He was a man who always had a smile and warm words. He understood how to “walk among kings and not lose the common touch” as one writer once said,and he had the respect of his peers across all lines of color and race. These are just a few of the many words used to remember Robert “Bob” McNeely. Pierre Frazier, a retired African American Banker said he knew Bob for about 35 years and found him to be “very focused and thorough in his work. He assimilated well into the banking mainstream faster than many African Americans coming along at his time because he was driven and wanted to be successful”. Arnold Winston, a former vice president with California Bank of Commerce who also came along in banking about the time McNeely was doing so, said “He was an outstanding individual.” He was saddened about the loss. “We came up together in banking,” Winston said, and Rev George Walker Smith, who was McNeely’s pastor for many years at Christ United Presbyterian Church spoke warmly of his service and his character. Rev. Smith headed up the United Negro College Fund for San Diego, which McNeely took over after Rev. Smith’s retirement. This was just one of the things Bob did in his civic involvement which went beyond just meeting the requirements of his job as a Community Investment Banker.
McNeely left his foot print all over San Diego and the State of California where people were doing business. Abdur-Rahim Hameed, president of the National Black Contractors Association, said in hearing of his passing, “Bob McNeely was a trailblazer for African American Economic Development.” He was a part of a group that founded the Neighborhood National Bank which now has two locations. One of his proud projects was the funding of Pazzaz, an after school educational program. He was an active participant in the San Diego County and City Reinvestment Task Force which played a great role in shaping the Community Reinvestment Programs operating in San Diego County and the State of California; he was a former member of Center City Development Corporation for the City of San Diego; President of the University Club, among a host of other organizations, boards and groups. All these things Bob did while moving up the ranks of Union Bank, where he and his wife Delores became important vice presidents in their own areas of expertise and succeeded through mergers and changes.
Robert McNeely was born in Los Angeles, California June 3, 1939. His banking career started with Bank of America where he worked for 6 years before serving in the Army Finance Corp for two years. From there to Gateway Bank, (which later became Union Bank of California) upon his return to civilian life. Bob rose through the ranks of banking becoming Executive Vice President and Director of the Banks Corporate Social Responsibility Group before his retirement in 2009.
Robert McNeely died Monday at age 76 of pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife, Delores McNeely, family and friends who request that donations in his memory be made to the Sally Ride Pancreatic Cancer Initiative (Fund 4191) through the UC San Diego Foundation, 9500 Gilman Drive, No. 90040, La Jolla, Ca. 92093. Services are pending and being handle by Greenwood Mortuary, San Diego, Ca.
