Annual Meeting Celebrates the Spirit of Main Street Banking
Bob Aston, TowneBank executive chairman, addresses the enthusiastic crowd at the annual meeting of shareholders held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in May.
At our annual meeting of shareholders, held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center on Wednesday, May 14, executive chairman Bob Aston shared his thoughts on the foundational principles at the heart of the bank’s success and the people who have embraced them.
“Towne was built on a foundation of caring grounded in authenticity and empathy to serve current and future generations,” he told a crowd of 800 shareholders and friends gathered to celebrate their company. He recognized the dedication and stellar performances of many seasoned bankers and the promise of many rising stars across the company. Bob also honored the unwavering commitment of three retiring corporate board members – John W. Failes, Dwight C. Schaubach, and Richard B. “Dick” Thurmond – and presented them with resolutions in appreciation of distinguished service.
Three retiring TowneBank directors were named director emeriti – Dwight C. Schaubach, John W. Failes, and Richard B. “Dick” Thurmond (l. to r.).
Buddy Copeland
Founding Officer
As president and CEO Billy Foster turned attention to the next 25 years of TowneBank, he took the audience on a journey through our newer markets in Richmond and Central Virginia, Greenville, Greensboro, Raleigh-Cary, and Charlotte, North Carolina. All markets feature traditions of higher education that help shape and maintain local talent in the growing corporate landscapes, and they all contain opportunities to expand the TowneBank Main Street Banking model, where local financial professionals provide expertise to local business owners and community leaders.
The day also served as a celebration of the contributions of TowneBank founder William A. “Buddy” Copeland, a founding member of the TowneBank family “in the garage,” who passed away in February 2025. Buddy served as the founding president of TowneBank Chesapeake when the bank opened on April 8, 1999. Under his leadership, the bank earned the number one deposit market share position in Chesapeake by 2009 and has held it ever since. Throughout his life, Buddy dedicated over 40 years to the banking industry. He loved working alongside the bank staff and helping members achieve their financial goals. We were honored to share this special dedication with Buddy’s wife, Merle, and their extended family.
A special day each year, this year’s annual meeting reflected on the strength of relationships the Towne family has built across every community we serve. The commitment to friendships and relationships is as strong today as the founders intended when they first gathered in 1998 in Bob’s garage. That dedication has been the fuel to propel the TowneBank story from its beginnings to a bright future down all the roads ahead.
Billy Foster, TowneBank president and CEO, introduces the LEAD Associates class, future leaders for Towne!