Kovacevich knew that it cost a bank much less to sell an additional product to an existing customer than it did to sell the same product to a new one, and Norwest tried to figure out the best ways to act upon that insight. He is also survived by friends, including the Kozol brothers. Kovacevich was 54 years old when the merger was announced. We didn't even originate this stuff, let alone buy it.". The pitfalls would not necessarily entail sales-motivated employees opening phony accounts. This was a nimble turn of phrase, but it was not one that Stumpf had coined. A native of Tacoma, Washington, he grew up in Enumclaw, Washington, a lumber town about 30 miles southeast of Seattle, where his father (of Croatian origin) worked in the sawmill. By 2001, the number had risen to 3.8 products. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Richard "Dicko" Kovacevich. appearance goes viral for 'old soul' hobby, NFL Combine: Michael Mayer credits Gerad Parker for his improvement as a blocker, Penn's Kristi Ulrich calls All-Star coach appointment 'once in a lifetime opportunity', Kyle Sears resigns as Elkhart boys basketball coach, South Bend area braces for rain, wet snowfall, Winter storm forces postponements of basketball sectionals, district final, Colwell: A GOP politician's favorite four-letter word, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Today, Wells Fargo is enmeshed in a reputational crisis, following the discovery that thousands of employees opened as many as two million unauthorized customer accounts. In addition, exactly how the metric was calculated was opaque, which made it difficult to compare Wells' ratio with those of other banks. (industrial engineering); Stanford University, M.B.A., 1967. Later in his career, he entertained bank staffers with his Mick Jagger impersonation. "It was pretty dramatically different, believe me," this executive said of the cultural divide. Born November 21, 1915 in Gary, Indiana. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, Anyone can read, no subscription required, See Ciresi produced two Wells Fargo e-mails in which executives stated that Kovacevich and current chairman and CEO John Stumpf "are fully aware of the situation and supportive of the position we've taken" not to redeem subsequent client investments at their original value. Richard is survived by his siblings: Danny Kovacevich and Neda Nissen; nieces and nephews: Robert Kovacevich, Nicole Cachia, Kristian (the late Grant) Avery and Mike Kovacevich; cousins: Veta Goodnight, Sam Kovacevich, Paul Kovacevich, Karen Kovacevich and Greg Kovacevich, as well as many many dear friends, including the Kozol brothers. Kovacevich says he thinks mergers and acquisitions will be focused among smaller financial firms because of regulatory restrictions on the larger banks. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Richard Kovacevich to pay them a last tribute. The number climbed throughout Kovacevich's tenure at Wells Fargo. "A lost customer is lost revenue.". After all, the banking industry had never been known for its sales prowess. "Every team member in every branch had a stake in the outcome. Here is Richard Kovacevich's obituary. I'd call it one sale," the former executive said. 2017-2023 Tribute Archive. He is preceded in death by his wife: Connie Kovacevich; parents: Nicholas, Sr. and Rose and brother: Nicholas (Marlene) Kovacevich, Jr. Family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. until time of funeral service beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road in Joliet. Executives joked that if a town had two exits, Norwest would buy the local bank. Toronto,ON Obituaries. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.giffenmackdanforth.com for the Tony Piercey Cuff, age 63, of Toronto, Ontario passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023. May 05, 2010 - 6:04 AM, Recently retired Wells Fargo & Co. Chairman Richard Kovacevich told jurors Tuesday that he could not recall being advised about investor problems in the bank's troubled security lending program even though bank executives assured clients that the matter was being addressed "at the highest levels.". Much loved Full obituary to be posted once it becomes available. BB&T announces in February it will acquire. He worked for the Kozol family in the beer and liquor business in sales throughout his life. For all of Kovacevich's focus on cross-selling, he seems to have been aware of the perils of taking the strategy too far. But by the mid-1990s, the industry was starting to change. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Kovacevich realized the only way he could keep growing the company would be to expand beyond banking services, into investment and insurance services as well. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. But a 1996 hostile takeover of First Interstate Bancorp, which owned banks in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado and Montana, had not gone well. In the early 2000s, the firm consistently lagged other banks in scores from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which is based on thousands of consumer surveys. Many old-school bankers did not see themselves as salespeople. It would not be fair to blame Kovacevich for the scandal he retired as CEO nearly a decade ago. He was born October 8, 1931 in Des. Kovacevich had two main audiences for his cross-selling mantra investors and employees and he understood how to speak to both groups. https://dev.echovita.com:443/us/obituaries/in/south-bend/richard-kovacevich-15475312, C:\inetpub\wwwroot\dev.echovita.com\us\obituaries\in\south-bend\richard-kovacevich-15475312. The sales targets he established were ambitious