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Bio
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.
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).
Service
Between college and law school he served with the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1969 mostly throughout Southeast Asia. As a Fighter Pilot he accumulated 100 Combat Missions over North Viet Nam, spread over 3 Tours in the summer months of 1966, ’67 and ’68. He flew the Republic Aviation’s, F-105 Thunderchief, a Mach 2, single pilot seat, Fighter, aka “the Thud”, the most advanced Fighter for its time, designed as a high speed, low level nuclear delivery system, but, instead, was assigned to deliver 75% of the Conventional Ordinance that was dropped during the War on North Viet Nam targets. All operations were launched from Air Force Bases in Thailand.
Among his decorations are: the Distinguished Flying Cross (“DFC”) and 10 Air Medals, earned during times when of those who started their 100 Mission Tour only 40 would complete it, having been shot down and were POW or KIA. He received flight training where he finished at the Top of Class at both Primary Pilot Training, Commander’s Trophy for first place (1 year) and the “Top Gun” for first place in Advanced F-105 Fighter Training (6 months).
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.