Wilmer Poynor
Wilmer Poynor walks through Brookwood Village each week and bumps fists with employees and shoppers he passes. Photo by Alec Dixon.
There’s a reason the vote for Wilmer Poynor to receive this year’s Jemison Visionary Award was unanimous.
Just ask Forrest DeBuys, a fellow New York Life agent who has known Poynor most of his own 48 years.
“He was the icon of the insurance industry here in Birmingham and the guy who I have modeled my practice after,” DeBuys said. “His integrity is solid as you can find, and his knowledge for the business unparalleled. He’s done it all and done it so well that his reputation and name recognition is unbelievable.”
Poynor will receive the award on Jan. 15 at the annual Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce luncheon at The Club. Each year the community provides nominations for the award, which is named for Mountain Brook planning visionary Robert Jemison.
Also that the luncheon, Wilmer’s brother, Dr. John Poynor, an ENT doctor with E.N.T. Associates, will receive the Emmet O’Neal Library’s Tynes Award for his work with the Mountain Brook Library Foundation.
DeBuys noted that Poynor was a “little bit on the old school side” in his industry, in a good way. Much of the insurance industry is moving toward automation in its customer service, but not Poynor. He called every one of his customers, and sometimes their wives and children, on their birthdays every day until his stroke.
“He’s the guy who kept that personal touch,” DeBuys said, noting that he now calls his own customers on their birthdays.
Another thing that stands out to DeBuys is not just Poynor’s involvement in the community but his motivation for doing so. His primary reason for serving was because his heart was in it; any business and networking connections might be a result but not the driving force behind them.
The Poynors first moved to Mountain Brook when they bought their first home on Delmar Terrace in Crestline after Poynor served in the Army. All these years later, all three of their children are only minutes away from their home of nine years just outside Mountain Brook Village.
At age 71, Wilmer lost the function of the right side of his body when a stroke affected the left hemisphere of his brain.
Each day his wife of 56 years, Carol, sees his dedication to being as active as possible. Wilmer walks Brookwood Village regularly. His friends who work there know him and return his fist pump when he greets them.
Mike Royer, an anchor at Alabama’s 13, filmed a “Spirit of Alabama” segment about Poynor’s Brookwood walk. Royer will serve as emcee for the chamber luncheon this month.
“From the moment we met, it was a pleasure following him around the mall,” Royer said. “Some people were leery at first but realized he was just spreading a smile. There is a friendliness in the way he approached people. I think it’s therapy for him, therapy for people he fist bumps with, and therapy for me.”
January Luncheon
Thursday, Jan. 15
11 a.m. doors, 11:30 a.m. lunch
Jemison and Tynes awards will be given
Tickets at welcometomountainbrook.com
