A Mountaineer Impact: Bob Hatley

BOONE, N.C. - The love of being a Mountaineer became twice as nice for Bob Hatley.

The 1972 graduate of Appalachian State, like many App students, lived for Saturday gamedays in college. After earning his degree and falling out of touch with the weekend experience at The Rock, returning to his alma mater on football weekends has again become one of Hatley's favorite pastimes.

Hatley is the President and CEO of the Raleigh-based Paragon Bank. He and his wife, Carol, recently contributed a cash gift to A Mountaineer Impact, A Drive for Excellence.

As life pulled Hatley away from Boone, a friendly assist eventually brought him back to being involved with the University and App State Athletics. Now, football season is full of can't-miss Saturdays.

Hatley credits a close friend, Robert Fox, with helping him return to Kidd Brewer Stadium and emerge as a key part of the Mountaineer Family. "Robert was on the Board of Trustees and was a fellow banker," Hatley said. "After I graduated, I had been gone years and would go to an occasional football game, but I didn't have any ties up there. Robert got me going to ballgames and introducing me around, and over the last 15 years, I've made a lot of good friends."

Hatley's original path to Boone wasn't overly complicated. A Concord native, he said he decided to attend Appalachian State because his older sister went there.

Hatley played basketball for the school's freshman team and was at App during the switch from NAIA to NCAA membership. He was a self-described gym rat, even after this stint on the freshman team ended, he enjoyed the laid-back nature of the App community.

Any regrets? He participated in just one year of summer school and says he should have done it annually, given the weather and atmosphere around campus.The longer Hatley was away from Boone after graduation, the fewer people he knew when he returned to campus.

Thanks to Fox's outreach, Hatley began developing new friendships, and those connections had a domino effect of introducing him to even more people who would become friends."Alumni who left and moved away to follow their career ambitions like I did, the longer you go without going up there, the fewer your ties are," Hatley said. "What you have are memories but not current times. Once you start going back up there, it feeds on itself, and you want to keep going. It's all about the relationships you start building in the mountains, and then you want to help the University."

Hatley's increased involvement coincided with the rise of the football program, which won three consecutive FCS national championships from 2005-07 and posted a memorable road victory against Michigan to open the last title season.

The 2007 victory in "The Big House" was a source of pride for many App fans and graduates, but it was extra special to Hatley because he was there with Fox. By the time they returned to North Carolina, Hatley had an unforgettable story and several new friendships.

By now, he's witnessed App complete a successful transition to the FBS and Sun Belt Conference, post two straight seasons with double-digit victories, win two bowl games and compete with some of the most prestigious programs in the country."

What we've done over the last 15 years has been tremendous," Hatley said. "We've been through evolutions, good coaches with a great coach now, and a great AD. That Michigan game has so much to do with our reputation, you win three national championships, follow it up with two bowl wins and give Tennessee a run for their money, our program has developed so much over time."