OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
A Can-do Attitude
Thursday, January 15, 2015 • 5
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Poynor Will Receive Mountain Brook Chamber Award
By Keysha Drexel Wilmer Poynor III collected a lot of wisdom and good advice during his more than half century in the insurance business. But the 76-year-old Mountain Brook resident, who retired from New York Life Insurance Co., said the best advice he’s received and the best advice he can impart to a new generation of entrepreneurs and business people is pretty simple. “Never give up,” Poynor wrote in an email to the Over the Mountain Journal last week. Poynor, who is known for his philanthropic spirit and can-do attitude, will receive the Robert S. Jemison Visionary Award at the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards luncheon Jan. 15 at The Club in Homewood. The Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce presents the Jemison Award each year to recognize those who have made significant contributions to the community. Poynor, who in June 2009 suffered a stroke that left him unable to talk or use the right side of his body, is a Birmingham native. He started his career in the insurance business after earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the
University of Alabama in 1960. He was named the Community Foundation Outstanding Professional Advisor in 2012 and is a past president of the Million Dollar Round Table. Poynor is also a past president of the Birmingham Life Underwriting Association and Estate Planning Council of Birmingham and has led financial professionals in communitybased efforts to promote financial stability for all citizens. While he was building a successful career, Poynor also worked to better his community. Poynor and his wife of 56 years, Carol, have long been involved with Children’s Harbor and Camp Smilea-Mile. In 2012, Poynor was honored at the National Philanthropy Awards Day. Poynor is the founder of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation Fund, which provides college scholarships to deserving graduates of Birmingham City Schools. He served as a key leader for United Way fundraising campaigns for several years and was treasurer of the Monday Morning Quarterback Club for more than 30 years. Poynor is known for always remembering the birthdays of his clients -- and even the birthdays of
Wilmer Poynor III will be honored with the Robert S. Jemison Visionary Award at the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce annual awards luncheon Jan. 15 at The Club. He’s pictured here with Chamber officials and sponsors of the annual luncheon. From left: Ann Evans Nix, Heather Barton, Wilmer Poynor III, John McGill, Brian Massey, Suzan Doidge and Kaye Emack. Photos special to the Journal
their wives and children. Up until the stroke took away his ability to talk, Poynor would call those clients to wish them a happy birthday. “(I) always pay attention to the little details,” Poynor wrote in an email. “It always gave me a way to stay in touch with clients, even (in) two or three generations.” Poynor said his father, William S. Poynor Jr., who was a New York Life agent for 42 years, had the greatest impact on his professional life. Poynor said he survived the ups and downs of the business world for 50 years by staying focused and not letting the “no’s” he heard along the way discourage him. That philosophy served Poynor
well after he had a stroke. He had to learn how to do everything with his left hand but said the most challenging part of his recovery has been dealing with the severe aphasia, or loss of ability to express speech. “After making a living talking for 50 years, it has been a challenge,” he wrote. But it is a challenge Poynor has faced with his characteristic strong work ethic and positive attitude. “(You) just keep on trying day after day and do not give up,” he wrote in an email. Poynor said he is “very honored and excited” to receive the Jemison Award this week.
And he said he’s also excited about sharing the spotlight with his brother, Dr. John Poynor of E.N.T. Associates, who will receive the Emmet O’Neal Library’s Tynes Award at the Jan. 15 Chamber event. The fifth annual Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Awards Luncheon will be from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at The Club. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange with be the keynote speaker. Mike Royer will be the master of ceremonies. For more information, call the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce office at 871-3779. ❖
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