Skip Granger, 2018
Shortly after Mary Ann and I were married in 1974, we began banking at Northern California Savings and Loan in San Anselmo, California. It was a very small bank on the main street of a small town, and we had little money or assets, but they seemed to like us and were quite nice to us. We enjoyed an amicable and mutually satisfying relationship.
Fast forward a few years, and both of us grew up! They were acquired Great Western Saving followed by Washington Mutual, and finally by Chase Manhattan Bank, and we began our successful career and parenting. I knew Chase because after law school, while dating a young lady in Manhattan, I had gone there to apply for a job in New York City. During my interview, they noted that I was an attorney and had practiced as Research Attorney for the Kansas Supreme Court, and I thought that had impressed them. Then, to my surprise, they immediately offered me a position as a bank manager. When I inquired about the location, they replied ”in Saigon.” No one in his right mind wanted to go to Vietnam during the war! Thus, I began to know Chase better.
Soon, we were doing much better and had acquired some cash and assets. Our bank was now in San Rafael and was much larger. We got to know the managers and tellers and had a more commercial but still cordial relationship. The only problem, which we did not realize at that time was a problem, was the bank’s location right off the Highway 101 freeway.
One New Year’s Eve, I stopped by the bank before going home to get ready for a night on the town. On this particular evening, just as the bank was preparing to close, I approached my favorite teller on the far right side of the bank and made my deposit. We chatted for a bit, and I left to go home and dress for our evening out to celebrate the new year. The guy behind me stepped as I was leaving, and I had no idea of his criminal intentions. As I left, I noticed a car full of fellows parked on the curb outside of the bank, but thought little of it.
The following day, we were a bit hungover, but I had season tickets for the San Francisco 49ers game, which I didn’t want to miss; so I headed for Candlestick Park down the peninsula. Mary Ann decided to stay home and do some gardening. A rather nondescript Ford sedan pulled into our drive, and a fellow approached her saying ”Mrs. Granger?, I am with the FBI, and we have reason to believe that you husband was involved in a bank robbery last evening.” She thought ”Well, I know that he brings home a lot of money, but I never asked where he got it.” Fortunately, she did not say that, and the FBI officer explained the entire situation to her.
My activities at Menlo Capital involved investment research, and I often attended investment banking conferences hosted by JP Morgan, Montgomery Securities, Morgan Stanley and many other investment banks. Chase had acquired JP Morgan, so I learned another side of Chase. As an additional perk, at each conference they provided several days of delicious food and wine, concerts by entertainers such as 
Sherrill Crow, and colorful canvas bags to carry the investment brochures and materials as well as various perks. Besides black, each conference had its own colorful bag, and I collected as rainbow of bags. The branch managers of our Corte Madera Chase office had never seen them and loved it when Mary Ann would bring them one. When they invited us to a farewell luncheon, we took them many of the bags!
When we retired and moved to Arizona eight years ago, we sold our home in Kentfield and leased our home in Sun Lakes since our kids felt that we should divest at this point in our lives. We deposited our funds in Chase Bank, which made us eligible for a Private Banker. Michelle the Banker was quite helpful in planning our financial affairs, but all stories do not have a happy ending. When we decided to purchase that home, things did not work as well. We had offered all cash with a 7 day close of escrow during the holidays in order to secure an amazingly low purchase price. We set a meeting with the Chase mortgage officer en route to Olivenhain with our packed suitcases in the car. Dan the mortgage officer asked for our W2’s. Since we live in a retirement community where few people were still working, I was surprised by his question. He denied our mortgage! I suggested that I had structures deals in Silicon Valley my entire career, and suggested that they put a hold on the substantial amount of our funds they held. He refused to budge. Since that day, I have not held the same regard for Chase!
