St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-08-17
Minneapolis Banker
John deLoiftre Is
Named By Kennedy

President Kennedy announced in
Washington Monday the appoint
ment Of John deLaittre, President
of the Farmers and Mechanics
Savings Bank of Minneapolis, as
the Republican member Of the Fed
eral Home Loan Bank Board. The
four year appointment is subject
to confirmation by the United
States Senate.
Mr.. deLaittre would succeed Ira
Dixon, whose term of office on the
three man board expired June 80,
1862. The other two board men,
bers are Joseph P. McMurray,
Chairman, and Joseph ]. Williams,
Jr.
The Federal Home Loan Bank
Board has three important func-
tons for the eighty billion dollar
savings and loan industry: it CO.
ordinates the regional Home Loan
Banks, charters and supervises the
Federal savings and loan associa-
tons and directs the Federal Saw
ings and Loan Insurance Corpora
ton.
Il am extremely honored by the
Presidents appointment and, If
confirmed by the Senate, will be
proud to accept the post and join
the other two board members in
their handling of the common
problems of the savings and lend
ing industries Of our country" Mr.
deLaittre said.
ITO leave Minneapolis, even
temporarily, and to leave Farmers
and Mechanics, is a difficult de-
cision to make. I am satisfied,
however, that the bank is stated
with officers who are entirely cap
able of providing prudent and far
sighted management.
For myself, I am happy for
this opportunity to be of public
service in the best interests of
American families and the nations
savings institutions"
Mr.. deLaittre has been Presi-
dent of Farmers and Mechanics,
Minnesota's only Mutual Savings
Bank with assets of nearly 400
million dollars, since 1857. He
Joined the Bank in 1910 as AS
sistant Treasurer after being as
ISOLATED for seven years with the
Minneapolis law firm of Kingman,
Cross, Morley, Cant and Taylor.
He served as Treasurer from 1912
to 1947, as Vice President until
1856 and as Executive Vice Presi-
dent for a year before becoming
President.
A widely respected figure in
thrift industry circles, Mr.. de-
Laittre was President of the Ma
tional Association of Mutual Saw
ings Banks in 1859 and has con-
tinued to serve on its Board of
Directors. Mr.. deLaittre is pres
entity a Vice President Of the In
ternational Thrift Institute, and
Treasurer of the National Thrift
Committee.
Born in Minneapolis in 1907, he
attended Blake School, Friends
School in Washington, D. c., and
Milton Academy in Massachusetts,.
He graduated from Harvard Col
lege in 1929, made a trip around
the world, and then matriculated
at Harvard Law School in 1888.
Long a devoted civic, cultural
and community leader, Mr.. Le-
Laittre is now Acting President OF
the Twin City Educational Tele-
vision Corporation (KCTA, Chan
mel 2. He recently retired as Presi-
dent of the Minnesota Historical
Society. He is a trustee Of the
Minneapolis Society Of Fine Arts,
Walker Art Center, the Mime
apolis Foundation, and Lakewood
Cemetery.
He has served as the first vice
president of the United Hospital
Fund, chairman Of the Hennepin
County Red Cross Chapter, and
as director of the Community
Chest and the United Fund.
During World War II, Mr.. de-
lLaittre was Assistant to the Dr.
rector of Foreign Operations OF
the American Red Cross in Wash
iington, D. c., serving from 1913
to 1914.
He is a member of the board of
directors of the Great Northern
Insurance Company and Title In
urance Company of Minnesota and
served on the board of Western
Oil and Fuel Company from 1851
to 1860.
His wife is the former Carolyn
Erminger of Macon, Georgia and
Chicago, Illinois. They have three
daughters, Mrs. Henry A Pills
bury Of San Francisco, Mrs. Car
olyn del. Hawley of Santa Bar