A retirement party Friday afternoon marked the end of Bob Jones's 14-year tenure as the CEO of Old National Bank.
Thursday was Jones’ first day of retirement, but he kept himself busy.
“I worked until five o’clock actually," he said. "We had a day full of board meetings.”
He called Friday his first relaxation day, but it doesn’t sound very relaxing.
Hundreds of people came to the bank’s headquarters to congratulate him on his accomplishments and wish him a happy retirement.
Evansville mayor Lloyd Winnecke gave Jones the inaugural McGary Jones Visionary and Humanitarian Award, which the city will present at the United Way Day of Caring breakfast each year.
Earlier in the day, the mayor also announced he'll ask city council to rename a portion of Walnut Street after Jones. If approved, a few blocks downtown will be called "Bob Jones Way."
"If you look at the development along Walnut Street," the mayor said, "the convention hotel would not be here today if it were not for Bob Jones and Old National Bank." He added that Jones helped secure funding for the recently opened Stone Family Center for Health Sciences.
Jones said he plans to stay in Evansville after he and his wife, Lisa, spend the summer in Michigan.
"For fourty years, my wife has sacrificed so much, and it’s really her time, our time frankly," he said. "We’ll travel, we’ll visit, we’ll spend time together, we’ll reconnect, we’ll rewire. It’ll be great"
Former CFO Jim Ryan replaces Jones at the bank. Jones, whose retirement was announced earlier this year, will continue his role as board chairman until January.
