Highlands Union Bank official commits suicide in Abingdon office (VA)

Kingsport Times News ^ | January 9, 2009

[don-o]

Highlands Union’s chief operating officer appears to have committed suicide in the bank's office on Thursday morning.

Abingdon Police say the body of Tom Riffe was found about 7:30 a.m. in a second floor office of Highlands Union Bank, 340 West Main Street.

Riffe, 55, of 847 Old Airport Road, Bristol, Va., died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say the office was secured until investigators arrived.

A firearm was found at the scene and collected as evidence. Surveillance video from the bank shows that Riffe arrived at the bank alone around 3:30 a.m.

The victim’s body was taken to the state crime lab in Roanoke for an autopsy. Abingdon Police are still investigating the incident.

[don-o]

Terrible. No idea of motivation, but suicide makes my stomach churn. Lord have mercy on him.

[WorkingClassFilth]

This is the second financial death I have read of this week - someone ought to start a financial suicide list. Methinks things are worse than the DC magpies and the lickspittle press would lead us to believe.

[null and void]

What?!?? They wouldn't LIE to us would they???

[OldNavyVet]

The plot, whatever it is, thickens.

[Brilliant]

Hope no one I know owns stock in that institution.

[null and void]

- someone ought to start a financial suicide list.

Financial Suicide List

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, Access International, CEO and Co-Founder, 12/23/08

Adolf Merckle, multiple companies, Industrialist, 1/6/09

Steven Good, Sheldon Good & Co., CEO and Founder, 1/7/09

Tom Riffe, Highlands Union Bank, CEO, 1/9/09

[WVNan]

It's 1929 again. Back then they jumped out of windows. I guess they are using different methods these days. You take a person who has lived a life of ease from the cradle to adulthood and all of a sudden things fall apart, and they have no idea how they will survive and the fear just takes over. Christians manage much better because we are promised "sufficient unto the day".

I was a child in the Great Depression, my parents raised six kids in very tough times. My husband and I have been up against the wall at least three times. We know that nothing is ever so bad that you can't get through it one day at a time with God's help. I pray for all the younger people who will have such a hard time learning how to live with much less. I pray that the experience will make them stronger and smarter.

[ladyjane]

You take a person who has lived a life of ease from the cradle to adulthood and all of a sudden things fall apart,

Many times it is someone who has worked very hard for a lifetime. When things fall apart they are worrying about their loved ones and the deprivation *they* will experience.

[rabscuttle385]

*Ping!*

[rabscuttle385]

The Money, Banking, and Financial Markets Ping List. "Money, not morality, is the principle commerce of civilized nations." —Thomas Jefferson FR Keywords: moneylist, bankinglist, financelist Please tag all relevant threads with the aforementioned keywords. This can be a very high-volume ping list at times. Ping list jointly pinged by rabscuttle385 and TigerLikesRooster. To join the ping list: FReepmail rabscuttle385 with the subject line add  moneylist. (Stop getting pings by sending the subject line drop moneylist.)

[null and void]

It's 1929 again. Back then they jumped out of windows. I guess they are using different methods these days.

Blame it on air conditioning. These days the windows don't open...

[WorkingClassFilth]

Excellent - thank you. Seems odd thanking somebody for a deathlist, but these are interesting times . . .

[KoRn]

Wow! That isn’t very far from where I live.

[WVNan]

Well, you do have a point. I guess the windows in financial institutions don’t open.

[WVNan]

Many times it is someone who has worked very hard for a lifetime.

I suppose that could be the opposite end of the spectrum. I think that would be even more selfish though; off yourself and leave them to fend for themselves. Insurance money does not compensate for family.

[null and void]

Yeah, it does.

Thank you for the suggestion...

[April Lexington]

Man... this is getting worse than Arkancide!

[BooBoo1000]

Good time to clean up the books, bring in every shortage, bad loan, and defalcation now and we will write them off and blame the deceased/

[BooBoo1000]

Good time to clean up the books, bring in every shortage, bad loan, and defalcation now and we will write them off and blame the deceased/

[April Lexington]

Yeah... blame it on Fred!

