It is a non – fiction book based upon the life experiences of the author, E. Dean Edwards. Born in the late 1920’s and growing up on a farm during the depression in the 1930’s. This book shows how a family unit survives on hard work and love for one another and working as a team. Edwards shows how to farm the land, trap, hunt wild game for food and fur. How his mother could cook a tasty meal from about anything, such as, garden vegetables, wild game, rabbits, duck, pheasants, and wild berries; such as, blueberries, cherries, blackberries, elderberries, and lots of apples and strawberries. Edwards learned to can and preserve food for the winter months including cold packing meat, pork and beef. Then Edwards, at age 17, enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1944. After training in the Unities States, he served duty in the Philippine Islands until the end of World War II.
Two weeks after discharge from the United States Navy, Edwards accepted a banking job. His ambition was to learn everything he could about the profession. Edwards went to night school to further his education beyond high school. He knew that an education was the basis for success in any profession. Edwards wanted to become a President and CEO in the banking industry. This occurred on two different occasions during his banking career, and at the same time. The first time he became President and CEO of Litchfield State Savings Bank in Michigan and they bought the First State Bank of Camden Michigan. Edwards served as President of the bank until the bank was merged into a bank holding company, which was a first in Michigan. The Litchfield Bank and the Camden Bank became an asset of Banc Shares Corp, which was the First Bank Holding Company in Michigan. Many other Michigan banks followed this example. Edwards became President and CEO of the bank holding company. Thereafter, Edwards organized a new bank in Jackson, Michigan called The Midwest Bank and became the President and CEO of this institution while he was still President and CEO of the Litchfield Bank. Along the way, Edwards organized many corporations for communities serving people; such as, medical clinics, attracted doctors and dentists, shopping centers, nursing homes, and worked with hundreds of businesses to accomplish their owners and leaders dreams through, and with, bank finances (loans).
Edwards’s title encompasses his life. He is the “seed” as a farm boy and the “Entrepreneur” as the bank business leader. Anyone can follow in these same footsteps if they have the desire for success. Their “sole dream” must be to serve other people. “Service above self” is more than a motto. Banking is a business where you serve others if you want to become successful and have your business grow. Edwards started and ran banks and branches in several communities, cities and villages in Lower Michigan. These banks provided employment for 200 people, starting with four people. The payrolls helped all related towns to prosper through their organized business.
This book shows anyone that wants to start a bank how to organize and successfully operate a bank. It also gives a brief history of how and why the Federal Reserve Bank was organized, which was to serve the nations banks, some 14,500 of them in the 1970’s. A very exciting growth period of time in our countries history. Edwards was a vital part of this growth. These banks, for the most part, are still thriving and their continued growth is phenomenal.
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