Ciresi produced two Wells Fargo e-mails in which executives stated that Kovacevich and current chairman and CEO John Stumpf "are fully aware of the situation and supportive of the position we've taken" not to redeem subsequent client investments at their original value. The ratio did not account for a product's profitability; sales of money-losing products were counted the same as lucrative sales. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Richard Kovacevich of Minooka, Illinois, born in Joliet, Illinois, who passed away on July 5, 2021, at the age of 70, leaving to mourn family and friends. Going for Gr-eight!" https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122462661539355995. After the merger, Kovacevich was given the positions of president and CEO of Wells Fargo. Obituary Richard S. Kovacevich "Dicko" Age 70 of Minooka, passed away peacefully Monday, July 5, 2021 at his home. Dicko treasured his friendships and the many memories that were created together. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Kovacevich relented. "You were not advised?" Write your message of sympathy today. "Yet you often hear bankers complain about people who waste their time, ask too many questions and get the carpet dirty.". Its cover featured a photo of the CEO in a jacket and a red tie, flanked by four younger colleagues. To make that idea credible, Wells employees needed to understand what was happening in its customers' lives. During an earlier stint at Citibank, he'd dressed up in a New York Yankees uniform to give employees a pep talk at the start of a sales drive. At Norwest, Kovacevich confronted a similar situation. Samuel was born in South Bend, IN to the late Christopher Kovacevich and Marjorie (Kaminski) Gray. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. The 40-page booklet was full of these sorts of mixed messages. Hundreds of them left the combined company, and many customers also started looking for a new bank. BB&T announces in February it will acquire. First, he needed to convince investors that Wells Fargo was better than the rest of the banking industry at cross-selling, so that they would be willing to pay a premium for the company's stock. A native of Tacoma, Washington, he grew up in Enumclaw, Washington, a lumber town about 30 miles southeast of Seattle, where his father (of Croatian origin) worked in the sawmill. This was a nimble turn of phrase, but it was not one that Stumpf had coined. Workers at all levels of the firm even secretaries and janitors gave a consistently positive message about the CEO. The San Francisco bank didn't need or want government help, he insisted. It had weathered the financial crisis better than most big banks; following its bargain-bin purchase of Wachovia, Wells was the nation's second-largest bank by market value. But he hasn't been shy about expressing misgivings about the rescue plan. They'll refer new customers to us. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Richard Kovacevich of South Bend, Indiana, who passed away on November 6, 2022 at the age of 66. Just two months later, Wells Fargo and Norwest struck a deal, and while it was billed as a merger of equals, there was little doubt that Norwest held the upper hand. Even as chairman emeritus and former CEO of Wells Fargo & Company, Kovacevich is in high demand as a speaker, a thinker and an adviser. Verify that the user is not explicitly denied access in the "configuration/system.webServer/authorization" configuration section. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. April 4, 1956 - On June 27, 2007, the board of directors elected Stumpf CEO, with Kovacevich retaining the chairmanship. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard "Dicko" Kovacevich please visit our,

Richard S. Kovacevich

“Dicko”

Age 70 of Minooka, passed away peacefully Monday, July 5, 2021 at his home.

Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose (Maravich) Kovacevich. Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Infrastructure Advisory Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, American banker directory of U.S. banking executives, "CEO Profile: Wells Fargo's Kovacevich banks on success as a one-stop shop", "Cream of the Crop Gone Sour: America's Troubled CEOs", "Wells Fargo chairman Kovacevich to retire", https://sites.duke.edu/thefinregblog/2020/10/08/the-denials-of-dick-kovacevich-wells-fargos-godfather-of-salesmanship-says-everyone-else-is-to-blame/, "Banking giant Kovacevich gives tips on leadership, how to succeed in business", "Mary Schapiro and Richard Kovacevich to Join Hedge Fund", "Theranos's Fate Rests With a Founder Who Answers Only to Herself", "Theranos director: Treatment of CEO Holmes 'unfair', "Theranos will survive, say ex-Wells Fargo CEO, attorney who are both directors", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Kovacevich&oldid=1128555671, American chief executives of financial services companies, Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, BLP articles lacking sources from April 2014, BLP articles lacking sources from April 2016, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Obituary. Victoria Basa Luminario, age 67, of Toronto, Ontario passed away on Monday, February 27, 2023. The strategy document identifies potential avenues for cutting cybercriminals off from financing, as well as other actions banks can take. In his annual shareholder letter that year, CEO John Stumpf boasted that the firm was coming off its second straight year of record profits. When Ciresi pressed Kovacevich whether other company executives were lying when they said Kovacevich and Stumpf had been briefed on the topic, he declined to respond, calling the question "hypothetical.". In April, NationsBank and Bank of America announced they were merging to create the nation's first coast-to-coast bank, ratcheting up the pressure on other regionals to get bigger. Kovacevich says he thinks mergers and acquisitions will be focused among smaller financial firms because of regulatory restrictions on the larger banks. It is always difficult saying goodbye to someone we love and cherish. On page eight, the document stated: "If we do what's right for the customer, then it will be right for Wells Fargo. