A New Trust Officer for College Place

Thomas Knoll Sr. comes to the position of trust officer for the College Place office with a rich background in trust services. For the past 20 years, he has served as the director of the department of legal affairs, which includes trust services, for the Potomac Conference. He has also worked as a pastor, evangelist and publishing director.

In 1986, Knoll graduated from Washington and Lee University School of Law, and after taking the bar exam has been a practicing attorney ever since. The knowledge and skills acquired in the area of law have been a blessing to the people he served in Virginia and the District of Columbia. In a couple of months, Knoll will be admitted to the Washington State Bar. Wayne Searson, Upper Columbia Conference trust services director, is excited about the expertise that Knoll brings to his department.

Knoll and his wife, Merry (Habenicht), have four grown children. Two are practicing attorneys, one is an engineer pursuing a graduate degree in engineering, and the youngest is taking elementary education at Union College in Lincoln, Neb.

Knoll is a pastor at heart and enjoys helping people. He especially finds pleasure in assisting them as they plan for the future. Everyone needs to make preparations for the future, and the task is made easier with someone who has expertise in estate planning and law. He also enjoys speaking in the churches on stewardship and conducting estate-planning seminars.

In his spare time, Knoll pursues a number of hobbies that include camping, hiking, canoing, reading books—yes even law books— and operating a ham radio.

Thomas and Merry are excited about being in the Walla Walla Valley and meeting the members of the conference. They hope that many of you will drop by their office at 505 S. College Ave. in College Place and get acquainted.

Featured in: February 2005

Author