In Memoriam: Henry E. Ekblom, 83
Senior officer at Chase for 20 years
Harry
E. Ekblom, who spent 20 years at Chase before becoming CEO of European American Bank, died on August 28, 2011 at his
home in Osterville, Mass. He was 83.
Born in New
York City,he fought with the
40th Infantry Division in Korea during 1951-1952 and was awarded the
Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant for meritorious service. He was a graduate of Columbia College and the New York University School of Law and was admitted to the New York Bar in 1957. He attended
the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School in 1970.
During his 33-year banking career, Ekblom spent 20 years as a senior
officer at The Chase Manhattan Bank.
At Chase he was responsible for a number of diverse positions including
General Manager, London Branches, Officer in Charge of Western Europe,
as well as leading the bank's business in the Caribbean and Canada and
head of the Commodities Lending Division.
Ekblom was elected Chairman, President and CEO of European American
Bank in New York in 1970. Upon the bankruptcy of the former Franklin
National Bank in 1974, EAB purchased the branches and other viable
assets of Franklin from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and thereby
became the largest bank on Long Island. EAB was later acquired by
Citigroup. Ekblom retired from EAB in 1983 and became an Independent
Contractor to A.T. Hudson, a management consulting firm in New Jersey,
where he spent 10 years as a non-executive advisor.
In
addition to his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth (Betty), he is survived by their three
children: Harry E. Ekblom, Jr. of Wellesley, MA, Maryann E. Cudd of
Scottsdale, AZ and Neil H. Ekblom of Ridgewood, NJ., eight grandchildren
and one-great-grandchild.
Visitation will be held at the Doane Beal
& Ames Funeral Home, 160 West Main St., Hyannis on Friday, September
9, 2011 from 5 pm to 7 pm. His funeral mass will be held at Our
Lady of the Assumption Church, 76 Wianno Ave., Osterville on Saturday,
September 10, 2011 at 10 am.
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Anyone wishing to share a remembrance or tribute should send it to news@chasealum.org.