Oct 31 – Wayne Collins Announces Retirement of The Claxton Bank; Philip Williams Elected President

Written by Lou Phelps Monday, 31 October 2011 09:25

Oct 31, 2011 – Philip Williams has been elected president and a member of the board of directors of The Claxton Bank, as the successor to Wayne Collins who will retire at the end of this year.

The announcement was made by Ralph Dixon, chairman of the board. Collins has served as chief executive officer since 1997, and is well-known in Evans County for his civic involvement and leadership of the locally-owned community bank. He Collins will remain on the board of directors following his retirement.

"We're excited to have Philip joining our banking family. He is an experienced and knowledgeable banker who is from this area," said Collins, who added that his retirement decision was a difficult one. "I know Philip will be an asset to our banking organization. As for my retirement, I just felt the timing was right. I have been in the banking profession for over 45 years.

"Although I am looking forward to retirement, I plan to remain involved with The Claxton Bank," continued Collins who will serve as chief executive officer until Jan. 1. "I am so appreciative to Mr. Dixon and the entire board of directors for their support over the years. I am also very thankful for our wonderful employees who work each and every day to serve the financial needs of the people here in Evans County."

Collins has been active in numerous civic activities including the Claxton Rotary Club where he was named a Paul Harris Fellow. He has served on the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce, the Claxton-Evans Industrial Development Authority, the Downtown Development Authority and the Georgia Southern University Alumni Association.

He is past president of the Evans County Chapter of the GSU Eagle Club and a former board member of the Community Bankers Association of Georgia.

"We are very grateful to Wayne for 14 years of loyal service," said Dixon last week, making the announcement. "He has been an important part of our banking family and we will miss his leadership. We are very appreciative of his commitment to our bank and we wish him the very best in his retirement."

Philip Williams previously served as market president of the Vidalia office of Ameris Bank, formerly Darby Bank. The Toombs County native has spent most of his 17-year banking career in Vidalia. He is experienced in all phases of bank operations including lending, asset and liability management, human resources, compliance and marketing.

“The Claxton Bank has a reputation for excellence in serving the community’s banking needs and strong financial performance,” commented Williams. “I believe in the future of community banking and I couldn’t be more thrilled about this opportunity. It feels like coming home. My family and I are excited about the move here.”

Williams has been active in several community activities in Toombs County including United Way, the Chamber of Commerce, American Cancer Society, Little League Baseball, Paul Anderson's Youth Home and the Vidalia Onion Festival. He is a member of Vidalia First Baptist Church.

He graduated from Georgia Southern University and the Georgia Banking School, a specialized curriculum sponsored by the Georgia Bankers Association in cooperation with the University of Georgia.

In announcing the board’s vote, Dixon said, "We feel Philip will be a great addition to our staff. He has a very strong background in many aspects of banking plus he has been very involved in his community. He will be an asset to our bank as we move forward."

The Claxton Bank is a locally-owned community bank with four offices in Evans County and a loan production office in Glennville. Founded in 1941, the bank has assets of approximately $105 million.