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Peter Michael Reynolds Jr. was elected as President of the Demopolis City Schools Foundation’s Board of Directors at the January board meeting. A board member since 2011, Reynolds has chaired the Foundation’s Endowment Committee, almost doubling its value under his leadership.

“I’m excited to continue the great work of the past leadership of Demopolis City School Foundation. It’s really an honor to work with such talented people doing great things for our children at Demopolis City Schools,” Reynolds said.

A native of Demopolis, Reynolds graduated in 1988 from Demopolis High School, holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of South Carolina. He is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Robertson Banking Company. He is a founding board member of the Demopolis Area Business Council, serves on the The John C. Webb III and Marie Suttle Webb Charitable Foundation Board, and is the Secretary and Treasurer for the Black Warrior Electric Cooperative. Reynolds and his family own and operate Reynolds Ranch in Greene County and his three children are all students in the Demopolis school system.

He takes the leadership reins from Sarah Chandler Hallmark, who led the Foundation for the past six years. Hallmark oversaw the achievement of the Foundation’s $1 million endowment fundraising campaign and guided the growth of the classroom grant program to include a second spring grant round.  She was also instrumental in the creation of the Community Classroom Connections volunteer program.

“It has been such a joy and great honor to serve as President of the Foundation’s Board and to work with our Executive Director, Board, schools, and community to make such a positive and lasting impact on the students in the Demopolis City School System,”’ Hallmark said. “The incredible care and generosity of this community are reflected in the support given to the Foundation each year and never cease to amaze me. Peter Michael will do a fantastic job as President, carrying on the good work of the Foundation.”

In a bit of small-town uniqueness, Mrs. Hallmark and Mr. Reynolds were high school classmates, as well as downtown neighbors when they were growing up. 

The Demopolis City Schools Foundation is an independent nonprofit established in 1993 to encourage private philanthropic support of the Demopolis public school system.  Governed by a 33-member Board of Directors, the Foundation has provided over $1.3 million in classroom grants since its inception, including over $68,000 in 2019. The Foundation also holds over $1.5 million in reserve and endowment funds to ensure continued support in the future.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, February 5 issue of the Demopolis Times.)