Mary Vail Andress

Mary Vail Andress
Born	(1883-03-27) 27 March 1883 Sparta, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	15 May 1964(1964-05-15) (aged 81) New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Banking executive, humanitarian
Known for	First female officer at a major New York bank; first female war worker awarded the Distinguished Service Medal

Mary Vail Andress (March 27, 1883 – May 15, 1964) was an American banking executive, acknowledged as "the first woman to hold an officer position at a leading New York bank". She also played a significant role in humanitarian efforts during both World War I and World War II, earning the distinction of being "the first female war worker awarded the Distinguished Service Medal".

Early life

Born in Sparta, New Jersey, Andress was the daughter of Theophilus Hunt Andress, a physician and veteran of the Union Army, and Sarah Cecelia Cutler Andress. Her family lineage included prominent individuals such as her cousin Theodore Newton Vail and her great-uncle Alfred Vail.

She completed her studies at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she captained the basketball team and later contributed as a trustee. Both her mother and grandmother were graduates of Moravian as well. In 1905, she pursued further education at the Summer School of Arts and Sciences at Yale University.

Career

During 1917 and 1918, Andress was involved with the Women's Overseas Service League, managing a canteen before assuming leadership of the American Red Cross rest station in Toul, France. For her contributions during the war, she became the first woman to receive the Distinguished Service Medal in 1919, awarded by General John J. Pershing, along with the French Medal of Gratitude. Following this, in 1919 she dedicated two years to working with Armenian refugees through Near East Relief, overseeing an orphanage in Tbilisi.

Her banking career commenced in 1920 at Bankers Trust Company's Paris branch. From 1924 until 1940, she served as assistant cashier at Chase National Bank's headquarters, marking her as the first female officer within a major New York financial institution. In 1937, she played a key role in establishing Chase’s London branch and subsequently became the bank’s first female board member. Reflecting on women’s capabilities in finance in 1924, she remarked that they are "competent, judicial, and unflurried" when handling responsibilities.

In 1940, Andress participated actively in wartime relief initiatives including British War Relief, United China Relief Drive, and the Red Cross War Fund Drive. Together with Anne Morgan, she co-founded Friends of France to support fundraising for war aid. Later in life, she was appointed to the board of trustees for the American Craftsmen's Educational Council.

Personal life

Mary Vail Andress passed away at age 81 in New York City in 1964.