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Richard Kovacevich of Minooka, Illinois, born in Joliet, Illinois, who passed away on July 5, 2021, at the age of 70, leaving to mourn family and friends. One former Norwest executive said in a recent interview that inside a branch in California, "There'd be more potted plants than there were bankers. ", Carrie Tolstedt, who until recently ran the bank's retail banking division, was once quoted praising then-CEO Stumpf as "a master modeler of the 'vision and values. Verify that the client browser supports Integrated authentication. By 2012, no amount of selling could offset a poor customer experience score in the branch incentive plan.". Dicko also had an affinity for German Shepherds and owned and trained them throughout his life. It didn't go well. You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or plant a tree in memory of Richard "Dicko" Kovacevich. But it is not clear how often that theory tracked reality, even during the Kovacevich era. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose (Maravich) Kovacevich. Kovacevich, who earned his MBA degree at Stanford while Hazen received his from the University of California at Berkeley, said that basing the bank in San Francisco and adopting the Wells Fargo. Early editions were titled "Sharing the Vision, Living the Values." In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made as gifts in Richard's memory to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and . To plant. Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose. I was a big bank diversity hire. "We cannot provide average service and expect to achieve superior financial performance," Kovacevich wrote in the company's 2000 annual report. He graduated from Centerville High School in 1967, where he is still remembered as one of the greatest athletes in school history. The number climbed throughout Kovacevich's tenure at Wells Fargo. Richard Kovacevich, the former head of Wells Fargo, said people should start going back to work in April even as COVID-19 deaths pile keep increasing. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. There is no photo or video of Richard Kovacevich.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. The company had previously partnered on its credit cards with Barclays. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Richard is survived by his siblings: Danny Kovacevich and Neda Nissen; nieces and nephews: Robert Kovacevich, Nicole Cachia, Kristian (the late Grant) Avery and Mike Kovacevich; cousins: Veta Goodnight, Sam Kovacevich, Paul Kovacevich, Karen Kovacevich and Greg Kovacevich, as well as many many dear friends, including the Kozol brothers.

He is preceded in death by his wife: Connie Kovacevich; parents: Nicholas, Sr. and Rose and brother: Nicholas (Marlene) Kovacevich, Jr.

Family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. until time of funeral service beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road in Joliet. What had been seen as a key strength at Wells Fargo its proactive sales culture has suddenly become a major weakness. The Lincoln Township Fire Department had been operating illegally since 2005. Inside of banks, different business lines were often run in separate siloes. Theranos corporate governance practices have been criticized. Mr. Kovacevich relented. "That is not saying I agree with everything being done. Before the fake account scandal surfaced, and even since then, Wells executives have often spoken admiringly about the company's "vision and values. The survey was aimed at evaluating the quality of the customer experience, he said. The new Wells Fargo retained the iconic stagecoach branding, and the company's headquarters stayed in San Francisco. Richard is survived by his siblings: Danny Kovacevich and Neda Nissen; nieces and nephews: Robert Kovacevich, Nicole Cachia, Kristian (the late Grant) Avery and Mike Kovacevich; cousins: Veta Goodnight, Sam Kovacevich, Paul Kovacevich, Karen Kovacevich and Greg Kovacevich, as well as many many dear friends, including the Kozol brothers. LaPorte County department regains legal status, all new firefighters. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Helen E. Kovacevich (Sanger, California), who passed away at the age of 95, on January 21, 2023. Born October 19, 1950 in Joliet, Richard was a son of Nicholas, Sr. and Rose (Maravich) Kovacevich. Next: The torch is passed to John Stumpf and Carrie Tolstedt, and they push Wells Fargo's cross-selling strategy beyond the limits of effectiveness. He is survived by : his wife Carol Hummel; his son Dana Richard Kovacevich of South Bend; his grandson Bradley Rome Kovacevich; and his brother Christopher Kovacevich (Linda) of Jimtown. Recommend Richard "Dicko"'s obituary to your friends. Parts of the CEO's pitch had a linguistic gloss, like his insistence on referring to branches as "stores." A Flagstar executive said the mortgage-focused bank is "not just going to sit on the sidelines and watch this happen.". Wells West had been focused on cost-cutting, driven largely by automation. ", Norwest had taken the opposite approach. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date. "He was thought of as a leader," said Darryl Demos, an executive vice president at Novantas. Interment will follow and Richard will be laid to rest at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Joliet.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made as gifts in Richard’s memory to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church.

