UPDATE: Bank VP resigns over offensive Facebook post
Published 4:30 pm Monday, August 3, 2020
UPDATE: David Hollis has been asked by Citizens Community Bank to resign both his position and his role on the bank’s board of directors, according to a CCB statement to the Valdosta Daily Times.
“The employee was asked to submit his resignation and is no longer employed by the bank, nor will he be serving on the board of directors,” the statement read.
VALDOSTA — The vice president of Citizens Community Bank is the center of local controversy after posting a screed against former President Barack Obama on Facebook.
The post — which had been removed by Monday afternoon — commented on Obama’s Thursday eulogy for Civil Rights icon John Lewis at the former Congressman’s funeral. Hollis refers to Obama twice using offensive rhetoric calling the former president a “House Nidiot” and Obama’s actions as “Yas’Suh’ing.”
David Hollis added “Sorry if the Truth Hurts” after those comments.
Hollis is the descendent of the bank’s founder D.K. Hollis, Sr who established the bank in 1927.
In a statement provided to The Valdosta Daily Times, Hollis’s employer apologized for his post saying the bank learned of the post Monday morning and interviewed Hollis.
“While the employee stated that he did not intend the post to be offensive, it clearly is so,” the statement read.
CCB Chief Executive Officer Glenn Copeland told The Times that he, along with management, spoke to Hollis about the post as a group and have taken “corrective action.”
Copeland declined to specify what that action will entail as he was still determining it as of 2:48 p.m. Monday.
“I don’t believe Mr. Hollis is racially motivated. I can only tell you what he told me. I’ve known him for many years, although I can see how the post would be construed as that,” Copeland said. “I’m very regretful that that went out, it did not come out right.”
David Hollis did not respond to a Facebook message request for comment.
Copeland said the bank will “take whatever action we need to” and that CCB will require additional diversity training for all bank employees, officers and board members.
“We’re just stunned,” Copeland said. “All I can say is we’re addressing this as forthright as we known how to do, so that this will not happen again.”