Wriston, Walter B.

Walter B. Wriston retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Citicorp and its principal subsidiary, Citibank, N.A. on September 1, 1984, after having served as Chief Executive Officer for 17 years and in various other positions with the company for 38 years. Following a year's service as a U. S. State Department officer and a four-year tour with the U. S. Army during World War II, Mr. Wriston joined Citibank in 1946 as a junior inspector in the Comptroller's Division. He was assigned to the National Division in 1949 and served in the division's Canadian and Transportation districts for seven years, becoming an Assistant Cashier in 1950, an Assistant Vice President in 1952 and a Vice President in 1954. Mr. Wriston joined the bank's Overseas Division in 1956, heading the European District for three years, and was named a Senior Vice President in 1958. The following year he was made head of the Overseas Division and was appointed Executive Vice President in 1960. Mr. Wriston became President and Chief Executive Officer of the bank in 1967 and of the corporation when it was formed in 1968. He became Chairman in 1970. During his tenure as Chairman, he instituted a number of banking innovations such as the negotiable certificate of deposit, automatic teller machines (ATMs), and credit cards. Mr. Wriston was a Director of ICOS Corporation, Cygnus, Inc. and Vion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He was Chairman of President Regan's Economic Policy Advisory Board, a member and former Chairman of The Business Council, and a former co-Chairman and Policy committee member of the Business Roundtable. He was a Trustee of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, a Life Governor of New York Presbyterian Hospital, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. While at Citibank and after his retirement, he lectured at business schools and in other academic institutions. He spoke avidly on economics and the impact of information technology on the banking industry. He testified before US Senate Committees representing Citibank and other banks. Prior to his death, President George W. Bush honored Mr. Wriston with the Medal of Freedom on June 23, 2004.