A Moment in Bank History
Falling in Love...on the Job
We invited Chase alumni who met their spouses at the bank to share their "meet cute" stories in honor of Valentine's Day 2026. Enjoy reading about these couples who found more than a friend at Chase Manhattan (and other heritage Chase banks).
From Wade Bell (Credit Class, July 1970): Here is our story of finding true love at Chase:
The former Carole Palka and I met on August 3, 1977, at a little celebration for a mutual colleague, Ernie Gustafson, who was being honored for his 40th anniversary at Chase, where we all worked. Carole and I were in different divisions within the Institutional Banking Department, and I had had my eye on this beautiful young woman. I told her that I had been dying to meet her (true), and we agreed to get together after work to have a drink and get to know each other. Fate intervened, however; that day, the Puerto Rican nationalist movement FALN threatened to bomb various buildings in New York, including 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza, where we worked. While 1 CMP was not bombed, it was evacuated at midday, and our first date got postponed by several months, due to conflicting travel schedules and other factors. However, when it did happen, sparks flew; several months later, we became a couple, and I am proud and happy to say that Carole and I have been married for almost 47 years. In that time, we have had a married son, who is now 43, we spent four years in Ireland at Chase’s subsidiary in Dublin and another three years with Pfizer International Bank, also in Dublin. We are now retired and living in Sedona, Arizona, where we lead a healthy and active life, hiking Sedona’s many trails and being involved in many community activities.
(I had a word with Carole, and she agrees with my version of the story.)
Two photos: one of our Wedding Day, April 21,1979, in front of the United Nations Chapel where we were married, and another from this past Christmas with our son, Jason, and his wife, Heather, at our home in Sedona. Since we did not have digital photography back in 1979, that is a picture of a picture.
♦ From Tom Walsh: In 1973 I was a platform officer at the MHT branch at 350 Park Ave., which was the Headquarters building for the Bank. My now wife, Mary Ellen, was assigned to the International Division. On occasion she would pass my desk, and I would notice a very attractive young woman with very nice legs. It was on the occasion of an MHT celebration of the successful campaign to sign up more cardholders of Master Card that a party was held. It was at this party that we had our first dance, which led to more dates and subsequently a marriage proposal. We were married in May of 1974 which in turn led to two daughters, terrific sons-in-law and five grandchildren. Now, 51 years later, we still are having a wonderful life together. And yes! she still has great legs. (Below: wedding picture and on a recent cruise)
♦ From Barbara Fay: We met at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza in the early 1960s. Thomas Petrizzo worked in the Paying & Receiving International Department of Chase. I started out as a dictaphone secretary in the International Department. I would type the letters dictated on the dictaphone from Thomas. I did that for a few years and then we started dating and the rest is history.