In Memoriam: Paul T. Walker, 90
Former Chief Credit Officer of CMB
Paul T. Walker, former Chief Credit Officer of The Chase Manhattan Bank, died at his home in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, on March 12, 2026. He was 90.Born in New Haven, CT, he graduated from Notre Dame High School in West Haven in 1953, before earning a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame in 1957.
He began his career as an assistant treasurer at The Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City, embarking on an over 30-year tenure working under the direction of chairman David Rockefeller and culminating in his appointment as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer in 1985.
After leaving Chase, Walker served as a Trustee of the Drexel Liquidating Trust (1992–1996), administering the disbursement of assets in the bankruptcy of Drexel Burnham Lambert Group Inc. In 1996, he co-founded Walker, Truesdell, Roth & Associates, a firm dedicated to providing comprehensive senior management, advisory and administrative services to distressed or bankrupt companies.
He was subsequently appointed by President Bill Clinton to spearhead a fund promoting business enterprise in Slovakia following that nation's transition to democracy. He served on the boards of directors of reorganized companies including Integrated Resources and Lomas Financial, and advised both debtors and creditors in troubled situations.
Throughout his career and retirement, Walker dedicated his time to teaching and mentoring younger members of his field.
He was an avid gardener and golfer and loyal fan of his alma mater's sports teams.
Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Susan; two daughters and a son, and seven grandchildren.
A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 10:00 am at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 545 A1A North Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Interment will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Quinn Shalz Funeral Home, 3600 Third Street South, Jacksonville Beach, FL.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Notre Dame High School or by mail to Notre Dame High School, Attn: Development Office, One Notre Dame Way, West Haven, CT 06516. Please reference the gift in memory of Paul T. Walker.
Remembrances
Click here for a story we ran about Walker in 2010.
Please send remembrances to news@chasealum.org
From Judi Joyce Burr: Early in 1980, I was a new Human Resource Manager for the Corporate Staff Functions. One of the Staff Functions was Paul’s credit area. As I made my rounds to the areas, I scheduled to see Paul. When we met, his first statement after saying hello was “I’m not a fan of HR since you never let me do what I feel needs to be done.” I asked him to give me a chance to do my job and work with him where he felt that HR stood in the way. Well, in the seven years supporting Paul, we became great partners and he did get to feel that HR wasn’t that bad. Throughout his career and mine in Chase/JPMorgan, we always kept in touch. He had an incredible sense of humor and compassion that many did not see.
From Ed Moran: Paul and I began our association long before we ever met. We were both born in the same hospital in New Haven, CT, he two years before me. We began working together in the mid- 1970’s on a couple of credits that I had inherited when I transferred to the Times Square corporate area and he had just assumed leadership of a special credits division. That entity eventually was folded into the corporate Special Loans district, which he soon headed. Several years later, I was drafted to head the Penn Square Bank workout reporting to him. After about four years, I left Chase to go out on my own and he soon after did as well to handle the Drexel Burnham mess. That led him to start Walker, Truesdell and led me to working with him again on several assignments. I in turn used several of his people to help in several of my bankruptcy trusteeships.
Paul was a true friend, one of the best that I ever had in my Chase days and for many years after. We used to kid each other about our shared original hometown, our Irish Catholic upbringing and many of the characters we had met since. It pains to think we've lost him and I neglected to make that one last phone call that I was always going to make…tomorrow.
Paul was a true friend, one of the best that I ever had in my Chase days and for many years after. We used to kid each other about our shared original hometown, our Irish Catholic upbringing and many of the characters we had met since. It pains to think we've lost him and I neglected to make that one last phone call that I was always going to make…tomorrow.