and perhaps unrealistic. More than 90% of appraisers are white, and researchers have found that bias leads to lower valuations for homeowners of color. Once the firms were integrated, "It became clear that Wells Fargo's cross-sell ratio was actually higher than Norwest's, if you counted products the same way," he said. "I never heard of a retailer who didn't want customers coming to their store," Kovacevich told the New York Times in 1993. Tezak Funeral Home 1211 Plainfield Rd, Joliet, IL 60435, Woodlawn Memorial Park 23060 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60431. During an earlier stint at Citibank, he'd dressed up in a New York Yankees uniform to give employees a pep talk at the start of a sales drive. They were all referring to "The Vision and Values of Wells Fargo," a document that aims to describe the company's culture and is one of the enduring legacies of the Kovacevich era. Those subpar results would have come as no surprise to critics of the cross-selling strategy. But Kovacevich said in his deposition that he was unaware that the Wells Fargo security lending program had investments in those areas. Edit note: none of this was true. asked plaintiffs' attorney Mike Ciresi. He is survived by : his wife Carol Hummel; his son Dana Richard Kovacevich of South Bend; his grandson Bradley Rome Kovacevich; and his brother Christopher Kovacevich (Linda) of Jimtown. Workers at all levels of the firm even secretaries and janitors gave a consistently positive message about the CEO. He graduated from Centerville High School in 1967, where he is still remembered as one of the greatest athletes in school history. Richard S. Kovacevich "Dicko" Age 70 of Minooka, passed away peacefully Monday, July 5, 2021 at his home. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Also preceding him in death is his sister, Cindy Kovacevich. Find the obituary of Connie E. Kovacevich (2018) from Minooka, IL. Interment will follow and Richard will be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Joliet. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. His "leadership style puts accountability for success in the hands of each and every employee". Kovacevich was relentless in his pursuit of additional sales to existing customers. (70 years old). Born Richard M. Kovacevich in 1943, in Enumclaw, WA; married Mary Jo; children: three. On one hand, cross-selling tended to be quite profitable. At Norwest, Kovacevich confronted a similar situation. These innovations of branch as a retail store (BARS) are the work of John McCoy, CEO of BankOne nna Chase. In his free time, Dicko loved going to Nascar and drag races at the track, rooting for the Bears during football season, attending Rolling Stones concerts whenever they came to town and was a great golfer. It was a culture in which the sales often justified the means. The year before Kovacevich retired, Wells Fargo published the 2006 edition of "Vision and Values." He married Sherry Skeels who preceded him in death. .css-16c7pto-SnippetSignInLink{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;}Sign In, Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved, 50% off + free delivery on any order with DoorDash promo code, Wayfair promo code: 10% off any single purchase, 60% off running shoes and apparel at Nike without a promo code, Score up to 50% off Nintendo Switch video games with GameStop coupon code. For Members Only Federal Credit Union in Chicago, which was founded by the African American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, is focused on helping members build generational wealth. It had weathered the financial crisis better than most big banks; following its bargain-bin purchase of Wachovia, Wells was the nation's second-largest bank by market value. "I admire what they are trying to do," the 64-year-old Mr. Kovacevich said in an interview, declining to discuss the specifics of the meeting. He also had ample charisma and not just in comparison with stereotypically staid bankers. Would you like to offer Richard Kovacevichs loved ones a condolence message? Hahn Funeral Home 505 W. 8th Street Mishawaka, IN RICHARD KOVACEVICH OBITUARY Richard Kovacevich "Big Rick", 66, of South Bend, passed away on Saturday November 6, 2022, in his residence.. In one speech in September 2007, just as the bank's securities lending program was discovering its investment problem, Kovacevich told an investor conference, according to documents and memos: "We looked at this stuff but it was so toxic. The Dignity Memorial online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. This article is based on interviews with numerous former Wells Fargo executives, in addition to a variety of documents that have long been part of the public record but merit reevaluation in light of the scandal at Wells. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose. But a thorough understanding of what happened at Wells Fargo does require a close look back at his tenure as CEO. In 2003, Wells scored 68 in the customer satisfaction index, well below the banking industry average of 75. The new Wells Fargo retained the iconic stagecoach branding, and the company's headquarters stayed in San Francisco. Kovacevich was nicknamed "King of the Cross-Sell," and he frequently held forth about the merits of his sales strategy. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
Richard is survived by his siblings: Danny Kovacevich and Neda Nissen; nieces and nephews: Robert Kovacevich, Nicole Cachia, Kristian (the late Grant) Avery and Mike Kovacevich; cousins: Veta Goodnight, Sam Kovacevich, Paul Kovacevich, Karen Kovacevich and Greg Kovacevich, as well as many many dear friends, including the Kozol brothers.
