Member Spotlight: Chris Thompson

Posted on Apr 13, 2017
 
 

Name: Chris Thompson

Rotary member since: 1985-1989 Downtown Houston Rotary Club

1997-2005 Geneseo Rotary Club

2005-2010 Moline Rotary Club

2010-Present Geneseo Rotary Club

Your occupation: SVP/Chief Lending Officer for Central Bank Illinois

Your former occupation(s): Banking for 34 years

Tell us about your family:

My wife Jolene and I have been happily married for 28 years and we have 5 sons:

  1. Jared Thompson, Drake Univ, Doctor of Pharmacy, employed at Univ of Iowa Hospitals and married to Jody Thompson, they have our first grandson Liam, and we are expecting a new granddaughter in July 2017

  2. Nathan Thompson, BS Biology Univ of Wisconsin, Platteville. Starting his Masters in Aug 2017 at George Mason Univ, Wash DC, in International Relations

  3. Reed Thompson, Masters in Architecture, Ball State Univ, employed by Heyer Architects, Indianapolis, IN

  4. Noah Thompson, Freshman at GHS, and an aspiring photographer

  5. Keaton Thompson , 6th Grade St Malachy School, and an aspiring Lego Designer

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?

Banking is an exciting industry to work in. I have touched and worked with many different types of industries and business professionals in my career, which has kept it interesting, as well as ever-changing.

When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?

Camping with my sons, sporting clays shooting, woodworking, and gardening.

Tell us about your dream vacation.

Touring Sicily and Southern Italy with my wife in 1999, and Tuscany in 2011. Next trip to Cinque Terra and Amalfi Coast in Italy hopefully in the near future.

Why did you join Rotary?

I have been involved with a Rotary Club throughout most of my career whenever there was a club in an area that I have worked or lived in. I enjoy the fellowship, the service, and the quiet way that Rotary gives back locally, as well as internationally.

What has been your favorite Rotary moment?

In the late 1980’s, while a member of the Downtown Houston Rotary Club (which at the time was touted as the one of the largest clubs in the U.S. and had their meetings in the Astrodome), I got to have lunch with guest speaker George W Bush, who was at the time the owner of the Texas Rangers. At the Geneseo Club it has to be the weekly history lessons on Lewis & Clark that Doc Rash once so eloquently delivered.

What advice would you like to give new Rotarians?

Believe in the Rotary 4 Way Test.

If you could change one thing about your club, what would it be?

I think our club is wonderful. More members would be nice, but this has been a work in process.