Much about the MontVue approach to clients was influenced by our late colleague and mentor, Bill Russell (William Horace Russell, III.) In the 1980s when Sarah worked for Central Fidelity Bank in Lynchburg, Bill was the head of the western region trust area and had the reputation of being the best trust guy in Virginia—tough as nails and beholden to no one.

When we began MontVue in 1999, Bill was retired from Central Fidelity. He would drop by our new office with homemade treats, encouragement and advice. We convinced him to come out of retirement, and we were blessed that he spent the last chapter of his career as a key member of the MontVue team. Bill brought to MontVue the client service concept modeled after the local trust department, which dovetailed well with our own values and helped us to develop and grow MontVue into the client-centered firm it has become.

Bill passed away in November, 2015. He was a 1965 graduate of Virginia Tech, where he received a degree in business administration. In addition to his work at Central Fidelity, he previously served as Senior Vice President at BB&T and President of Main Street Trust Company.

Bill will forever have a place in our hearts. At MontVue, he was both a friend and a mentor. His memory lives on through the lessons he taught us, and we will always be thankful for our time in business with him.