He is preceded in death by his wife: Connie Kovacevich; parents: Nicholas, Sr. and Rose and brother: Nicholas (Marlene) Kovacevich, Jr.
Family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. until time of funeral service beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road in Joliet. Kovacevich is responsible for many trends currently[when?] Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. Following high school, Dicko attended Southern Illinois University and earned a Bachelors degree. 'Bad books' bill: What's in Indiana Senate Bill 12? She is predeceased by her loving husband Domenico, and her parents Domenico and Felicia Bellissimo, James Jim McFedries Our beloved father James McFedries passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Tuesday, February 28, 2023, at Fieldstone Commons Care Community in Toronto, Ontario, at Elizabeth Joan Ridge (best known as Joan), passed away peacefully at Etobicoke General Hospital on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023, at the age of 86. For more information about creating a tracing rule for failed requests, click. The Lincoln Township Fire Department had been operating illegally since 2005. On April 23, 1977, in South Bend Rick married the former Carol Hummel she survives along with their son Dana Richard Kovacevich of South Bend and one. But he hasn't been shy about expressing misgivings about the rescue plan. New trustee replaced fire chief and hired all new firefighters. When Ciresi pressed Kovacevich whether other company executives were lying when they said Kovacevich and Stumpf had been briefed on the topic, he declined to respond, calling the question "hypothetical.". The strategy document identifies potential avenues for cutting cybercriminals off from financing, as well as other actions banks can take. One former Norwest executive said in a recent interview that inside a branch in California, "There'd be more potted plants than there were bankers. The low scores preceded the Norwest merger, but they continued after the integration was completed. This page was last edited on 20 December 2022, at 19:29. The lawsuit says the bank didn't follow its usual conservative investment strategy and got involved in asset-backed securities, including subprime mortgage paper, that tumbled in value when the country dipped into a recession in the middle of 2007. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. After a courageous battle with ALS, Gary passed away peacefully with his family by his side at the Sault Area Hospital on Thursday, July 29, 2021 at the age of 77. Funeral arrangement under the care ofTezak's Home to Celebrate Life. 3, 2023, Five area wrestlers to compete for places at Michigan Individual State Finals, Edwardsburg girls basketball claim fifth straight district crown, South Bend Police seek 14-year-old runaway, John Mellencamp donates collection to Indiana University, Carmel native's Jeopardy! He was predeceased by : his parents, Nicholas, Sr. Kovacevich and Rose Kovacevich (Maravich); his wife Connie Kovacevich; and his brother Nicholas Kovacevich, Jr. (Marlene). Would you like to offer Richard Kovacevichs loved ones a condolence message? ", Carrie Tolstedt, who until recently ran the bank's retail banking division, was once quoted praising then-CEO Stumpf as "a master modeler of the 'vision and values. Thomas Robert Kovacevich of Destrehan, Louisiana passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 20, 2017 after a long illness, at the age of 85. But the individual most responsible for shaping the company's sales culture is Kovacevich, who took the helm in 1998 following the merger between Wells and Norwest, where he previously served as CEO. Only integrated authentication is enabled, and a client browser was used that does not support integrated authentication. To leave an online condolence or to share a memory, please visit www.hahnfuneralhomes.com or Hahn Funeral Home Facebook page. He was raised and educated in Joliet and graduated from Joliet West High School with the class of 1968. The trial, now in its third week, contends that Wells Fargo misled clients about the nature of investments contained in the securities lending program. "You could see the fire burning in his eyes". Samuel Kovacevich Obituary It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Samuel Kovacevich of South Bend, Indiana, who passed away on September 28, 2022, at the age of 67, leaving to mourn family and friends. "The good news is it's hard to do, because once you build it, it's a competitive advantage that can't be copied.". Samuel was born in South Bend, IN to the late Christopher Kovacevich and Marjorie (Kaminski) Gray.. A Wells Fargo spokesman declined to comment on the specific products that the company used to include in the cross-sell ratio, but said that the metric has consistently been focused on products that generate revenue or have the potential to do so. He once played one of the seven dwarfs the dwarf whose last name was hard to pronounce. That tension is inherent in the business model of any sales-oriented company. Parts of the CEO's pitch had a linguistic gloss, like his insistence on referring to branches as "stores." July 5, 2021 Thu, Jul 22 2021 11:11 AM EDT. ", But then came a numerical goal that was, at the very least, in tension with what had come before: "We expect to sell at least one more product to every customer every year.". Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. Wall Street was initially skeptical. Richard Marco Kovacevich (born October 30, 1943) is an American business executive and the former CEO of Wells Fargo & Company. Find the obituary of Richard "Big Rick" Kovacevich (1956 - 2022) from South Bend, IN. In 2001 he was elected chairman as well. His parents are Joseph and Dorothy Kovacevich. Warren Buffett and former Wells Fargo boss Richard Kovacevich are friends, and Berkshire Hathaway 's largest holding is Wells Fargo. Stumpf argued that the firm's ability to cross-sell effectively represented a key edge over other banks. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Richard Kovacevich to pay them a last tribute. Kovacevich expanded Citibank aggressively into other areas such as mortgages. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date. "Ideally, only after you get the answer to all these questions will you be ready to offer a set of recommendations," this former executive said. Once you find the obituary you are looking for, you can get important information about upcoming services, share a favorite photo or memory, and send flowers or gifts to the family. A graveside service for Kinkela will be held Friday, March 10, 2023 at 1:30 PM at Thornton Cemetery, 1200 Kerry Smith, age 68, of Toronto, Ontario passed away on Friday, February 24, 2023. read one corporate document from 2006. In retrospect, Wells Fargo's cross-selling ratio had a couple of glaring problems. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Richard Kovacevich to pay them a last tribute. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. "It was all he wanted to talk about," said Devon Kinkead, a bank marketing consultant who recalled a meeting with Kovacevich. "He cared about all of his employees," this former executive said. The banking industry appears to be stuck when it comes to diversifying the leadership ranks. Cherished father of Steven (Charlotte) and Paula Rouleau (Steve). You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Richard "Dicko" Kovacevich. Richard Kovacevich is a man on the move. They are seeking damages of $407 million in a case that could have broader implications for other client-investors in securities lending programs in which institutions loan securities to brokers in exchange for cash collateral that then is invested by financial institutions. Rick was born April 4, 1956, in South Bend. Kovacevich continued to defend Theranos as "a good company" and claimed the treatment of CEO Elizabeth Holmes was "unfair. '", Stumpf himself told Congress this fall: "Of course we've made mistakes. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Constance E. Kovacevich (Minooka, Illinois), born in Morris, Illinois, who passed away on July 18, 2018, at the age of 63, leaving to mourn family and friends. Hahn Funeral Home 505 W 8th St, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Wells paid a high purchase price, and the deal included generous severance packages for senior managers at First Interstate. After the Norwest merger, Wells Fargo hired the Gallup Organization to conduct random surveys of customers when they transacted in branches, according to Jay Freeman, a former Wells executive. Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Infrastructure Advisory Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, American banker directory of U.S. banking executives, "CEO Profile: Wells Fargo's Kovacevich banks on success as a one-stop shop", "Cream of the Crop Gone Sour: America's Troubled CEOs", "Wells Fargo chairman Kovacevich to retire", https://sites.duke.edu/thefinregblog/2020/10/08/the-denials-of-dick-kovacevich-wells-fargos-godfather-of-salesmanship-says-everyone-else-is-to-blame/, "Banking giant Kovacevich gives tips on leadership, how to succeed in business", "Mary Schapiro and Richard Kovacevich to Join Hedge Fund", "Theranos's Fate Rests With a Founder Who Answers Only to Herself", "Theranos director: Treatment of CEO Holmes 'unfair', "Theranos will survive, say ex-Wells Fargo CEO, attorney who are both directors", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Kovacevich&oldid=1128555671, American chief executives of financial services companies, Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, BLP articles lacking sources from April 2014, BLP articles lacking sources from April 2016, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The implication of that language is that when Wells Fargo sold a product, it was solving a problem in a customer's life. He sent mixed messages about what should be the top priorities of consumer-facing employees. Education: Stanford University, B.S. Where does the bank and the Fed go from here? Probing deeper, Kovacevich realized that they meant that Citibank had 30% checking account market share (in other words, 30 percent of all people who lived in the Citibank regions had a checking account with Citibank). To plant. "Letting an employee know how much in incremental profits he or she generated for the company is the biggest driver of increasing cross-sell," one Wells executive said at the time. Kovacevich declined to be interviewed. , Star Tribune David Phelps His favorite times were spent with his vast community of friends. Interment will follow and Richard will be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Joliet.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made as gifts in Richard’s memory to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church.