. On April 23, 1977, in South Bend Rick married the former Carol Hummel she survives along with their son Dana Richard Kovacevich of South Bend and one. The "configuration/system.webServer/authorization" configuration section may be explicitly denying the user access. In his video testimony, Kovacevich acknowledged that he made speeches in which he said he had little regard for the subprime mortgage securities market and "structured investment vehicles" that specialized in mortgages and other asset-backed securities. more of the story, One of state's richest families feuds over $1 billion estate, Minnesota's western flank loses voice on key ag panel as farm bill heats up, Billionaire's family splits as they sell drug company that made them rich, Recreational marijuana bill worries Minnesota employers, Camping World's Active Sports to close Little Canada facilities, affecting 90 workers. Kovacevich had two main audiences for his cross-selling mantra investors and employees and he understood how to speak to both groups. Verify the authentication setting for the resource and then try requesting the resource using that authentication method. "They literally lost half of their business in states like Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado and Utah," John Nelson, an executive who would later run the Colorado branches, told the Denver Post in 2000. The merger was sold to Wall Street partly on the promise that Wells East would raise the cross-sell ratio at Wells West. This source said that the company used to count a checking account with a debit card, overdraft protection, direct deposit, and an automatic bill payment as five separate sales. Make a life-giving gesture When his hand-picked successor borrowed his words, it showed what a large shadow Kovacevich still cast over the company. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. "For four or five days you'd take an organization chart and flip it upside down," Leslie Biller, a longtime Kovacevich deputy, told American Banker in 2003. "I never heard of a retailer who didn't want customers coming to their store," Kovacevich told the New York Times in 1993. Kovacevich expanded Citibank aggressively into other areas such as mortgages. "The good news is that this is hard to do.". The second audience for Kovacevich's sales message was Wells Fargo's own employees; after all, he was relying on tens of thousands of bankers to do all of the selling. Kovacevich realized the only way he could keep growing the company would be to expand beyond banking services, into investment and insurance services as well. He sent mixed messages about what should be the top priorities of consumer-facing employees. In one speech in September 2007, just as the bank's securities lending program was discovering its investment problem, Kovacevich told an investor conference, according to documents and memos: "We looked at this stuff but it was so toxic. 09:02. Still. He once played one of the seven dwarfs the dwarf whose last name was hard to pronounce. He then joined Norwest Bank as chief operating officer and head of the retail banking group in March 1986. In brief remarks about the Federal Reserve's handling of COVID-19 crises, the governor said the central bank's asset-buying program is taking longer to unwind than its emergency lending facilities. Family and friends can send flowersand condolences in memory of the loved one. Kovacevich's emphasis on cross-selling was widely thought to be a key reason why the company's stock traded at a higher premium than other banks. Stumpf argued that the firm's ability to cross-sell effectively represented a key edge over other banks. One benefit of the cross-sell ratio was that it was easy for investors to understand. In 1998 Wells reported 3.2 products per retail banking household. He married Sherry Skeels who preceded him in death. No authentication protocol (including anonymous) is selected in IIS. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made as gifts in Richards memory to St. George Serbian Orthodox Church. Edit note: none of this was true. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. "It was pretty dramatically different, believe me," this executive said of the cultural divide. News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. Wall Street was initially skeptical. "A lost customer is lost revenue.". Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Richard Kovacevich to pay them a last tribute. The pamphlet was first printed in 1993, when Kovacevich was at Norwest. Once the firms were integrated, "It became clear that Wells Fargo's cross-sell ratio was actually higher than Norwest's, if you counted products the same way," he said. I'd call it one sale," the former executive said. He was raised and educated in Joliet and graduated from Joliet West High School with the class of 1968. Executives joked that if a town had two exits, Norwest would buy the local bank. Kovacevich, Rose M. (Nee Maravich) age 96, of Minooka, passed away on August 2, 2012 at Provena St. Joseph Hospital. On the other hand, if the CEO had to choose only one goal for Wells Fargo, he said it would be double-digit revenue growth. "I can't tell you that it happened 100% of the time, but that was the approach. On one hand, selling products that are not in customers' best long-term interests is contrary to the company's vision and values, the document stated. But in an email, he said the following about his tenure at the bank: "I believe almost everything, but not all, you have been told here is incorrector at a minimum conveys the wrong impression.". But Kovacevich said