Mary Roebling
Mary Roebling | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1905 West Collingswood, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | October 25, 1994 (aged 89) Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Known for | First woman to preside over a major U.S. banking institution; first female governor of the American Stock Exchange; founder of Women's Bank N.A. |
Mary Gindhart Herbert Roebling (July 29, 1905 – October 25, 1994) was a prominent American banker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She holds the distinction of being the first woman to preside over a major banking institution in the United States.
Biography
Mary was born on July 29, 1905, in West Collingswood, New Jersey, as the oldest among four siblings. Her father, Isaac Dare Gindhart Jr., served as president of the Keystone & Eastern Telephone Company. In 1920, she married musician Arthur Herbert and had a daughter named Elizabeth before his passing in 1922. During this time, Mary balanced working at a Philadelphia investment firm with evening studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1923, she wed Hugh Graham but later divorced him to marry Siegfried Roebling, son of John A. Roebling II, in 1932. Following Siegfried’s death in 1936, Mary inherited shares in Trenton Trust and joined its board of directors. On January 21, 1937, she broke new ground by becoming president of the board, making her the first woman to lead a major commercial bank in America. She remained at the helm of Trenton Trust until its merger with National State in 1972 and subsequently chaired the merged bank until 1984.
Her public service included appointments such as membership on the Citizen's Advisory Committee on Armed Forces Installations and serving as a civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army. In 1978, she established Women's Bank N.A. in Denver—the first bank chartered by women—and chaired its board until 1983. Between 1958 and 1962, she was also the inaugural female governor of the American Stock Exchange. Additionally, in 1983, she became the first woman admitted to the Union League of Philadelphia.
Mary Roebling died from renal failure at her residence in Trenton, New Jersey on October 25, 1994.
Awards and recognition
- Roebling was honored with the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement in 1973.
- In 2019, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Further reading
- The Women's Project of New Jersey Inc. (1997). Past and Promise: Lives of New Jersey Women. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.