He doesn’t own or use a cell phone…proudly states that he has ‘never originated an e-mail in my life’…was a bellman at the old George Washington Motor Lodge in King of Prussia—delivering guests’ luggage by bicycle across the sprawling complex...and is the son of the warden of a maximum security prison.
  He is also an avid hunter who owns seven shotguns, two high-powered rifles and a WWI British Enfield…played defensive end at Bishop Kenrick High School…went to Villanova, where he ‘learned the three R’s—how to be rich, Republican and Roman Catholic’...and is the only non-Gannett employee on the Editorial Board of the Courier-Post.
  The invitation to join the Courier-Post editorial board is not surprising to anyone who spends time with 62-year old Gerry Banmiller because he is also the one of the most deliberately and outrageously outspoken people you’ll ever meet.
  The President and CEO of 1st Colonial National Bank in Collingswood for the last 10 years, Banmiller says (with tongue firmly and permanently planted in cheek) “I probably got most of my personality traits from my father, Bill, who was the warden of a maximum security prison in Pennsylvania.”
  Banmiller and his brother both attended private schools in Montgomery County, PA and both graduated from Villanova University cum laude—as did all of their male cousins. 
  He went on to the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Banking and met his wife, CPA Frances Verna, at a party at Kaminski’s Ale House, in Cherry Hill. 
  The father of four daughters, Megan, 45, Elizabeth, 40, Sarah, 36, and Rachel, 33, Banmiller founded and led Community National Bank before it was acquired by Hudson United.
  A resident of Mt. Laurel, Banmiller has no pets. “I believe animals belong in the woods,” he says. Which, by the way, is where he and long-time hunting buddy Harry Covely go hunting for everything from pheasant (“not peasants”) to deer, with Saskatchewan being their preferred stomping ground.
  As President & CEO of 1st Colonial National Bank, Banmiller not only leads an organization with 35 employees and net revenue in 2009 of $450,000, he also writes and produces all of the bank’s radio ads himself.
  His personal extravagances are limited to luxury automobiles (including a Bentley).
And, not surprisingly, his personal motto is “Rather a day as a lion then a life as a mouse.” And no surprise, too, that he does not have a mentor. “There is nobody that good,” quips Banmiller.
  He says he measures success “by how you are perceived by others and how you perceive yourself, they should match.” 
  Banmiller’s self-description is “I’ll do what I promise” and his epitaph (as he would like it to be written) would be “He always did his best.”
  As for his greatest fear, it’s that “Barack Obama gets reelected. He has taken our country down a path of economic ruin and morale decay,” says Banmiller with his characteristic restraint.
  His most important lesson learned is “Never over-extend yourself.  Make sure you are equipped to win.” And the honor or award of which he is most proud is “having my wife tell me she loves me, with all my idiosyncrasies,” says the old softie. 
  The person Banmiller most admires—again no surprise here—is Ronald Reagan “because he buried communism.”
  If he could invite five people (real, but living or dead) to dinner at his home, the five—in addition to Regan—would be Michelangelo, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Sarah Palin.
  Why those five? “I would invite these five as they represent diversity of viewpoint and I like to understand diversity…what makes people think the way they do.”
  Banmiller says that “there are too many books that I have enjoyed to have a favorite,” but says that his favorite movie is Casablanca and his favorite TV show is 60 Minutes. Again not surprisingly, his favorite source for TV news is Fox News.
  Banmiller swims to relax each day at 5:30 AM in his backyard pool and plans to retire to Playa Del Carmen, which is 45 miles south of Cancun, Mexico. Why Mexico? “Because they don’t have OSHA…they leave you alone if you’re not hurting anybody,” says Banmiller.
  He has had only one real brush with death. “I was in a serious automobile accident when I was 18, being thrown from the vehicle.” The vehicle was a Jeep Scout with no roll bar and he and a friend were driving to work as lifeguards…and traveling about 90 mph.
  The elected officials he most admires are (almost) all small-town mayors. “I respect and admire them because for virtually no compensation they serve their electorate with long hours and dedication.” 
  When asked what event created the most significant emotional reaction on his part in the past year, Banmiller responds that he doesn’t really react emotionally to anything.
  “I simply note my objection to something and try to react to its cause with action.  For example, our two local congressmen who voted for the socialistic financial reform bill will be remembered by me in my support of their opposition both by my vote and by my checks,” promises Banmiller.
  When asked what he would do if he could do one thing to change South Jersey, Banmiller says “it would be to get rid of home rule so that our real estate taxes could be reduced.” 
  And when asked what the most important question that SNJBP could have or should have asked, but did not, Banmiller responded with uncharacteristic indirection.
  “What do I think is the future of our economy both in South Jersey and in the Country as a whole?  I’m glad I wasn’t asked that question because my response might concern many people for the future of their grandchildren.”
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Pictured: Gerard M. Banmiller
By Mike Willmann