[April Lexington]

I mean Tom!

[kcvl]

ABINGDON, Va. – The apparent suicide of a senior bank executive in his Main Street office Thursday was not banking related, the chief executive officer of Highlands Union Bank said Friday.

[BellStar]

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, Access International, CEO and Co-Founder, 12/23/08

Adolf Merckle, multiple companies, Industrialist, 1/6/09

Steven Good, Sheldon Good & Co., CEO and Founder, 1/7/09

Tom Riffe, Highlands Union Bank, CEO, 1/9/09

Of these do you know if any had also stolen vast sums of money and had the hounds of discloser on there heels and could not face prison or shame?

[null and void]

ABINGDON, Va. – The apparent suicide of a senior bank executive in his Main Street office Thursday was not banking related, the chief executive officer of Highlands Union Bank said Friday.

The alternative is to say it was bank related and start a run on the bank.

[null and void]

Of these do you know if any had also stolen vast sums of money and had the hounds of discloser on there heels and could not face prison or shame?

Nope.

Some of the linked articles explicitly link the deaths to Madoff, some don't. I expect we won't know which ones (if any) had dirty hands for some time.

[null and void]

[Fixed broken link:]

Financial Suicide List

Rene-Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, Access International, CEO and Co-Founder, 12/23/08

Adolf Merckle, multiple companies, Industrialist, 1/6/09

Steven Good, Sheldon Good & Co., CEO and Founder, 1/7/09

Tom Riffe, Highlands Union Bank, CEO, 1/9/09

[Wolfie]

These guys should take a clue from Congress. No matter how bad they screw up, they feel no shame. Hell, toss in a pay raise too.

[BellStar]

Wow! Now that would be a great list “dirty hands list”!
It would be like the new scarlet letter!

[dcba]

This is insensitive and very possibly inaccurate. Please refrain from posting material that may be insensitive to those who lost a loved one.
There is, at present, no known motivation.

[don-o]

What’s innacurate about it. Dude killed himself. Oh, and btw, welcome to Free Republic. Most folks are not as nice as I am - getting lectured by a newbie. Indeed!

[AppyPappy]

You know the rule on FR

1) Keep your opinions to yourself

The rest of us have no problem obeying them

[nancyriffe]

this is tom ‘s daughter, nancy. to the persons who question dad’s work history: he started out in the coal mines, then worked as a security guard, and later became a banker. he’s someone who knew the value of hard work and appreciated the needs of people who work hard for a living.

as to his honor, he was a west point cadet and one of the most scrupulous men i’ve ever known. he didn’t take a single dollar from the bank. his suicide had nothing to do with the bank’s solvency or with his own financial situation. as he always said: you can work out the money.

as to the method of his death, he shot himself in his office so he wouldn’t leave behind a mess for my little brother and me.

regardless of your politicla views, please know that those who love him are in agony. but we have too much respect for him to judge him. if you knew him, you would know that he was generous to a fault, and the best father a child could ever have.

i know i’m a newbie. just wanted to chime in.

[zanie]

I am Tom's ex-wife. I am so sorry that the daughter Tom and I created and anyone else who knew and loved Tom has been subjected to the complete speculation of strangers. I cannot emphasize enough how accurate my daughter's comments about her father are. It is easy to guess and conjure up reasons a banker might take his life in this economic climate. I hope that before anyone else chooses to do this their speculation will be weighed against the pain it causes others. Tom's work ethic was second to none and he was working in the mines when I met him. I "lived" his climb to the top in banking and he was so well respected in that industry. His character and honor have always distinguished him. I also know he was the best father anyone could have and he was so proud, as I am, of our children, Nancy and Eric. His funeral was attended by more people than I have ever seen; the service was posponed by about 25 min. so that more of the people waiting in line could pay their respects. Then, because many more had not been able to greet family, the minister invited those folks to the fellowship hall after the funeral where the family once again received mourners. He was an honest and just man. Please do not add to the agony by unfounded speculation. Thank you.