Bill Text: VA SJR60 | 2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending G. Robert Aston, Jr.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-01-31 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ60ER) [SJR60 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-SJR60-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, G. Robert Aston, Jr., founder and executive chairman of TowneBank, the largest bank chartered in the Commonwealth, was named First Citizen of Hampton Roads by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce in 2021; and
WHEREAS, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce selected Robert "Bob" Aston for its prestigious annual award to honor his tireless efforts to foster greater collaboration and collective prosperity in the Hampton Roads region; the award was presented at the organization's Bravo! Celebration of Leadership event on December 16, 2021; and
WHEREAS, working out of his garage in Portsmouth in 1998, Bob Aston and his colleagues envisioned a bank that would strive to meet the financial aspirations of local residents and businesses; TowneBank was founded a year later, and the institution has grown continuously ever since as the result of a steadfast commitment to the community; and
WHEREAS, under Bob Aston's visionary leadership, TowneBank has established more than 40 locations throughout the Commonwealth and North Carolina and accumulated more than $15 billion in assets, while developing a family of companies providing mortgage, insurance, wealth management, and real estate services to broaden the bank's support of the local economy; and
WHEREAS, Bob Aston and TowneBank have served as lifelines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by facilitating Paycheck Protection Program small business loans and other services to clients; in recognition of their myriad accomplishments, the bank was named the #16 "Best Bank in America" by Forbes magazine in 2021; and
WHEREAS, embodying the values and ideals of both a business and civic leader, Bob Aston has been a guiding light in Hampton Roads for many years and an integral part of the region's success; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend G. Robert Aston, Jr., founder and executive chairman of TowneBank, for being named the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce's 2021 First Citizen of Hampton Roads; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to G. Robert Aston, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his contributions to the Commonwealth.