Florida Banking July 2023

TRIBUTE

THE FBA REMEMBERS PAST CHAIR WENDELL HARVEY COLSON, SR., AND ROLAND G. CALDWELL SR., FOUNDER OF CALDWELL TRUST COMPANY

F BA Past Chairman Wendell Harvey Colson, Sr., 92, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 14, 2023. He was born on August 17, 1930, in Lake City, Fla. Colson was president of the Community Bankers / Florida Bankers Association in 1993. Colson began his 43-year banking career after college by becoming the first “Management Trainee” at The First National Bank of Orlando. Several successful years there gave him the desire to run a bank, and for 10 years thereafter, he served as an officer in young or start-up banks. Colson served as VP of National Bank of Sarasota, President/CEO of Harbour City National Bank of Eau Gallie, President/ CEO of First National Bank of Satellite Beach, and President/CEO of First National Bank of Lakeland. He then returned to his Orlando bank, then First of Orlando Corporation, a holding company for four other affiliated banks in greater Orlando. A few months later that bank acquired its first bank outside of Orlando, First National Bank of Leesburg, and Colson was sent there to become its President/CEO. He later became Chairman of a region of banks in R oland G. Caldwell Sr., founder of Caldwell Trust Company, passed away on April 24, 2023, at the age of 89. Always an independent thinker and entrepreneur, Caldwell founded Caldwell Trust Company, a private, trust-chartered bank in the state of Florida, currently celebrating its 30th year. Caldwell penned the mission of Caldwell Trust Company in “What We Believe,” his blueprint for the highest standards of “unwavering conduct, loyalty, personal integrity, and honesty” required of a person serving in a Fiduciary capacity in the investment and trust business. “What We Believe” continues to serve as the North Star of Caldwell Trust Company today. Caldwell’s promise was that the company would be there to take care of families when needed; a promise that grew out of the bank merger days of the early 1990s.

a territory from Jacksonville to Sebring. In 1981, he was called back to Orlando to become EVP for Retail, Mortgage and Trust banking for Sun Banks of Florida (successor to First at Orlando Corp). This tenure led him to participate

in many bank acquisitions throughout Florida, including other bank holding companies, i.e., Flagship Banks, banking companies in Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties. In 1985, Sun Banks merged with First Company of Georgia to become SunTrust Banks, where Colson held several management positions until his retirement in 1995 as Chairman, President/CEO of SunTrust Banks of Florida.

Upon Caldwell’s retirement in 2006, he was succeeded by his son Kelly Caldwell as chairman, CEO and president, who carries his father’s pledge forward. “Dad had the vision to create this company, the talent to make it happen, and the

foresight to establish a business that would survive him,” R.G. “Kelly” Caldwell, Jr., said. “He was one of a kind.”

WWW.FLORIDABANKERS.COM JULY 2023 — 23