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Regional Oral History Office the Bancroft Library Claire Giannini Of Regional Oral History Office University of California The Bancroft Library Berkeley, California Claire Giannini of fman THE GIANNINI FAMILY IN BANKING AND PUBLIC SERVICE Including Interviews with Mary McGoldrick, Margaret Mallory Dickson, and J. M. Fischer An Interview Conducted by Ruth Teiser in 1976 Underwrit ten by The Bank of America Foundation Copyright @ 1987 by The Regents of the University of California All uses of this manuscript are covered by a legal agreement between the University of California and Claire Giannini Hoffman dated July 31, 1986. By agreement with Claire Giannini Hoffman the manuscript is closed: until January 1, 2006. The manuscript is thereafter made available for research purposes. All literary rights in the manuscript, including the right to publish, are reserved to The Bancroft Library of the University of California, Berkeley. No part of the manuscript may be quoted for publication without the written permission of the Director of The Bancroft Library of the University of California , Berkeley. Requests for permission to quote for publication should be addressed to the Regional Oral History Office, 486 Library, and should include identification of the specific passages to be quoted, anticipated use of the passages, and identification of the user. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Claire Giannini Hoffman, "The Giannini Family in Banking and Public Service," an oral history conducted 1976 by Ruth Teiser, Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of ~alifornia,Berkeley, 1987 . Copy No. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE December 11, 1991 J. M. Fischer ' J. M. (Jake) Fischer, a former vice president at Bank of America I who served as right-hand man to its founder, A. P. Giannini, died Sunday at the age of 92. Born in Nevada City, Mr. Fi- scher came to San Francisco in 1918 with a high school dip1oma:A year later, he embarked on what would be a 72year career with the Bank of America. I Mr. F'ischer began as a messen- ger boy and later served as person- al assistant to Giannini and his son, L. M. Giannini. In 1941, he became budget director, and by 1958 he had moved up to vice president. He retired at the age of 65. Mr. Fischer was a member of-. the Elks for more than 50 years. He is survived by his sister, Grace Compagno of San Jose; a daughter, Barbara Perkins of San Francisco; grandchildren, Lisa Witherell of San Rafael, Craig (Kelly) Perkins of Laguna Niguel and Jeffrey Perkins of San Rafael; and two great-grandchildren. A memorial Mass will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Old Saint Mary's Church at 660 California Street. Friends may make dona- tions in his name to their favorite charities. San Francisco CLmonicle January 3, 1998 Claire Giannini Hoffman A memorial service for Claire Giannini Hoffman, daughter of Bank of America founder A.P. Giannini, has been scheduled for -l~~es~ya' ew's Catholic Church in $Kt,". Mrs. Hoffman died December U) at the age of 92 at the Gianuini family home in San Ma@, the city where she was born the year her father founded the Bank d Italy, which became the Bank of Ameri- ca in 1930. The memorial service will hon- or the Ufe of a woman who was steadfast in her commitment to honor her father's legacy of "bank- ing for the people," adwho was herself a significant figwe in in- ternational baqking and business circles. She was the first woman to sit on Bank of America's board of di- rectors, as well as Sears, Roebuck and Co.9 board, and she was ap pointed to senior-level financial and banking-related positions by several U.S. presidents during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. St. Matthew's Catholic Church is at El Camlno Real ancl Ninth Av- ewe, San Francisco Chronicle December 23, 1997 In 1990, she &ed Clifforfl ' Pierson "Biff" Hoff marq an invest- j Bof AScion, ment banker and former AU- American track and football star I Board's. 1st at Stanford. He died in 1954. ' After her father's ' death in 1949, she was appointed to his seat on Bank of America's board of di- Female, Dies rectors, becoming the bank's first d., nIze~"r). - female director. She continued to CheGiaruuni ~offrfian champion his ideas on branch was daughter of founder banking as the key to bringing banking ~rvicesto new and ex- By JL.