Savannah businessman Tommy Hester’s acumen in the world of banking and finance was a given. But for the local business community, it was his warm personality, caring demeanor, quick wit and perpetual smile that set him head and shoulders above the crowd. Everyone knew when Tommy was in the room.
Hester died around 3 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph’s Hospital from complications after a recent surgery. His wife ,Monica, and sons, Clay and Wesley, were by his side.
Shortly after, the accolades began pouring in for the man who spent much of his adult life trying to make his hometown the best it could be.
“Tommy was a tremendous leader in the business community, having chaired both the Chamber board and the board of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, among many others,” said Bill Hubbard, president of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. “Banking was his profession, but he was acutely aware that every aspect of our community had a role to play in our quality of life.
“He was the quintessential community advocate.”
David Paddison agreed.
“Tommy Hester was Mr. Savannah,” said Paddison, who worked with him on the SEDA board. “Whether it was helping a local business with their banking needs or selling Savannah to an international CEO, Tommy did it with a charm, enthusiasm and sincerity that was without equal. His can-do attitude and contagious optimism is something we will have a hard time replacing in this community.”
Retired entrepreneur Sandy Traub, whose friendship with Hester goes back to the Savannah High School Class of 1966, recalled him as an “amazing gentleman.”
“Doesn’t it seem that Tommy smiled his way through life?” she asked on a Facebook post Wednesday. “I’ll miss him terribly.”
Of his many friends, Hester was perhaps closest to Cliff McCurry, now a principal with Seacrest Partners.
“Tommy and I have been best friends since our grammar school days at Charles Ellis School,” McCurry said. “He has really been more like a brother since I lost my parents at an early age. He is our son Jamie’s godfather, and my wife Kathy and I are proud to be Clay’s godparents.
“Our sons have literally grown up together, sharing many family vacations at Tybee, Lake Burton and countless trips together to UGA football games. We never missed celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays at one of our houses. (We shared) so many very happy, as well as difficult times together. He and his family have always been there for us when we needed them.”
A graduate of Savannah High School and Georgia Southern College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Hester completed his studies in the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.
He began his banking career at the Savannah Bank & Trust Company, where he became vice president of commercial lending. In 1981, he joined Atlantic Bank & Trust, which later became Bank South, N.A.
He was named Savannah president of Bank South in 1988 and would later go on to be Savannah president of First Liberty Bank, which was purchased by BB&T.
In 2002, Bank South merged with The Coastal Bank, and Hester became city president of Coastal Bank. In 2011, Hester was named city president of Colony Bank, the post he held until he became ill.
His commitment to community service was legendary.
He served on the boards of SEDA, the Historic Savannah Foundation, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Visit Savannah, the Small Business Assistance Corp., Junior Achievement of Savannah, the Georgia Southern Foundation Board of Trustees, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Provident Healthcare Systems, the Armstrong Atlantic State University Foundation, the Leukemia Society of America and the Savannah Technical College Foundation.
He was on the 2015 board of the CEO Council and was chairman of the 2011 fund drive for Communities in Schools.
“His leadership contributed greatly to our community,” said Michael C. Traynor, publisher of the Savannah Morning News and Savannahnow.com. “He will be missed. I personally will miss his wit and insights.”
Jenny Gentry, city president at Wells Fargo Bank, said Hester was one of a kind.
“There have been so many lives touched by Tommy’s service to others,” she said. “He is one of the most loving, caring and unselfish men that I have ever known, and our family and community have lost a great friend and true leader. His family has so much to be proud of, and so does he.”
Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, with visitation in the church social hall beginning at 1 p.m.
“We are never prepared to lose someone we love,” McCurry said. “But we know Tommy found so much happiness and love in these last couple of years with his marriage to Monica, seeing Clay and Helen married three weeks ago, and with the engagement of Wesley and Jessica.
“We will all share in so many happy memories and know the we have been blessed by having him in our lives.”