The Legacy of Frank P. Doyle

Frank Doyle was a born leader in Sonoma County and followed in his ambitious and successful father's footsteps. During the 1920s, Frank Doyle enjoyed the prosperity afforded him and his bank by a booming post-World War I economy and a growing region. A true leader, he was involved in many local business and civic ventures. During the 1930s, he led the Bank and the community through the Depression years by procuring monies from the federal Public Works Administration to help construct buildings at Santa Rosa Junior College, including Analy Hall, Burbank Auditorium and Bussman Hall. He encouraged improvement of local transportation, recognizing the role of the automobile in the future. Further, he championed the Golden Gate Bridge. While touring the site two months before the opening, Frank had the unexpected privilege of taking the first ride across the structure in a private automobile. He was also designated "Father of the Golden Gate."

In a career marked by many impressive accomplishments, perhaps none is more remarkable than Frank Doyle's last will and testament. He was determined that the Bank continue to be a locally owned and managed community institution. With that in mind, he decided to place his shares of Exchange Bank Common Stock into a trust. His will provided that his controlling interest (50.39% of the outstanding common stock) be placed in a perpetual trust. From the dividends the trust designated $2,000 annually to assist in maintaining Doyle Park. The remaining dividends were specified for distribution by the Trustees to the Frank P. Doyle and Polly O'Meara Doyle Scholarship Fund for assistance to "…worthy young men and women attending Santa Rosa Junior College."

With his death on August 5, 1948, Frank P. Doyle left behind a legacy that continues to this day to serve the community about which he he cared so deeply.

The value of the stock at the time of Frank Doyle's death was approximately $600,000. The first distribution of scholarship funds in 1950 was $21,000 for 95 scholarships. In 2008-09 distributions from the Doyle Trust funded over $3 million in scholarships to more than 3,000 students.

His gift has enabled over one hundred thousand students to receive an education at one of the finest community colleges in the nation.