Retired banking executive George Stump dies

GAINESVILLE - A memorial service is planned next week for a retired Gainesville banking executive and former chairman of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.

George Stump, 83, lost his battle with cancer Wednesday.

Stump began his banking career with Southwest Virginia Building and Loan Association in Roanoke, Virginia, followed by executive positions at First Federal Savings of Orlando, Florida, and at Decatur Federal Savings & Loan in Decatur, Georgia.

In 1974 he joined a group of other financial professionals that founded PMI Mortgage Insurance Company where he served as Eastern Regional Vice President responsible for recruiting, hiring and managing sales and underwriting offices in the Eastern U.S.

In 1978 he moved to Gainesville as President/CEO of First Federal Savings. After of series of thrift mergers that created Great Southern Federal he served as a Board Member of Banks located in Gainesville, Calhoun, Macon, and Tifton and was elected Executive Vice President and a member of the Board of Great Southern, which was headquartered in Savannah.

After conversion of the bank's Charter from a Mutual Savings Bank to a public traded stock company he retired, returning to Gainesville where he was majority owner of Capital First Group, a consulting firm to banks, the RTC and Federal Home Loan Bank.

In 1982 he was elected Chairman of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Downtown Redevelopment Authority in Gainesville. Other community activities included Chairman and Director of Legacy Link, Inc, Director/Member Chattahoochee Country Club, and a member/Director of Lanier Retirement Community Board of Directors the organization directly responsible for recruiting and enabling ACTS to locate Lanier Village Estates, it's 15th Retirement Community, to Gainesville. He was also named to the Board of Directors of Lanier Village Estates upon it's Charter in the State of Georgia.

As an active member of the Episcopal Church he served as a Member of the Vestry at St. Michael's Church of Orlando, Holy Trinity Church in Decatur and Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville. In each of these Parishes he served as either a Warden, Treasurer or Chairman of Finance Committee.

A Memorial Service to celebrate George Stump's life will be held at Grace Episcopal Church on Thursday, August 4, at 4:00.