The familiar Wachovia sign was stripped away and the big red and yellow Wells Fargo sign emerged symbolizing the largest bank merger in U.S. history and the transition in Hall County. Market president J.D. Mealor said local management remains in place to bring customers stream lined new banking under a historic name.
"People trusted Wells Fargo to get currency or valuables from the East Coast to the West Coast on time and get it there safely and we still take that very seriously today," Mealor said.
Mealor said among the changes Wells Fargo brings is an online banking system that allows customers to review spending habits and develop a personal budget. Mealor also said Wells Fargo is helping small business people meet the recession challenge by making SBA loans available.
"For the second year in a row we're the largest SBA lender in the nation," Mealor said. "We loaned over $800-million through the SBA 7-A program in the last 12 months."
Mealor said Wells Fargo's third quarter earnings were over $3-billion in net income.
The changeover took place in late September in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. These three states followed Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nevada, and Texas where Wachovia has already transitioned to Wells Fargo. The Wachovia brand will become Wells Fargo in other Eastern states throughout 2011.
Lead Teller Jean Hatcher recalled she's been through seven bank name changes during her 55-year career; Hatcher retires Friday.
"It's been amazing about all the changes and everything, it's changed a lot but it's still banking," she said.
Wells Fargo is adding 500 new jobs across the state, most in community banking and most already hired; all banking stores in Georgia have been remodeled to the Wells Fargo open layout using green materials and systems.
The familiar Wachovia sign was stripped away and the big red and yellow Wells Fargo sign emerged symbolizing the largest bank merger in U.S. history
Market president J.D. Mealor said local management remains in place to bring customers stream lined new banking under a historic name
Jean Hatcher retires as lead teller after 55 years in banking
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/10/233316