in his deposition that he was unaware that the Wells Fargo security lending program had investments in those areas. They were all referring to "The Vision and Values of Wells Fargo," a document that aims to describe the company's culture and is one of the enduring legacies of the Kovacevich era. .css-16c7pto-SnippetSignInLink{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;}Sign In, Copyright 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved, 50% off + free delivery on any order with DoorDash promo code, Wayfair promo code: 10% off any single purchase, 60% off running shoes and apparel at Nike without a promo code, Score up to 50% off Nintendo Switch video games with GameStop coupon code. The two companies used different methods for calculating their cross-selling ratios, the former executive said. It was a culture in which the sales often justified the means. ", But then came a numerical goal that was, at the very least, in tension with what had come before: "We expect to sell at least one more product to every customer every year.". During a recent congressional hearing, Stumpf was lambasted for the jocular rationale behind the company's sales goal of eight products per household "Eight rhymes with great." Probing deeper, Kovacevich realized that they meant that Citibank had 30% checking account market share (in other words, 30 percent of all people who lived in the Citibank regions had a checking account with Citibank). The implication of that language is that when Wells Fargo sold a product, it was solving a problem in a customer's life. For Members Only Federal Credit Union in Chicago, which was founded by the African American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, is focused on helping members build generational wealth. Wells Fargo, eyeing growth in credit cards, lands hotel chain as partner, First Foundation row with Abbott Cooper moves closer to court, Senate Banking Republicans warn Fed not to go too far in capital review, Fed's Bowman: Regulators should monitor Treasuries market function, Flagstar gives $1 million to fix appraisal industry's lack of diversity, What banks need to know about the White House's cybersecurity strategy. He is preceded in death by his wife: Connie Kovacevich; parents: Nicholas, Sr. and Rose and brother: Nicholas (Marlene) Kovacevich, Jr. Family will receive relatives and friends for a visitation on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 from 8:30 a.m. until time of funeral service beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Road in Joliet. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Richard Kovacevich of South Bend, Indiana, who passed away on November 6, 2022 at the age of 66. Linda S. Kovacevich. 'Bad books' bill: What's in Indiana Senate Bill 12? His parents are Joseph and Dorothy Kovacevich. [4] The higher revenues, relative to stable fixed costs which this method produced allowed Norwest to purchase many other banks, culminating with the 1998 purchase of Wells Fargo. Family and friends can send flowersand condolences in memory of the loved one. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date. Over time Kovacevich's message we're different from other banks - gained traction on Wall Street. Mega Millions numbers for Friday, Mar. Over the years, the document took on a totemic quality inside the company. Toronto,ON Obituaries. Linda S. Kovacevich (nee Ihlenfeld), beloved mother, wife and daughter, was called home to eternal life, age 52, on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at her home in Theresa, with . After a courageous battle with ALS, Gary passed away peacefully with his family by his side at the Sault Area Hospital on Thursday, July 29, 2021 at the age of 77. [8] He is also vice president of the board of governors of the San Francisco Symphony,[8] vice chairman of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and a member of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's California Commission on Jobs and Economic Growth, the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee, and the Financial Services Roundtable. As chairman and chief executive officer of San Francisco's Wells Fargo & Co., Dick Kovacevich runs one of the nation's largest and most profitable financial services companies providing banking,. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Richard Kovacevich to pay them a last tribute. "I don't recollect ever being advised on securities lending," replied Kovacevich, whose deposition was conducted in October. Meanwhile his counterpart at Wells Fargo, Paul Hazen, was gone less than three years after the merger closed. Later in his career, he entertained bank staffers with his Mick Jagger impersonation. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Make a life-giving gesture Still. [citation needed], In June 2015, it was announced that Kovacevich is a CEO partner and had invested in Hudson Executive Capital, LP, an activist hedge fund. Warren Buffett and former Wells Fargo boss Richard Kovacevich are friends, and Berkshire Hathaway 's largest holding is Wells Fargo. By 2001, the number had risen to 3.8 products. Thomas Robert Kovacevich of Destrehan, Louisiana passed away peacefully with his family by his side on January 20, 2017 after a long illness, at the age of 85. Richard Kovacevich, former Wells Fargo Chairman and CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the state of the markets, investment strategy and more. Verify that the request is not going through a proxy when Integrated authentication is used. Samuel Kovacevich Obituary It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Samuel Kovacevich of South Bend, Indiana, who passed away on September 28, 2022, at the age of 67, leaving to mourn family and friends. But a thorough understanding of what happened at Wells Fargo does require a close look back at his tenure as CEO. Early in his corporate career he was a planning and division general manager with General Mills before joining Citicorp. "I wouldn't call that five sales. In addition, exactly how the metric was calculated was opaque, which made it difficult to compare Wells' ratio with those of other banks. Dicko also had an affinity for German Shepherds and owned and trained them throughout his life. