George A. Didden, III · 1990 Honoree

George A. Didden, III has become an institution on Capitol Hill after twenty-two years with our community bank, The National Capital Bank of Washington.

His vocation is that of a “double professional” whose expertise in the field of banking and law is widely sought. But “Sonny,” as he is known among family and close business associates, is a facile in assisting a youngster to open a passbook savings account as he is in giving studious legal advice or consulting multimillion-dollar corporations about intricate financial matters. He is Senior Vice President, Director and a legal counsel for the bank.

George’s natural capacity for leadership was evident at Boston College when he was voted an award for “Meritorious Service to the University,” and at Catholic University Law School where he received four American Juriprudence Awards. The coupling of his keen ability and a vigorous desire to serve has thrust him into a number of responsible positions: President, D.C. Bankers Association; Trustee, St. Anselm’s Abbey School; director, Greater Washington Board of Trade; and Subdivision Chairman, United Way of Washington. Mr. Didden currently serves as third term President of the 50,000 member organization of The Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ).

George Didden served important years on the board of the Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC), a Ford Foundation local economic development organization. With the collective effort of people like Mr. Didden, LISC has been credited with making key investments in the revitalization of Washington’s inner city. Among significant community contributions, he was long time Chairman of the Association for the preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery on the Hill.

Many of us recall hard times at the Folger Theatre, where too much red ink threatened its closing. It was George, during certain critical years, who took the case to the Trustees of Amherst College and convinced them that this community needed the theatre. He was also a key Trustee in the current transformation which created, independent of the Library, The Shakespeare Theatre at the Folger. George was recently honored by the theatre for an astounding twenty years of volunteer service and given an unprecedented lifetime subscription to their productions.

Sonny and his wife, Kathy, are parents of three children: Damian, Kate, and Amanda. He is an active participant in the life of Annunciation Catholic Church where he has been a lector and Eucharistic minister.

It is an honor to recognize George Didden, III for his leadership in the Washington business community and for his lifetime of volunteer service to Capitol Hill and our city at large.