A Banker's Journey

The author documents unique adventures in the Philippines, Australia, South Africa and Iran while in, and later managing, the bank's Asia, Middle East and Africa unit from 1971 to 1979. As International Division head in 1982, he was the first US banker to withdraw loans made to Latin America, precipitating what became known as the LDC Debt crisis, resulting in his conflicts with New York bankers and the Federal Reserve. As Chief Credit Officer he shepherded Corestates through the 1989 to 1993 real estate meltdown while actively participating in one of the nation's first Diversity initiative. As President and COO, he assisted CEO Larsen navigate years of banking system consolidation, culminating in Corestates' acquisition by First Union which he describes as "...the worst acquisition in banking history" when First Union dissipated Corestates' value, for which they had paid the highest price to book value ever, either before or since. He blames First Union's senior management for multiple bad decisions, which, had they listened to Corestates' executives, would never have been made. The book concludes with criticism of how banking regulators have weakened the banking system as a supplier of risk capital by their attempts to respond to past crises and congressional demands.