Gail W. King Jr. will retire from Boatmen's Bank Thursday.

King, who has served as a credit analyst for Boatmen's in Jackson, with responsibilities for agriculture property appraising and business development, has worked at the bank since 1992. Prior to that, he was an agriculture consultant for Jackson Exchange Bank and Trust Co. seven years, where he did loan evaluations, appraisals, business development and farm management services for clients.

He will be guest of honor during a special reception Thursday, to be held in Boatmen's main bank at Jackson, 101 Court, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Customers and friends are encouraged to stop by and visit with King.

King has worked in the agriculture-related field 43 years.

He started his career in 1947 in the agronomy department of the University of Missouri. He was county director for Jackson County seven years and county agent in Perry County 11 years.

From 1977 to 1985, King served as area director and area agronomy specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

Among his many awards area the Award of Merit for outstanding accomplishment in resource conservation; Friends of Agriculture Award from the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce; two Distinguished Service awards and the Vice President's Award for Outstanding Extension Worker.

Agriculture-related memberships include the Cape Girardeau County Pork Producers; Southeast Missouri No-till Association; Cape County Farm Bureau; University of Missouri Extension Workers Association; Southeast Missouri Cattlemen's Association; Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce; and the Missouri Chapter of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.