The 2016 Urbana Distinguished Alumni Award winner is Michael R. Melvin, a 1962 graduate of Urbana High School.
Melvin is president and director of Perpetual Federal Savings Bank. He has been employed there since January 1969 and has served as treasurer and executive vice president. He became president and director in 1980. Before his career with Perpetual, he was Urbana City Treasurer from 1967 to 1968.
In addition to being a graduate of Urbana High School, Melvin graduated from Springfield School of Business in 1965, the American Savings and Loan Institute in 1974, and the Ohio Savings and Loan Academy in 1975.
His current affiliations include director and secretary/treasurer of Rotary Manor, inc., director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, and trustee of the Champaign County Library. He is also a member of Harmony Lodge 8, F&AM, Chapter, Council, Commandery, and Antioch Shrine. He is a member of the Urbana Rotary Club, the Messiah Lutheran Church, and the Urbana Country Club.
Melvin said two of his major accomplishments in banking were being elected by his peers as chairman of the state trade association, the Ohio League of Financial Institutions, and to the board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati for six terms. Other highlights were being named as the Simon Award winner in 2007 by the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce and to the Champaign County Pork Council Hall of Fame.
Past affiliations include board of the Champaign County Community Improvement Corporation, the board of McAuley Center Nursing Home, the board of the Champaign County Senior Citizens, and the board of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. Also, he was the United Way Fund Drive chairman in 1990-91, vice chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati in 2001-02, trustee and treasurer of Community-Mercy Hospital Endowment Foundation, and former director of the Champaign Telephone Company.
Along with all of his other duties and activities, Melvin has served as either past president or board chairman of several organizations, including the Urbana Rotary Club, the Urbana Country Club, District 2 Ohio Savings and Loan League, Ohio League of Financial Institutions, and the board of the Champaign County Community Improvement Corporation.
Melvin lives in Urbana with his wife, Mary, and has two children, M. Michele Nichols and Matthew R. Melvin. His family has a long tradition with Urbana High School. His parents, M. Richard Melvin and Betty L. (Phillips) Melvin, both attended UHS. His father graduated and joined the Navy during World War II. Both of his children and three of his grandchildren also graduated from UHS. Another grandchild is attending South Elementary, so his ties to Urbana schools are extensive.
Melvin has been active in Urbana High School athletics, operating the football scoreboard on Friday nights for many years and has served as the announcer for boys’ and girls’ basketball games. Through his relationship with Perpetual Federal Savings Bank, he has been involved in support of the local schools, including helping to facilitate the donation of the land at the end of Boyce Street which is now an athletic complex for track, baseball, and softball. This support has also included scoreboards in the high school gymnasium and the equipment trailer used for away athletic events. He also volunteers for the Athletic Boosters, which often includes taking tickets at the gate during the Champaign County Fair.
Melvin has dedicated his adult life to his community and its varied organizations, and he continues to support Urbana High School as one of the founders of the alumni association and a supporter of the athletic programs and various other organizations throughout the area.
