Bank of America - The decline of a once Great Bank.
I recently as a small business owner had a need for a banking account in another bank in Charlotte other than the one that I had been banking with previously. This was due to the fact that one of the individuals who I had loaned money in our business to the tune of two and a half million wanted to be able to have a sweep account so that they could pay the large payment to me each month. What is most interesting is this individual work for the bank for over 20 years as the branch manager of the location that I went to attempt to open the account at.
This was an action that my wife and I would later regret. We went to the Bank of America location In Charlotte North Carolina in the neighborhood of Starmount. This was the neighborhood that I had grown up in and I had only lived a few blocks up the road during the majority of my youth. Realizing that the neighborhood had changed and that there now was a large majority of Hispanic individuals, including business owners that were my clients I wanted to continue to patronize businesses in the neighborhood.
As we entered the security guard stopped us and ask us why we were there. He was very polite, but he told us we most likely would not be able to open an account today, however we could attempt to. The bank was extremely busy as most branches are, we went in and asked for the individuals that were suggested to us by my client. One of which was the manager of the branch.
He greeted us professionally and also asked us why we were there. We explained to him that we want to open an account and was referred to the bank. He then asked to see my paperwork. I proceeded to show him our LLC paperwork, which had the name of our agent from Raleigh representing our company listed.
He then informed me that our names were not on the LLC. To my surprise, he was looking at a piece of paper where it said our names were optional. I then proceeded to show him where the names were located in the paperwork, in which case he started to get angry. I told my wife that I did not think this gentleman wanted our business. I also noticed that we were the only, as referred to by the manager gringo's - a racial slur, currently in the bank.
The manager left with our paperwork, coming back and telling me I needed to get all new paperwork that was up to date. Our paperwork was less than 18 months old, and our corporation's and business have been operating in one form or another in Charlotte since 1956. The new paperwork was from a recent change from a corporation to an LLC as suggested by our CPA.
I must tell being racially insulted made me very angry, I can remember a time when this term would have never been used, when this was North Carolina National Bank.
I got up and told the manager that we would not be doing business with him and head it towards the door, he replied that he did not need our business anyway.
I had finally had enough; I told him that he did not want to service our company because I am in his words a gringo.
I loudly informed him that he was a bigot and a racist, I could not believe that he referred to me and my wife and those terms in the 21st century, he just replied have a good day sir.
I have lived in Charlotte all my life, my family has been in business since 1956, I am privileged to own a multimillion-dollar company, this is due to the hard work of many individuals located within the very neighborhood in which I was insulted at the branch of this once great bank.
I patronize and try to help all of the businesses and churches within the neighborhood regardless of color, race or creed. Many times, making low interest loans so that businesses will continue to exist even though the neighborhood is going through economical changes.
I am involved in many fraternal organizations, as well as an author and I hold a PhD, I Received the key to the city of Charlotte (a citizenship award) in 1979 from the mayor. I mentioned this not to brag but to point out and to give the reader an idea of the type of individual I attempt and each day I want to become.
I and my family have patronized another bank (Truest) and its forefathers' banks for over 65 years. In all of my time with this bank I have never seen them disrespect nor referred to others in racial terms such as I was referred to in this branch of Bank of America.
We later after walking out of the Starmount branch went to the South Park location in Charlotte and made an appointment, but after discussion with my staff about the treatment we received we have decided as mentioned above, not to pursue a sweep account with Bank of America.
In the banking business no matter what size the bank may be, it must be seen very much as a tree, its fruit which comes from its branches, shows how healthy it is. After our experience we will not be partaking of its fruit, that comes from this branch of bigotry. It is our hope that these attitudes will change, and the bank will immediately take action to correct such behavior in its branches.