~eur panding neighborhoods and help -swm* ing to fuel California's explosive Claire Giannini Hoffman, poat-~growth. daughter of the founder of Bank When her brother, Bank of of America and Transamerica America peddent LM;Giamht Corp., and herself a significant fig- died in 1952, she became a member ure in international business and of the banlt's General Executive banking circles, died Saturday at Committee. Seven Oaks, the historic family She was never a passive direc- home in Sa.Mateo. She was 92. tor, however, and her relations Hoffman was born ia San Mat- with modern-day bank manage- eo on Dec. SO, 1904, the same year ment were often stormy. Passion- Amadeo Peter Giannini pioneered ately loyal to her father's princi- "bankinf?for the ~eo~le"by foun- ples and contemptuous of contem- ding th; Bang porary banking policies, she re- of Italy in San signed as an honorary director of Francisco, the the Bank of America in 1985 after predecessor to blasting senior officers for putting the Bank of the bank's World Headquarters up America. for sale. Hoffman She called management's deci- was educated at ' sion to sell the !Bstorjr building at Bav ' Area 555 California Street "appalling" and "unpardonable." "I have watched three succes-. sive administrations," she wrote in before being admitted to Bryn a scathing -letter of redgnation, Mawr Colleges&9-,riihed in Pennsylvania.,to But "stray further and further from the policies and practices that Area :to attend;; Mills,Cpllege . .in were such a vital part of my fa- Oakland. - she-&on beciqme engrbssed in BANK: Page A17 Col. s lier . ' f atlier7s burgeoning banking. interests ..':aiid;'was! 1i.w . traveling, companion :ind confidante on many of his business trips across ' the country. ... ,and abr.oad. ,. .1 . I...:.:. .-' .,- San Francisco Chronicle Wanher 23, 1997 BANK:7b.Cughter of Founder - ~romPage A13 .". 1 velopment, representing the US. _.I ' : business community, That same ther's leadership: a willingness to year, President Lyndon Johnson place the human needs bf ordinary asked her to be a director of the people above private ambition, ExporbImport Bank. and a realization that the bank was President Nhon appointed her less a place of work for its thou- to the -cia] hv-ent sands Of employ- than an ex- sory Panel of the National Rail- tended family of fellow workers!' road Passenger Gorp. Wtrak) in She credited her'mother, Clor- 1970, ad 1912 she was appoint- * Agnes m~,wfth teaching . ed the first female member of .the her how'to,accomplish things at a Eloard of Regents of @ &?p"Y's-Col- time when women in business lege. were uncommon. Besides blazing a In 1973, Federal Reserye Board trail herself, she worked to pro- Chahman Arthur Burns and Nix- mote the cause of women, includ- on asked Hoffman to become the ing creating career paths and op governor of the Federal Reserve portunities and equality of pay. Board. She declined because the Active in major national and in- appointment would have required temtional business financial her to sever her cqnnections with organizations, she was for many Bank of America. years the only invited as Numerous honorary member- special guest at events of the Inter- ships were bestowed on her by or- national M~~~~~~~ ~~~d and the ganizations ranging from the Mex- , International for ken- ican ,American Chamber of Com- struction and Development.- merce' to the Amciation of Cali- fornia Colinty Treasurers to the In the 1950f4 the Eisenhower Soroptimist Club of San Francisco. adminkhation chose Hoffman to serve on the National Coundl 'of Many org~tiOns, the Sm fianCiscO 8oard of Super- Busi- , Consultants to the USSmall *rs, the smsLl Ad- lion' In lDSB,she eration, the Califorpia Lieu- iza??ate to the7Atlantic tenant OovemOrs, Club the Co~~essin hndon and a member fimcispo Opera, her of its Free Trade and Exchange of. special recognitiOnsIIS Currency Committee. She also be- be- ,Aa came a member Of board Of' she kept a stable of. horses at the tional bnomicOf center Growth. lnterna-And in ' Champagne Paddokk, her llacre 1QQshe was made the only honor- in wqde,. ary member pf the American Imtii Hoffman had' no children- and tute of Banking. is survived by ,two .nieces, Ann , - McWilliams of San Francisco and ' In 1963, Hoffman became the ,Virginia of,SanJose, first female director on Sears, Roe-, and two grand-nephews, Phj]]ipe buck and Co!s board. ' Hammerness of Lovelock, Nev., I She went to Geneva hi 1964 as and,LawrenceHammerness of Los US. delegate to the United Nay Angeles. , tions Conference,. on Trade and De- , Services >will,beprivate. ,,,, . --- . - - TABLE OF CONTENTS -- Claire Giannini Hoffman INTERVIEW HISTORY INTERVIEW WIYH CLAIRE GIANIVINI HOFFMAN Interview 1, March 4, 1976 The Giannini and Scatena Families The Cuneo Family The Wedding of A.P. Giannini and Clordina Cuneo Family Life The Giannini Brothers and Other Relatives A Home for Elderly Italians Interview 2, March 17, 1976 A.P. Giannini and his Associates Transamerica Problems Other Giannini Associates and Successors A.P. Giannini as a Fighter Branch Banking Interview 3, March 29, 1976 The Transamerica Proxy Battle Politics and Pensions Helping Italy and Other Nations A.P.
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