial System, a software and consulting company in Brentwood, TN. It was a love for banking, however, and great experience gained in decades of senior leadership banking positions that led him to co-found 32
Franklin National Bank and serve as its President. In its 12-year history, Franklin National was one of the most successful community banks in the country; its sale marked the highest multiple of any community bank in history. In 2002, Richard transitioned to become President of Civitas BankGroup, a multi-bank holding company in Franklin. In 2007, he founded Franklin Synergy Bank (Franklin Financial Network) where he currently serves as President. On August 30, 2012, Worldwide Who’s Who named him Professional of the Year in Banking. “I have been very blessed in my life, far beyond anything that I deserve,” Richard recently told the staff of Newberry’s alumni relations office. “I was blessed nearly five decades ago when I chose to attend Newberry College. I cannot properly express how meaningful my Newberry College experience has been to me and my wife, Retha, who also attended Newberry.” Richard’s community service
and leadership go well beyond the bank. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Williamson Medical Foundation and Franklin Tomorrow, a community nonprofit advocating for a shared vision for the future of Franklin. In addition, he is committed to his church, the First United Methodist Church, and is a member of the church’s governing Council. He is also on the Williamson County Library Board. When he is away from the bank, Richard supports United Way Worldwide and enjoys playing golf and spending time with his grandchildren.