Anthony Wayne Bank - That's MY Bank

Anthony Wayne Bank and Office Building
East Berry at Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46801

Photo: Virgil V. Marquart
(Approximate date of postcard - 1950's)









******************************

There was a career path that existed in Fort Wayne in the 80's.

Let me rewind and tell you how it went.

During high school, if you wanted a part-time job, one of your options (if you were lucky) was to work at Scott's or Rogers.

If you worked at Scott's or Rogers in high school, you started out as a cashier and if you were extremely lucky (aka - you kissed enough butt and you were good at what you did) you might just MIGHT have the opportunity to work in the "office" area.

The office was actually the spot where you took care of customers - cashing their payroll check, dispensing stamps, taking their utility bill payments. You also checked cashiers in and out, offered feedback to the head cashier about the people on the floor, and generally, you got to wreak havoc with peoples schedules (if you so desired).

The only time one of those coveted spots ever opened up (and mind you - they were only part-time) was if someone left. And people didn't leave unless they climbed to the next level of their career - a job as a bank teller at Lincoln National, Fort Wayne National, or Anthony Wayne Bank.

If you thought it was difficult getting a position at Scott's or Rogers, the jobs at the banks were nearly impossible. Usually, you had to be good friends with someone who already worked there or your parents had to be good friends with someone who was "someone" at the bank.

In 1985, I decided to apply for an opening at Anthony Wayne Bank. How did I know about it? I read about it in the Journal Gazette. There was a very modest sized ad in the help wanted area. Anthony Wayne Bank was looking for experienced cashiers to fill a part-time role in their downtown branch.

Downtown was always neat - but scary to me. Crowded...difficult to find a parking spot. The important types worked downtown. I wasn't sure that I would fit in. I sent in a resume and within two weeks, I was called by Human Resources. Could I come downtown for an interview and to complete the "required testing". Of course I could! I made sure to have my resume printed out on the nice, heavy, lightly colored parchment-type paper (3 copies - just in case) and I made sure that I took the day off from work and school so that everything could be perfect for my trip downtown.

I know exactly what I was wearing for my interview. I had on a just-below-the-knee, navy blue skirt (because everybody knows - navy blue is the color to wear to interviews), a nicely pressed white blouse with a feminine collar (and it complemented my face), and the icing on the cake was my blue patterned bow which brought my whole look together.

Side note: those of you who weren't my age in this era - no fair if you laugh. Believe me, you'll look back at what you were wearing when you were 18-19 and you will wonder...what the?!?!

The testing was SO easy. Let's see, I had to show I could add and subtract and divide and multiply. Woo Hoo! I also had to complete an application (which was four pages long) and which seemed to ask for the exact same information that my resume provided. 

Side Note: Anyone else ever annoyed at how redundant all HR processes are?!

After the testing, I was ushered into a "waiting" room and I sat there for a good 30 minutes. HR came out, called me into one of their nice, windowed offices and just like that - they went into their list of questions.

Of course I was very charming but business-like and I could tell that the HR chick thought I was all that and a bag of chips.

Hmmmm.....I bet I had that job in the bag....

But no - she called me early afternoon and asked if I would be interested in a full-time teller position at one of their Freedom Branches (aka banks located in department stores). I calmly, but excitedly said YES! And the next day, I put on a similar interview outfit and made my way out to the Parkwest Shopping Center. Inside Heck's Department Store, I met up with the manager of that branch - Gloria.

Gloria was blond, pencil thin, harsh-looking, smoked like a chimney, and had one of those raspy voices. She wasn't very personable. In fact, I didn't think our interview went well at all. She was very monotone and offered me no feedback as she went through her list of questions.

An hour later though, I was offered the position.

I nabbed my first, full-time job and it was at Anthony Wayne Bank. The hours were squirly. I worked 11 am - 7:30 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 2:30 pm -7:30 pm on Friday, and 8 am - 5 pm on Saturday. (Psssst....anything over 35 hours was considered "full time")

My starting salary was $16,100. I thought I was RICH.

The Continued Erosion of Loyalty

One of the reasons that I focus on the past (as it applies to Fort Wayne) is that I'm completely heartbroken over what has been deemed "progress" over the past 15 years.


Do you remember this map that was released in - oh - the mid-70's?



I only have a small version to post here - but the one I have on this person is a fantastic animated/illustration of the businesses that were a strong force - a huge contributing factor - that made Fort Wayne stand out from all of the other big-little cities.

Companies like -

Scotts
Rogers
Maloleys
Fort Wayne National Bank
Anthony Wayne Bank
Archway
Eckrich Meats
Seyferts
Holiday Theaters
Nobsons
Southtown Mall
A&W Rootbeer Stand
Falstaff Brewery
Wayne Candies

And then last - but not least was a little ole force to be wreckoned with - Lincoln National Corporation (now known - I guess as Lincoln Financial Group).

LNC was a fantastic place to work.

My mother worked there.
My aunt worked there.
My mother-in-law worked there.
My husband and I BOTH worked there.

It was just an all-around, great place to work. Why? I think much of it had to do with the leadership and grace of Ian Rolland.

I still have major hero worship for the man today. He knew how to lead people. He knew the importance of giving back to the community. He knew that although the bottomline was important - have faith in your people - and they will build up your bottom line.

I worked at Lincoln for about six years. I always thought that after I was done with Central Indiana, I would make my way back up to the Fort and LNC would be my last place of employment before I retired.

Obviously, I was deluding myself.

Ian Rolland is gone.

The leadership team high-tailed it to the East because as we all know - it's way important to have your name on the side of some sports stadium.

They outsourced IT to IBM - which is completely - well laughable because LNC had one of the best IT groups that ever walked the face of this earth and to dump them down with the likes of the Big Blue - well - what an insult.

As an aside - very ironic - isn't it? To outsource IT to a company that charges a bazillion dollars to do consulting work for large companies like LNC/LFG. It's like we sold our talent to them. And then they turned around and (most likely) charged LNC/LFG triple.

Who knows if this THING still exists - it's probably been even further outsourced.

ANYWAY.

So I'm outraged at the moment because I just read on the Fort Wayne Newspaper site that those idiots are closing down The Lincoln Museum.

"The Lincoln Museum downtown is closing, it was announced at a press conference Monday by the Lincoln Financial Foundation.

The decision came in part because of decreased student traffic. The foundation said about 12,000 students went through the museum in 1996. Only about 7,500 did in 2006. The foundation said competition from more hands-on offerings, such as those at Science Central, had hurt business.

One or more organizations will take over possession of the museum’s 79 “3-D” pieces, such as a chair in which Lincoln was photographed. It is not thought that any of it will remain in Fort Wayne. Some of the print items, such as a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by Lincoln, will be digitized and may stay here."

I heartily congratulate the idiot management team of LFG (insert golf clap here). Way to show your continued loyalty to a city that you once felt a deep commitment too. Let's start the countdown on how long it will take you to dismantle everything else that was once lovingly built and nurtured in this town by your predecessors and those who stood side by side with them (aka the fine folks of The Fort).

I'm sure there's another sports arena to fund on the East Coast. (snicker)