2005 Distinguished Alumni Gallery Inductee

Helen Lee Connor

Goldey-Beacom College, 1997

Even now, at the top of a stellar career spanning 33 years at Artisans’ Bank, Helen Lee Connor remains surprisingly modest about her accomplishments. “I am rather uncomfortable talking about myself,” she says, but her record of achievements speaks for itself, and shows a woman of remarkable initiative and enterprise.

Lee started her career in 1972 as a teller. She rose steadily through the ranks at Artisans’ Bank from  Relief Branch Manager to Delivery Systems Manager in 1989, where she was responsible for establishing and developing the entirely new ATM department. She was soon promoted to Assistant Vice President, and then to LAN Administrator, where she was involved in another first: the setting up of Artisan Bank’s first file servers. She became Vice President of the MIS department, and in 2003, she assumed direct responsibility for three major departments as the Group Vice President of Retail Operations.

Lee’s commitment to the community is evident in her active participation in various activities and committees. A member of the Mid-Atlantic Standards Committee User Group, she has served as their Secretary and Chairperson. She was Chairperson of Drama Boosters at Pike Creek Christian School, and volunteers service hours at Wilmington Christian School, her daughter’s school. She attends Christ Community Church, where she volunteers in the Nursery Ministry and has served on their Strategic Planning Committee.

Lee lives in Pike Creek, DE with her husband of 25 years, Jeff, her son Michael and her daughter, Elizabeth.

Goldey-Beacom College, 1994

While raising a family and holding both a full-time and part-time job, John completed his Bachelor of Science in Accounting by taking evening classes for over six years.

He began his career at Wilmington Trust Company, then went on to assume the posts of Programmer, Data Processing Manager, and eventually Controller at Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company. In every position, he excelled.

In 1988, he joined Union Park Automotive Group as Assistant Comptroller. He soon moved up to Comptroller, and now serves as Secretary-Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer. With responsibility for all financial and service operations, John is well respected by his peers. He has been described as a “genius for organization,” as having “unpretentious wisdom” and as representing the “best ideals of the College.” Professionally, he belonged to the Reynolds & Reynolds Customer Advisory Board for several years, and currently is a member of the General Motors Business Managers Council. He has won the Jaguar Business Management Award and the Ford Business Management Accounting Excellence Award.

In the community, his love of sports is evident. He has served as Commissioner and League Director of the Piedmont Baseball League, and as Treasurer and Director of the Northern Delaware Football Officials Association. At St. John the Beloved, he serves as Coach and as Lector, and at the Lions Club of Wilmington, he has served as Treasurer. At his alma mater, St. Elizabeth’s High School, he was a member of the Alumni Advisory Board, and was Capital Campaign Alumni Co-Chair at St. Elizabeth’s Parish.