In a city known for its powerful business leaders, Ben Love towers 
as one of the most influential. Serving as CEO of Texas Commerce 
Bancshares in the 1980s, during the collapse of the Texas banking 
industry, Love had an inside view of the debacle. His story, told here 
in detail for the first time, provides an insightful perspective on the 
Texas banking industry's evolution after World War II, its decline, 
and its subsequent recovery. It also offers a glimpse into of the kind 
of character that creates men of power.

    Love grew up with his family during the Great Depression. Their 
farm outside Paris, Texas, taught him hard lessons about 
opportunity and financial security—lessons that would serve him 
well in the future. After America's entry into war in 1941, Love flew 
Eighth Air Force B-17 combat missions over Europe, then settled in 
Houston in the late 1940s.

    His entrance into the world of banking began as a member of the 
board of directors for River Oaks Bank & Trust. He accepted an 
offer to leave River Oaks to join Texas Commerce Bank (TCB) in 
1967. Appointed president of TCB in 1969 and CEO from 1972 to 
1989, Love cultivated change from single banks to holding 
companies, garnering a national reputation for his banking 
organization.

    Under his competent management, TCB was the only "Big Five" 
Texas bank to survive the economic downturn. One reason for its 
continued success lies with Love's successful merger in 1987 with 
the Chemical Bank of New York, now J. P. Morgan Chase. When he 
retired at the close of the decade, Love turned his formidable 
energies to full-time civic and humanitarian work.

    Ben F. Love's inspiring memoir is one of only a few available in 
the literature on banking and finance. Not only does it reveal an 
inside look at the evolution of banking in Texas, but it will also serve 
as an instructional guide to future business leaders and managers. 
The final chapter summarizes experiences and lessons learned in 
eighty years of a successful and productive life.

_________________________________________________________

A native Texan, the late BEN F. LOVE frequently appeared on the 
state's list of the most influential individuals.


Number Eighteen: Kenneth E. Montague Series in Oil and Business


What people are saying about this book

"  . . .  more than the story of a banker—it is also the story of Houston. 
He prodded and nurtured the maturation of his city from an oil boom 
town to a global hub of energy and commerce."—from the foreword 
by James A. Baker, III

"Mr. Grant (Joseph Grant, the chairman and CEO of Texas Capital 
Bancshares Inc. of Dallas) seemed to be speaking for many Texas 
Commerce alumni when he called Mr. Love, who died of cancer Jan. 13 
at age 81, 'the best leader I ever worked for'—and Mr. Grant began 
his banking career under the legendary Walter Wriston at Citibank.

"Mr. Love had 'great stature, in terms of raw IQ and intellect,' and
'was the smartest person I ever worked for,' Mr. Grant said.

"'This is Mr. Love at his best,' Mr. Grant wrote in an unpublished
review, calling the concluding chapter 'the highlight of the manuscript.'

"'It is full of lessons that are clear in logic, tested by experience and 
presented with example,' the review continues. 'These will resonate with 
young people seeking successful careers or just a self-fulfilling life.'"
—excerpted from American Banker (February 3, 2006)

". . . a compelling story of a boy growing up in the East Texas cotton 
belt during the ravages of the Great Depression, a young man facing 
possible death flying twenty-five missions in B-17 bombers over Nazi-
occupied Europe, and an adult building the most successful banking 
organization in Texas history. . . . A 'must-read' for aspiring business 
and community leaders."—Joseph M. Grant, Chairman and CEO, 
Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc.