Someone once said that a person learns much about another person by observing how he accepts criticism or praise.

Tuesday night, a casual observer could have learned volumes about three men &8212; all Vidalia bankers &8212; all of whom have made significant impacts on the community. Travis Gore, Pat Biglane and Cliff Merritt joined several others receiving awards for their accomplishments.

At the center of the evening, however, was the quiet, stately Mr. Gore, recipient of the Vidalian of the Year honor.

Both Biglane and Merritt, who won Business Person of the Year honors, acknowledged Gore for his help in their careers as both a mentor and a role model.

Countless businessmen in the area recall stories of how Gore&8217;s work at Concordia Bank and Trust helped keep their fledgling businesses afloat through tough times. He&8217;s not a flashy man or one prone to flaunt his accomplishments. Part of Gore&8217;s legacy will be the people he&8217;s helped model, including Biglane and Merritt.

We&8217;re proud to have Gore and his prot/g/s &8212; Biglane and Merritt &8212; as part of our community.

Sadly, the Miss-Lou lost a great community contributor this week with the loss of William J. Feltus III. His decades of leadership as a business and civic leader truly helped shape the community. As former Natchez Mayor Larry L. &8220;Butch&8221; Brown said, &8220;Will Feltus was one of those who had a big impact on the community that not everyone knew about.&8221;

Some of the best leaders are those such as Gore, Biglane, Merritt and Feltus &8212; quick to help, but rarely seeking out attention.