Former First National Bank CEO Ian Arnof dies in CA

IAN ARNOF, the former president and CEO of First National Bank of Commerce, died in Carmel, CA, the community to which he had retired, on February 27, 2016. He was 76.

Ian Arnof

Arnof was a longtime resident of New Orleans and previously lived in is hometown of McCrory, AR. He graduated from Vanderbilt University and Harvard Business School. He began his banking career at First Tennessee Bank and was recruited to First National Bank of Commerce in New Orleans (First NBC) which he ran as chairman, president & CEO before it was sold to Bank One/Chase Bank. At the time of its sale, the estimated worth of the holding company was listed as $9.3 billion.

While associated with First NBC, Arnof was very active socially and philanthropically on the local scene, having served on several community boards. He was especially concerned with improving economic development in the region as well as expanding educational opportunities through organizations like New Schools for New Orleans and Teach America.

Following his retirement, Arnof moved to Carmel and joined the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) board and the Big Sur Land Trust. He was involved with a number of  and enjoyed supporting economic agencies associated with colleges such as the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) and the Panetta Institue associated with Dominican University in Marina, CA. He was also a member of the board of directors of Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, AR. and was a member of the Visiting Board of Xavier University.

Arnof was a member of Temple Sinai and served on several boards that served the interests of the Jewish community including Chairman of the Jewish Endowment Fund.

He is survived by his three children Paige Arnof-Fenn of Cambridge, MA; Ian Arnof of Somerville, MA and Lindy Kearns of Washington, D.C.; a sister, Ann Fishman of New York, and four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to CHOMP.