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact "Over time, these survey results were given significant weight in the incentive compensation strategy," Freeman said in an email. Samuel Kovacevich, 67, of South Bend passed away on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Richard Kovacevich (Dicko) Friends Photos Videos More Friends Photos Videos About Work Works at Kozol Bros. Inc. May 8, 1984 - Present College Studied at Southern Illinois University Carbondale High school Went to Joliet West High School Photos See all photos Others Named Richard Kovacevich See more Others With a Similar Name Ninah Richard Instead, it tracked almost word for word with a quote 10 years earlier by Stumpf's predecessor. "It was all he wanted to talk about," said Devon Kinkead, a bank marketing consultant who recalled a meeting with Kovacevich. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. More than 90% of appraisers are white, and researchers have found that bias leads to lower valuations for homeowners of color. Hahn Funeral Home 505 W 8th St, Mishawaka, IN 46544. Cross-selling was sometimes described as "needs-based selling." We didn't even originate this stuff, let alone buy it.". Age 70 of Minooka, passed away peacefully Monday, July 5, 2021 at his home. In retrospect, Wells Fargo's cross-selling ratio had a couple of glaring problems. His favorite times were spent with his vast community of friends. Following high school, Dicko attended Southern Illinois University and earned a Bachelors degree. Samuel was born in South Bend, IN to the late Christopher Kovacevich and Marjorie (Kaminski) Gray.. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Flagstar Bank launches its next mortgage-tech accelerator while Walmart and Citi partner on a supplier loan program. Cross-selling was the new buzzword, and Kovacevich was its loudest champion. Distribution and use of this material are governed by Many old-school bankers did not see themselves as salespeople. There are no events scheduled. Arrangements entrusted to Dopkins Reedley Funeral Chapel. May 05, 2010 - 6:04 AM, Recently retired Wells Fargo & Co. Chairman Richard Kovacevich told jurors Tuesday that he could not recall being advised about investor problems in the bank's troubled security lending program even though bank executives assured clients that the matter was being addressed "at the highest levels.". Where does the bank and the Fed go from here? Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. , Star Tribune "I admire what they are trying to do," the 64-year-old Mr. Kovacevich said in an interview, declining to discuss the specifics of the meeting. Hahn Funeral Home 505 W. 8th Street Mishawaka, IN RICHARD KOVACEVICH OBITUARY Richard Kovacevich "Big Rick", 66, of South Bend, passed away on Saturday November 6, 2022, in his residence.. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. The bank says the candidates failed to make full disclosures. Here is Richard Kovacevich's obituary. In 2007, the San Francisco bank scored 69 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index, compared with an industry-wide score of 78. "Ideally, only after you get the answer to all these questions will you be ready to offer a set of recommendations," this former executive said. Education: Stanford University, B.S. It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Constance E. Kovacevich (Minooka, Illinois), born in Morris, Illinois, who passed away on July 18, 2018, at the age of 63, leaving to mourn family and friends. (70 years old). Find the obituary of Richard "Big Rick" Kovacevich (1956 - 2022) from South Bend, IN. (66 years old). During those conversations, the employees asked questions related to the customers' financial needs. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.jerrettfuneralhome.com for the Smith family. Would you like to offer Richard Kovacevichs loved ones a condolence message? By Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. David Phelps Kovacevich became CEO of the combined company and his longtime deputy, Stumpf, would later become his successor. Much loved Full obituary to be posted once it becomes available. But what really set Norwest apart was its CEO's intense focus on sales or more specifically, sales to current customers. Tezak Funeral Home 1211 Plainfield Rd, Joliet, IL 60435, Woodlawn Memorial Park 23060 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60431. November 6, 2022 [citation needed]. Today, Wells Fargo is enmeshed in a reputational crisis, following the discovery that thousands of employees opened as many as two million unauthorized customer accounts. Once the merger was complete, Kovacevich led a company that had $191 billion of assets, 2,860 branches across the West and the Midwest, and more than 90,000 employees. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Kovacevich theorized that eventually it would be impossible for any bank to continuously grow if it did not do this.