George Hamlin, former president and CEO of Canandaigua National Bank has died

George Hamlin, IV, former president and CEO of Canandaigua National Bank & Trust, has died at age 83.

A longtime leader of the Canandaigua National Bank and Trust has died. According to the bank, George Hamlin, IV, died peacefully Thursday evening at the age of 83 at his home surrounded by family.

A statement released Friday by the bank said Hamlin “has guided Canandaigua National Bank & Trust for 45 years through an era of unprecedented growth while being a pillar of the community in a wide range of areas.”

Hamlin is a native of Canandaigua who graduated from Yale University with a degree in physics in 1963, performing with the famous Yale a cappella group the Whiffenpoofs around the world.

From there, Hamlin joined the US Air Force, where he served three tours in Vietnam, completing over 100 combat missions and eventually receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After military service, Hamlin practiced law and took the helm of Canandaigua National Bank & Trust in 1979.

He stepped down from his leadership position in 2021, and his son, Frank Hamlin, is now 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 flourished in so many different fields.”

During George Hamlin’s tenure, the bank expanded its physical presence and this included expansion into Monroe County. Canandaigua National recently announced plans to add branches in Syracuse in the coming years.

Hamlin was an avid supporter of the arts and, according to the bank’s statement, was instrumental in saving the Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion.

Details of memorial services will be announced in the coming days.