Posted by
Bill Cherry on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 8:37:50 AM
SECURITY MARINE BANK -- THE INDUSTRY'S PARADOX
SECURITY MARINE BANK'S WORLD HEADQUARTERS
Many years ago, photographer David Thompson took this photograph of a real, existing, operating bank.
Of course the reason he thought the subject intriguing and the image worth preserving was because the building itself was nothing more than a small, frame home that had stuck to its front a scale painting of an elaborate bank building.
The place is climate controlled by a single window air conditoning unit.
I've shown this picture to many friends and customers over the years, and it always brings a big roaring laugh and a few "I can't believe it," comments.
Of course the irony today is this: There are banks of this size and caliber all over the US that have worked to exhaustion to retain their customer bases from being proselyted by the big mega banks...the ones in the big multi-million dollar buildings that aren't facaded with painted stage flats.
And those mega banks pay some individual officers -- the presidents and chairmen -- more each year than many of these small banks have in total deposits.
But banks like Security Marine Bank have not asked taxpayers to bail them out...to make them solvent. They've operated prudently.
So in the end, whether the building's facade is real or a stage set makes no difference. It's the management behind the desks inside that counts.
Which group deserves Americans' business?
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - HIGHLAND PARK
214 503-8563