The book attempts to present the perils of the business of banking, particular for minority banks, even in the midst of success. The jealousy and internal strife that prevents not only the institution from achieving its ultimate success but also any business or institution, especially in light of those whose careers are immeasurably linked to that success or failure. The old saying that ?a rising tide lifts other boats? is also true in business, with its employees. This book is intended to help others, especially those in other professions, to envision the whole picture and not just see things through their own lenses. To support your staff and encourage them in their performance of their duties proves to be a vital source and determines the quality of its management, its style, and its effectiveness. Any corporate entity needs all of its staff or employees to be on the same page or know the goal of the operation once it is defined. Accordingly, any rewards or attributes for that success must be administered fairly and equally. An ongoing concern should be the primary interest of all parties, especially those in the position of senior officials. I rest my case. High Finance Goes Uptown Story Of A Black Owned Bank By Roger L. Smith AuthorHouse Copyright © 2017 Roger L. Smith All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5462-0675-0 Contents Dedication, vii, A Special Acknowledgement, xiii, Introduction, xv, Chapter 1 In the Beginning, 1, Chapter 2 Obsticles as Opportunities, 11, Chapter 3 Changing of the Guard/ New Strategies, 21, Chapter 4 Building Blocks/ Making it Big in the City, 37, Chapter 5 Plan your Work and Work your Plan, 48, Chapter 6 Attitude is Everything, 60, Chapter 7 Everyone's Success is a Win-Win, 71, Chapter 8 On to the Mountaintop, 79, CHAPTER 1 In the Beginning The story does not begin with me but with some dedicated famous heroes and heroines, a famous baseball player and his wife, and a famous boxer and his wife, a Civil Rights advocate & M L King, Jr. lieutenant and neighborhood clergy, a magazine publisher and owner, several Black Executives that held top positions with major Fortune Companies, a local Real Estate Management Firm, a community activist and a National Media Network pioneer and a host of others interested in economics and Community development. There was much work to be done in transforming an entire neighborhood and mindset and there were many successes along their journey. The job done by those that preceded our group, kept pace with the ever-changing banking environment. Then we arrived and assumed the task of taking the Bank to the next level and the responsibility to maintain and stabilize the Bank's viability and competiveness within the marketplace. There were extreme difficult times of turmoil and uncertainty lying ahead for us although unknown at that time. Those early Bankers were "care takers" and maintained the Bank until we, the talented few, came aboard. I certainly don't know any of the specifics that those early bankers endured but being in the heart of the financial center, I realize that competition was keen and brisk. Unfortunately, I am not privileged to those times or instances that preceded me, but only with the financial condition of the Bank when I arrived there in the early 1980's. I had become friends with a classmate in Graduate School while working on my Master's Degree in Bank Management. He was the President of a local Minority Bank and had mentioned several times of another Minority Bank where I might find opportunities there with my talents and abilities. I must admit that I wasn't familiar with that particular Bank at the time until I met its President at several business functions and seminars for minority businesses in the City. Eventually, the President of that Bank and I had an occasion to discuss the Bank and its potential. There was an immediate opening for a V P in branch operations, heading up their several branches in which the branch managers would report to that office. I was somewhat reluctant even though my training and background was extensive in branch banking from several large financial institutions which was quite significant and impressive. I had worked for one of the top major Banks in the Country where I reported to the V P in charge of 20 or so branches located in the heart of the financial center after I had completed an extensive Management Training Program and which included branch banking experiences. My responsibilities at that time included preparing reports on branch operations and ranking them according to profitability and staffing, in addition to teaching seminars, and interacted with Top Management. Later I left that Bank to become a Branch Manager for a major Bank in another State at a very tender age (24) years of age. There I restructured the bank's operations and restored it to profitability, even though the original plan was to close that particular location due to the l