Robert Roderick Porter

Robert Roderick Porter passed away suddenly on June 20, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones. Rod was born on April 11, 1945, in Billings, Montana. In 1979, Rod met his wife, Georgia Derrico, at the Harvard Executive Seminar for Chemical Bank of New York employees, where he served as Senior Vice President, and their 44-year love affair began. Rod had experience with Chemical Bank's international divisions, managing their Tokyo and London offices. He later ran their Asset Liability Committee, ALCO.
In 1982, Rod and Georgia married, followed by the purchase of Rod's beloved 100-acre horse farm, Marblehead Farm in The Plains, Virginia. At that time Rod joined Morgan Stanley as a Principal Investment Banker and commuted between New York City and Northern Virginia where Georgia would open their first Bank, Southern Financial Bank. Rod became one of their founding Directors which opened in 1984. going public in 1993.
In 1998, Rod joined Southern Financial Bank fulltime where he served as President and Chief operating Officer. By this time, the bank had grown to a record $250 million in total assets. Rod's wide range of experience accelerated the bank's growth and with his experience as an investment banker serving as President, it was natural that Southern Financial should start acquiring other banks. The husband-and-wife team, with many Chemical Bank Alumni's, grew the bank to over $1.5 Billion in Assets at the time of the sale in 2004.
During their brief retirement from 2004 to 2005, Rod and Georgia spent six months in Italy where they fell in love with a small Calabrian town, Tropea, purchasing a cliff side villa with panoramic views of the Mediterranean. One year later, they opened their second start-up bank, Southern National Bancorp of Virginia, (Sona bank), with $35 million in capital.
Rod and Georgia retired as CEO and President from Sona bank in January 2020. They have spent the last four years enjoying their many passions, including international travel, summering at their house in Tropea, Italy and building their racehorse business to include breeding, with a total of 19 thoroughbreds.
In addition to Rod's banking and horseman careers, he was passionate about ensuring the success of the 501(c)3 organization, the Michael G Santangelo Jr. Scholarship Fund. Since its inception, he served on the Board of Directors and was one of the Foundation's major donors. Merging their love for Marblehead Farm, providing education, and new experiences for under privileged youth, Rod and Georgia built a dormitory to house 10-12 students to stay at the farm, swim in the pool, engage in horseback riding, and began hosting an annual event for local donors as well as the students themselves. For years to come, Porter & Derrico's legacy will forever live on through the non-profit work taking place at Marblehead Farm, including their extensive art & collectibles collection, library, and the land itself.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Michael G Santangelo Jr. Scholarship Fund.
A celebration of life and dedication of the revitalized horse barn will take place at Marblehead Farm at a later date.