PAUL HERMAN GEITHNER Jr.

GEITHNER
PAUL HERMAN, JR.

Died peacefully on August 1, 2017, in Sarasota FL, with his wife and three children in his presence.
Born June 7, 1930 to Paul Herman Geithner and Henriette Schuck Geithner in Philadel-phia, Paul grew up in the city. As a preview of things to come, from the age of 9 to 12 he published his own local news-paper, "The Weekly War Drum," replete with international news and paid advertisements. Paul was a Boy Scout and graduated from Northeast High School, where he was the commence-ment speaker in 1948. He gradu-ated with a B.A. in History, cum laude, from Amherst College in 1952 and went on to the U.S. Navy's Officer Candidate School. He was a Naval officer from 1952-55, including being a swimming and survival instructor at the U.S. Naval Pre-Flight School in Pensacola FL, and sailing around the globe aboard the destroyer USS Hunt as Communications Officer. In 1957 he graduated with a M.B.A., with distinction, from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. Paul subse-quently joined the Ellicott Machine Corporation in Baltimore MD, and became the corporation's Secretary and Treasurer in 1966.
For most of his work career, Paul was an executive at First Virginia Banks, Inc. He served in several roles, starting in 1968 as Assistant to the President, then Senior Vice President, and then from 1985-95 as President and Chief Administrative Officer. He was Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Bankers' Association in 1990 and President of the Virginia Bankers' Association in 1993, and was Chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Bankers' Association. In 1984, he was elected to serve on First Virginia's Board of Directors and its executive committee, and then on BB&T's board after First Virginia was acquired by BB&T in 2003. Coming full circle, he served as a Director on the Board of Ellicott Machine Corporation from 1996-2001.
Paul made a difference in his community. He was an avid supporter of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, serving on its board of directors as well as terms as Executive Vice President and then President, and as Secretary-Treasurer of Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Foundation. He was also a Life Trustee of Bridgewater College and served on the Board of Directors of the Virginia College Fund.
He was an exceptional athlete and stood out as a lifelong competitive swimmer. Paul loved the ocean and was often in the lap pool. He played varsity tennis and swam for Northeast High School, co-captaining the varsity swim team and becoming the Philadelphia public high school champion in freestyle. As co-captain of the varsity swim team at Amherst, he set the Amherst College record in breaststroke. He started competitive ocean swimming when he and his brother Peter served as lifeguards at Ocean City NJ in the late 1940's and early 1950's. He was a champion long distance ocean swimmer, became the youngest lieutenant on the beach patrol, and was inducted into the Ocean City Beach Patrol Hall of Fame in 2001. He was active in U.S. Masters swimming for many years, winning his age group twice and taking second three times in the 1½ mile ocean swim, and making top five in national competition in the pool in his 50s and 60s. Paul took up golf with the family's move to Virginia in 1968, and hence-forth he thoroughly enjoyed the game. When not busy doing something else, he could usually be found reading.
Paul was a loyal colleague and friend, and a devoted and generous husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife and partner in life of over 60 years, Irmgard Hagedorn Geithner; his children Christina, Amy, and Paul, and his grandchildren, Austin, Kelly, and Ian.