. ", Norwest had taken the opposite approach. But the corporate culture at Wells East, which is what the old Norwest was initially called, immediately came into conflict with that of Wells West. It helped that Kovacevich had a genuine way with people. In his annual shareholder letter that year, CEO John Stumpf boasted that the firm was coming off its second straight year of record profits. "The bad news is it's hard to do," Stumpf wrote, referring to cross-selling. The Web server is not configured for anonymous access and a required authorization header was not received. Before the fake account scandal surfaced, and even since then, Wells executives have often spoken admiringly about the company's "vision and values. The scandal's central figure has been Stumpf, a mild-mannered Minnesota native who had few good answers during two contentious congressional hearings and later resigned. At Norwest, Kovacevich had pursued what was internally called the I-35 strategy, after the interstate highway that stretches from Duluth, Minn., to Laredo, Texas. The survey was aimed at evaluating the quality of the customer experience, he said. On page eight, the document stated: "If we do what's right for the customer, then it will be right for Wells Fargo. Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 2.1 Citicorp 2.2 Norwest 2.3 Legacy 2.4 Wells Fargo 2.5 Other positions 2.5.1 Hudson Executive Capital 2.5.2 Theranos 3 Personal life 4 References "I can't tell you that it happened 100% of the time, but that was the approach. Dicko also had an affinity for German Shepherds and owned and trained them throughout his life. Dicko treasured his friendships and the many memories that were created together. The former executive characterized that anecdote as an example of how Norwest's culture emphasized form over substance. Once you find the obituary you are looking for, you can get important information about upcoming services, share a favorite . Everyone was smiling. Longtime CEO Richard Kovacevich retired from Wells Fargo almost a decade ago, but understanding the scandal that has engulfed the bank requires a close look at the cross-selling mindset that he left for his successors. Wells Fargo faced a tricky calculus. It is always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish. It didn't go well. But the reality was different, according to a former Wells West executive. "They literally lost half of their business in states like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Utah," John Nelson, an executive who would later run the Colorado branches, told the Denver Post in 2000. We focus not on products but on customer needs. Over time Kovacevich's message we're different from other banks - gained traction on Wall Street. A Flagstar executive said the mortgage-focused bank is "not just going to sit on the sidelines and watch this happen.". The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. In brief remarks about the Federal Reserve's handling of COVID-19 crises, the governor said the central bank's asset-buying program is taking longer to unwind than its emergency lending facilities. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Let the family know you are thinking of them. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. Meanwhile his counterpart at Wells Fargo, Paul Hazen, was gone less than three years after the merger closed. In September 2009 Wells Fargo announced Kovacevich would step down as chairman and a director at the end of 2009 and retire from the company in early 2010 after 23 years with Norwest and Wells Fargo. Obituary Samuel Kovacevich, 67, of South Bend passed away on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Verify the authentication setting for the resource and then try requesting the resource using that authentication method. Households that banked at Wells Fargo now had an average of 5.7 products with the company, up from 5.47 a year earlier. But in an email, he said the following about his tenure at the bank: "I believe almost everything, but not all, you have been told here is incorrector at a minimum conveys the wrong impression.". He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.</p> <p>Richard is survived by his siblings: Danny Kovacevich and Neda Nissen; nieces and nephews: Robert Kovacevich, Nicole Cachia, Kristian (the late Grant) Avery and Mike Kovacevich; cousins: Veta Goodnight, Sam Kovacevich, Paul Kovacevich, Karen Kovacevich and Greg Kovacevich, as well as many . Family and friends can send flowersand condolences in memory of the loved one. As Kovacevich described his philosophy during his tenure in Minneapolis, "The war we are in will be won on the field of revenue.". Norwest was mostly centered in Minnesota and Iowa at the time, with a relatively small population in both states. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard "Dicko" Kovacevich please visit our,Richard S. Kovacevich
“Dicko”
Age 70 of Minooka, passed away peacefully Monday, July 5, 2021 at his home.
Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose (Maravich) Kovacevich. Just two months later, Wells Fargo and Norwest struck a deal, and while it was billed as a merger of equals, there was little doubt that Norwest held the upper hand. Theranos corporate governance practices have been criticized. The activist investor is crying foul, claiming the Dallas-based bank harassed one of his board candidates into withdrawing and rejected the nomination of another. Hundreds of them left the combined company, and many customers also started looking for a new bank. "Cross-selling is the epitome of a corporate-centered, self-centered approach to doing the business, not a client-centered approach," former Merrill Lynch President Herb Allison told American Banker prior to his death in 2013. Flagstar Bank launches its next mortgage-tech accelerator while Walmart and Citi partner on a supplier loan program. During a recent congressional hearing, Stumpf was lambasted for the jocular rationale behind the company's sales goal of eight products per household "Eight rhymes with great."