A longtime leader of Canandaigua National Bank and Trust has died. According to the bank, George Hamlin, IV, died peacefully Thursday night at the age of 83 in his home, surrounded by family.
A statement released Friday by the bank noted that Hamlin “guided Canandaigua National Bank & Trust for 45 years through an era of unprecedented growth, all while being a pillar of community in a wide range of areas.”
Hamlin is a Canandaigua native who graduated from Yale University with a degree in physics in 1963, performing with Yale’s famous a capella group, the Whiffenpoofs around the world.
From there, Hamlin joined the U.S. Airforce, where he served three tours in Vietnam, completing more than 100 combat missions and ultimately receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After his military service, Hamlin practiced law and took the helm at Canandaigua National Bank & Trust in 1979.
He stepped down from his leadership position in 2021, and his son, Frank Hamlin, is now the President and CEO of Canandaigua National.
“To put it mildly, my father was larger than life,” Frank Hamlin said in a statement. “He was a true renaissance man whose passion thrived in so many different areas.”
During George Hamlin’s tenure, the bank expanded its physical presence and that included the expansion in Monroe County. Recently Canandaigua National announced plans to add branches in Syracuse over the coming years.
Hamlin was an avid supporter of the arts, and according to the bank’s statement, he was instrumental in saving Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion.
Details about memorial services will be announced in the coming days.
