MOUNT VERNON — Bob Boss isn’t one to spend time in the limelight. His Saturday was like any other. Go to Mount Vernon Nazarene University and see the Cougars come out with a win.
Boss recently retired from being active president of Park National Bank in Mount Vernon. It was with his friends and family that his retirement was celebrated on Saturday.
A No. 1 ‘Boss’ MVNU men’s basketball jersey was the cherry on top.
“It was a total surprise,” Boss said afterward. “I knew nothing about it whatsoever.”
Boss began his banking profession right out of college — graduating on a Sunday and starting at a banking branch Monday, he said.
It wasn’t until 2000 when Boss started his bank, Ohio Legacy Bank, with locations in Wooster, Canton and Millersburg.
Park National Bank eventually purchased Ohio Legacy Bank, while Boss ran operations living in Millersburg.
Boss then became the local president of Park National Bank in 2018 while moving to Mount Vernon in 2017. It was a community he fell in love with right away.
“Originally when I came here, I thought I would come here, spend my time and when I retired (I’d) go back to Millersburg,” Boss said. “But I love Mount Vernon so much that I’m going to stay here the rest of my life. I love it here.”
While in Mount Vernon, Boss joined several boards including the United Way, Rotary Club. and Chamber of Commerce.
“I felt that it was important to me to do that,” Boss said. “The motto at Park was if we take care of our community the community will take care of us.
“And so that’s what we tried to do. And I tried to be a leader in doing so that so our folks would see if I did it they should do it and I think they do a very good job of it.”
He saw success in banking too.
“The most rewarding thing you get as a banker is seeing, giving people a business loan and then having their business succeed,” Boss said. “And then the second is the employees that work for you. You give them opportunities to grow and they take it and then they do a great job.
“It makes you feel good that you’ve taught them well and they’re on their way to a great career.”
Making time for each bank was a key part of Boss’ success, he said, traveling to 18 different communities for local events where his banks are located
“I’d leave at six in the morning, get home at nine at night,” Boss said. “They were long days, but that’s what you do.”