Gainesville native Dick Valentine has assumed his role in leading the Greater Hall Chamber as 2002-2003 Chairman.
A 1973 honor graduate of Gainesville High School, Valentine graduated from the University of Georgia.
After working for a financial institution in Atlanta, Valentine moved back to Gainesville in 1982 and began his 20-year career with Regions Bank (formerly First National Bank of Gainesville) in the corporate banking department. In 2000, he became president of Regions.
Always playing an active part in the community, Valentine has served as president of the Gainesville Jaycees and in 1998 was named Young Man of the Year by the organization; fund drive chairman, president and twice treasurer of United Way of Hall County; American Heart Association fund drive chairman; director of the Chattahoochee Country Club and former Golf Club Green Committee chairman along with participation on many other boards including the Boys and Girls Club of Hall County and Teen Pregnancy Prevention. He is currently involved in Gainesville First United Methodist Church and the Gainesville Kiwanis Club.
His distinguished Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce involvement includes two terms as treasurer of the Chamber and the HALLmark Initiative; chairman of the Gainesville-Hall County Economic Development Council; member of the Gainesville-Hall County Development Authority and a graduate of Leadership Hall County.
“I am proud to have had the opportunity 20 years ago to come back to Gainesville/Hall County,” said Valentine. “Through my past community service and now as chairman of the Greater Hall Chamber, I hope to give back to this community that has been so good to me. It is my intent to build upon our solid economic foundation, improve and expand smart growth, maintain our outstanding quality of life, and continue to create a place that my children and others will want to come back to… as I did.”
Dick and his wife Cherry have two children, Leigh, a student at the University of Georgia and Brad, a student at Gainesville High School.