George O. Nodyne*
Class of 1963
- President East River Savings Bank of New York
You can achieve your dreams with diligence and hard work.
George Nodyne was born in 1902 in New Jersey. He started his career as a messenger at age 16.
It was not until after Nodyne had worked in other fields for years that he chose banking as his vocation. He joined New York's East River Savings Bank as a clerk-bookkeeper in 1922. He worked and studied diligently, and he was promoted in 1927 to chief clerk of a branch office. From there, he advanced rapidly.
By 1934, Nodyne was in charge of personnel. In 1935, he was named assistant vice president and manager. In 1952, he was elected as the bank's tenth president. Nodyne was the only person in its 115-year history to rise through the ranks to the office of president. Under his leadership, the institution became one of the nation's largest mutual savings banks with assets of $632 million.
Nodyne was active in community service and the development of young people. His credo was "No greater gift can man bestow than by giving of his life to help others."