A reception was held Friday afternoon at the Smithville office of Liberty State Bank, where Ronnie Goodwin has served as Vice President and Branch Manager for several years.
Goodwin recently announced his retirement from the bank. His last day will be August 31.
“The time was right. I started thinking about it three or four years ago and put things in place so that when the time felt right I could make the decision,” Goodwin told WJLE.
Many friends and long time customers stopped by to wish Goodwin well in his retirement and to enjoy refreshments including cake, cookies, and punch served up by the staff at the bank.
Although his association with Liberty State Bank goes back almost 20 years, his banking career began in 1988 at the former Citizens Bank of Smithville (now known as First Bank). In 1995, Goodwin joined the staff of the former City Bank & Trust (now known as Regions Bank). He left there for Liberty State Bank in 1998.
After completing his education, Goodwin had an opportunity to work for the U.S. Justice Department. “I was recruited out of college by the U.S. Justice Department but I didn’t do that. I did entertain it again back in the mid 1980s. I went to Washington and stayed a while. But there are a lot of sacrifices those people have to make. They have to travel a lot so we (my wife Deborah and I) decided together that wasn’t what we needed to be doing so I came back here to work at Citizens Bank,” said Goodwin.
Before his banking career, Goodwin taught school at DCHS and then entered the political arena, serving as DeKalb County Trustee from 1978 to 1986.
The Goodwins have two grown sons, Scott and wife Amanda, who live here, and Matthew who resides in Portland Oregon. The Goodwins have two grandsons, Cooper and Kipton.
Ronnie has also been a hot rod car enthusiast for many years and owns four hot rods of his own. “I have a guy in Shelbyville who builds them, Michael Young (Street Rods by Michael). He is very gifted and has a great shop full of guys who are unbelievably talented and have done some great, beautiful cars for us,” said Goodwin.
Over the years, the Goodwins have entered their cars in hot rod shows across the country. “We didn’t build all the cars to compete but some have competed and done extremely well especially on the west coast and in Detroit, Chicago, and Las Vegas,” he said.
“There are a dozen car owners each year from all over the world that get asked to Los Angeles to compete in America’s Most Beautiful Roadster. In 2014 we were picked to do that with our blue 32 Roadster and finished second to one of Mr. Chip Foose’s cars. We had a good time. We got to meet him and have gotten to talk to him over the years,” Goodwin continued.
Foose is an American automobile designer and the star of Velocity’s reality television series Overhaulin’.
Goodwin said he will miss his customers and co-workers at the bank and he wishes them well.
“Some of the best friends I’ve got and the nicest people I know are because of the business they have been kind enough to let me take care of for them at this and other banks I have worked at. I will miss seeing those folks on a regular basis and the people I have worked here with every day,” said Goodwin.
Ronnie said he plans to spend more time with family in retirement. “There are things Deborah and I want to do. I like to read and we want to travel some. I’ll get to be a kid again and play with my hot rod car collection. We’ve got two mischievous grandsons to keep us busy too so we’ll jump into the next adventure and see what happens,” Goodwin concluded.
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