Big Bob’s reporting that the county’s second West Nile virus fatality this year was an 81-year-old man that many here knew well: Dallas banking legend Charles H. Pistor Jr. Charles was sharp, affable and positive — a former chairman of First RepublicBank of Dallas, a former president of the American Bankers Association, and an ex-president of the Dallas Assembly.
Whether we were putting together a panel of experts to speak at a symposium at the Dallas Business Journal, or gathering information about the local banking scene for D CEO, Charles was always ready to offer a hand and his unique perspective. Last time we saw him was at a fundraiser for Dallas Summer Musicals, where he’d chaired the board and always supported his good pal Michael Jenkins.
Charles did a lot of good for DFW, and he’ll be missed. Here’s some vintage Pistor, telling then-D CEO Managing Editor Jessica Jones in 2007 what’s so special about the local business scene:
Years ago we were fortunate in Dallas to have the relocation of the National Gypsum out of Buffalo headquarters down here, and I remember talking to the CEO and saying, “You know, there is this culture in Dallas of wanting to know [what’s happening], both in the city and business. I want you to come over and I want to set up a cup of coffee with the city manager, George Schrader.” And George was a fantastically good city manager for Dallas. And we went in and [George] just put his arms around us and said, “We’re so excited to have you here, and I want to know anything I can do from the city’s point of view.” Anyway, it was a great visit and we came out, and the CEO said to me, “Hell, in Buffalo they don’t even know we exist, and here I’m meeting with the city manager the first day!”
