Carl E. Reichardt

Carl Edwin Reichardt Jr.
Born	(1931-07-06) 6 July 1931
Died	13 July 2017(2017-07-13) (aged 86)
Occupation	Banking executive
Known for	CEO and chairman of Wells Fargo

Carl Edwin Reichardt Jr. (July 6, 1931 – July 13, 2017) was a prominent American banking leader who served as CEO of Wells Fargo Bank.

Early years

Reichardt completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics at the University of Southern California in 1956. His banking profession began in the 1960s at Union Bank located in Los Angeles, where he worked under the guidance of CEO and banking pioneer Harry Volk.

Wells Fargo

In 1970, Reichardt became part of Wells Fargo, advancing to the role of president by 1978. He held the presidency from 1978 until 1983, after which he assumed the positions of CEO and chairman until his retirement in 1994. Additionally, he was appointed chief operating officer in 1981.

Reichardt took over as chairman and CEO from Richard P. Cooley in January 1983. He relinquished the presidency to Paul Hazen in 1994. Under his direction, Wells Fargo successfully executed significant mergers with Crocker National Corporation in 1986 and Barclays Bank of California in 1988, while managing through the recession of the early 1990s. Reichardt stepped down from Wells Fargo’s board in 1998.

Other corporate involvement

From 1986 to 2006, Reichardt served on the board of Ford Motor Company, acting as vice chairman between 2001 and 2003 with responsibility for Ford’s financial services, leasing, credit operations, and rental car businesses. His board memberships extended to leading companies such as Pacific Gas & Electric, ConAgra, HCA, McKesson, HSBC Holdings PLC, and Newhall Management Corporation. He also contributed as a director at both the University of San Francisco and his alma mater, the University of Southern California. In recognition of his achievements, Reichardt was honored with the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement in 1989.

Reichardt died on July 13, 2017, at the age of 86.